83-512: The cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus ) is a large cat and the fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. It reaches 67–94 cm (26–37 in) at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between 1.1 and 1.5 m (3 ft 7 in and 4 ft 11 in). Adults weigh between 21 and 72 kg (46 and 159 lb). The cheetah
166-449: A cross between a leopard and a hyena . In 1926, Major A. Cooper wrote about a cheetah-like animal he had shot near modern-day Harare , with fur as thick as that of a snow leopard and spots that merged to form stripes. He suggested it could be a cross between a leopard and a cheetah. As more such individuals were observed it was seen that they had non-retractable claws like the cheetah. In 1927, Pocock described these individuals as
249-500: A cub is the only male in a litter, he will typically join an existing group, or form a small group of solitary males with two or three other lone males who may or may not be territorial. In the Kalahari Desert around 40% of the males live in solitude. Males in a coalition are affectionate toward each other, grooming mutually and calling out if any member is lost; unrelated males may face some aversion in their initial days in
332-651: A few Middle Pleistocene specimens from Hundsheim (Austria) and Mosbach Sands (Germany). Cheetah-like cats are known from as late as 10,000 years ago from the Old World. The giant cheetah ( A. pardinensis ), significantly larger and slower compared to the modern cheetah, occurred in Eurasia and eastern and southern Africa in the Villafranchian period roughly 3.8–1.9 mya. In the Middle Pleistocene
415-426: A galloping cheetah measures 4 to 7 m (13 to 23 ft); the stride length and the number of jumps increases with speed. During more than half the duration of the sprint, the cheetah has all four limbs in the air, increasing the stride length. Running cheetahs can retain up to 90% of the heat generated during the chase. A 1973 study suggested the length of the sprint is limited by excessive build-up of body heat when
498-427: A gene related to spermatogenesis ( AKAP4 ). This could explain the high proportion of abnormal sperma in male cheetahs and poor reproductive success in the species. The king cheetah is a variety of cheetah with a rare mutation for cream-coloured fur marked with large, blotchy spots and three dark, wide stripes extending from the neck to the tail. In Manicaland , Zimbabwe , it was known as nsuifisi and thought to be
581-502: A half of the body length, although with some exceptions, like the Lynx species and margay ( Leopardus wiedii ). Cat species vary greatly in body and skull sizes, and weights: Most cat species have a haploid number of 18 or 19. Central and South American cats have a haploid number of 18, possibly due to the combination of two smaller chromosomes into a larger one. Felidae have type IIx muscle fibers three times more powerful than
664-405: A higher lysozyme level and a higher bacterial killing capacity than the leopard, indicating a poorer adaptive and induced innate immune systems but a better constitutive innate immune system; its constitutive innate immune system compensates for its low variation of major histocompatibility complex and poorer immune adaptability. The cheetah is the world's fastest land animal. Estimates of
747-437: A lookout. Cheetahs have a flexible and complex social structure and tend to be more gregarious than several other cats (except the lion). Individuals typically avoid one another but are generally amicable; males may fight over territories or access to females in oestrus , and on rare occasions such fights can result in severe injury and death. Females are not social and have minimal interaction with other individuals, barring
830-489: A new species by the name of Acinonyx rex ("king cheetah"). However, in the absence of proof to support his claim, he withdrew his proposal in 1939. Abel Chapman considered it a colour morph of the normally spotted cheetah. Since 1927, the king cheetah has been reported five more times in the wild in Zimbabwe, Botswana and northern Transvaal ; one was photographed in 1975. In 1981, two female cheetahs that had mated with
913-407: A non-hunter because while engaged in the chase, the cheetah is more likely to be twisting and turning and may be running through vegetation. The speeds attained by the cheetah may be only slightly greater than those achieved by the pronghorn at 88.5 km/h (55.0 mph) and the springbok at 88 km/h (55 mph), but the cheetah additionally has an exceptional acceleration. One stride of
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#1732772194728996-415: A population, skin grafts exchanged between a pair of unrelated individuals would be rejected. Skin grafts exchanged between unrelated cheetahs are accepted well and heal, as if their genetic makeup were the same. The low genetic diversity is thought to have been created by two population bottlenecks from about 100,000 years and about 12,000 years ago, respectively. The resultant level of genetic variation
1079-607: A powerful bite. They are all obligate carnivores , and most are solitary predators ambushing or stalking their prey. Wild cats occur in Africa , Europe , Asia and the Americas . Some wild cat species are adapted to forest and savanna habitats , some to arid environments, and a few also to wetlands and mountainous terrain. Their activity patterns range from nocturnal and crepuscular to diurnal , depending on their preferred prey species. Reginald Innes Pocock divided
1162-481: A relatively long snout, long legs, a deep chest, tough paw pads and blunt, semi-retractable claws. The cheetah has often been likened to the greyhound, as both have similar morphology and the ability to reach tremendous speeds in a shorter time than other mammals, but the cheetah can attain much higher maximum speeds. Sharply contrasting with the other big cats in its morphology, the cheetah shows several specialized adaptations for prolonged chases to catch prey at some of
