[5] The subtribe Homotherini evolved towards a body style more fit for running, with lighter builds and long legs seen in the genera Lokotunjailurus and Homotherium[6] as well as larger noses for better respiration during pursuit.

[8] Based on mitochondrial DNA sequences extracted from fossils, the lineage of Homotherium is estimated to have diverged from that of Smilodon about 18 Ma ago.

However, if this tooth would come into contact with bone it could get caught, serrations worn off, or even completely broken thus leaving the organism without a food source, leading to starvation and death.

the two sides of the debate revolve around whether it was derived from a sexual dimorphic trait or if it was completely natural selection that drove the creation of these phenotypes.

[13] The phylogenetic relationships of Homotherini are shown in the following cladogram:[14][15][16][17][18] †Amphimachairodus kurteni †Amphimachairodus alvarezi †Amphimachairodus coloradensis †Amphimachairodus giganteus †Nimravides catacopsis †Nimravides galiani †Nimravides hibbardi †Nimravides pedionomus †Nimravides thinobates †Lokotunjailurus emageritus †Lokotunjailurus fanonei †Xenosmilus hodsonae †Xenosmilus venezuelensis †Homotherium ischyrus †Homotherium latidens †Homotherium crenatidens †Homotherium serum