ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Machairodontinae

Machairodontinae is a group of creatures called saber-toothed cats. They were big, strong cats with long, sharp teeth that could grow up to a foot long. These teeth were used to catch and kill their prey, which included animals like mammoths.

Saber-toothed cats lived a long, long time ago, before humans were around. They were part of the big cats family, but they were different because of their long, curved teeth. These teeth were so long that the cats had to open their mouths really wide to use them, kind of like how you have to open your mouth wide to eat a big piece of pizza.

Even though saber-toothed cats are extinct now (which means they don't exist anymore), we can still learn about them from fossils and bones that have been found. Scientists think that their long teeth might have been used for more than just eating, like maybe for fighting with other cats over territory or mates.

So, when you hear the name machairodontinae, just remember that it's a group of saber-toothed cats with really long and sharp teeth that helped them catch and kill their prey.