One of two most parsimonious trees based on 37 cranio-mandibular characters scored on 13 taxa (Proailurus lemanensis, Promegantereon ogygia, Paramachaerodus orientalis, P. maximiliani, Rhizosmilodon fiteae, Smilodon gracilis, S. fatalis, S. populator, Megantereon cultridens, M. hesperus, Machairodus aphanistus, M. coloradensis, and Homotherium serum).

Tribes (specifically use of Machairodontini instead of the more familiar Homotherini) follow McKenna and Bell [29], in accordance with ICZN article 36 (Principle of Coordination). Thus, Gill [30] not only established the subfamily Machairodontinae, but also the tribe Machairodontini, and this name has priority over Homotherini Fabrini, 1890. TL  =  89, CI  =  0.63, RI  =  0.74, and RC  =  0.47.