1245-452: A rudder-like means of steering that enables them to make sharp turns, necessary to outflank antelopes which often change direction to escape during a chase. The protracted claws increase grip over the ground, while rough paw pads make the sprint more convenient over tough ground. The limbs of the cheetah are longer than what is typical for other cats its size; the thigh muscles are large, and the tibia and fibula are held close together making
1328-541: A running antelope with a 140 m (150 yd) head start. Both animals were clocked at 80 km/h (50 mph) by speedometer reading while running alongside a vehicle at full speed. Cheetahs can easily capture gazelles galloping at full speed (70–80 km/h (43–50 mph)). The physiological reasons for speed in cheetahs are: Cheetahs are active mainly during the day, whereas other carnivores such as leopards and lions are active mainly at night; These larger carnivores can kill cheetahs and steal their kills; hence,
1411-554: A short time. This allows cheetahs to rapidly regain their stamina after a chase. During a typical chase, their respiratory rate increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute. The cheetah has a fast heart rate, averaging 126–173 beats per minute at resting without arrhythmia. Moreover, the reduced viscosity of the blood at higher temperatures (common in frequently moving muscles) could ease blood flow and increase oxygen transport . While running, in addition to having good traction due to their semi-retractable claws, cheetahs use their tail as
1494-595: A short, rough mane, covering at least 8 cm (3.1 in) along the neck and the shoulders; this feature is more prominent in males. The mane starts out as a cape of long, loose blue to grey hair in juveniles. Melanistic cheetahs are rare and have been seen in Zambia and Zimbabwe. In 1877–1878, Sclater described two partially albino specimens from South Africa. The head is small and more rounded compared to other big cats . Saharan cheetahs have canine-like slim faces. The ears are small, short and rounded; they are tawny at
1577-543: A skin from the Cape of Good Hope and gave it the scientific name Felis jubatus . Joshua Brookes proposed the generic name Acinonyx in 1828. In 1917, Reginald Innes Pocock placed the cheetah in a subfamily of its own, Acinonychinae, given its striking morphological resemblance to the greyhound and significant deviation from typical felid features; the cheetah was classified in Felinae in later taxonomic revisions. In
1660-520: A smaller cheetah, A. intermedius , ranged from Europe to China. The modern cheetah appeared in Africa around 1.9 mya; its fossil record is restricted to Africa. Extinct North American cheetah-like cats had historically been classified in Felis , Puma or Acinonyx ; two such species, F. studeri and F. trumani , were considered to be closer to the puma than the cheetah, despite their close similarities to
1743-457: A territory which ensures maximum access to females—this is unlike the behaviour of the male lion who mates with a particular group (pride) of females. In most cases, a coalition will consist of brothers born in the same litter who stayed together after weaning, but biologically unrelated males are often allowed into the group; in the Serengeti, 30% of members in coalitions are unrelated males. If
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#17327721947281826-562: A variety of habitats such as savannahs in the Serengeti , arid mountain ranges in the Sahara , and hilly desert terrain. The cheetah lives in three main social groups : females and their cubs, male "coalitions", and solitary males. While females lead a nomadic life searching for prey in large home ranges , males are more sedentary and instead establish much smaller territories in areas with plentiful prey and access to females. The cheetah
1909-502: A wild male from Transvaal at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre (South Africa) gave birth to one king cheetah each; subsequently, more king cheetahs were born at the centre. In 2012, the cause of this coat pattern was found to be a mutation in the gene for transmembrane aminopeptidase (Taqpep), the same gene responsible for the striped "mackerel" versus blotchy "classic" pattern seen in tabby cats . The appearance
1992-438: Is active during the day, with peaks during dawn and dusk. It feeds on small- to medium-sized prey, mostly weighing under 40 kg (88 lb), and prefers medium-sized ungulates such as impala , springbok and Thomson's gazelles . The cheetah typically stalks its prey within 60–100 m (200–330 ft) before charging towards it, trips it during the chase and bites its throat to suffocate it to death. It breeds throughout
2075-646: Is around 0.1–4% of average living species, lower than that of Tasmanian devils , Virunga gorillas , Amur tigers , and even highly inbred domestic cats and dogs. Selective retention of gene variants ( Duplication ) has been found in 10 genes candidates to explain energetics and anabolism related to muscle specialization in cheetahs. •Regulation of muscle contraction (Five genes: ADORA1 , ADRA1B , CACNA1C , RGS2 , SCN5A ). •Physiological stress response (Two genes: ADORA1 , TAOK2 ). •Negative regulation of catabolic process (Four genes: APOC3 , SUFU , DDIT4 , PPARA ). Potentially harmful mutations has been found in
2158-517: Is capable of running at 93 to 104 km/h (58 to 65 mph); it has evolved specialized adaptations for speed, including a light build, long thin legs and a long tail. The cheetah was first described in the late 18th century. Four subspecies are recognised today that are native to Africa and central Iran . An African subspecies was introduced to India in 2022. It is now distributed mainly in small, fragmented populations in northwestern, eastern and southern Africa and central Iran. It lives in
2241-409: Is caused by reinforcement of a recessive allele ; hence if two mating cheetahs are heterozygous carriers of the mutated allele, a quarter of their offspring can be expected to be king cheetahs. The cheetah is a lightly built, spotted cat characterised by a small rounded head, a short snout , black tear-like facial streaks, a deep chest, long thin legs and a long tail. Its slender, canine-like form
2324-429: Is highly adapted for speed, and contrasts sharply with the robust build of the genus Panthera . Cheetahs typically reach 67–94 cm (26–37 in) at the shoulder and the head-and-body length is between 1.1 and 1.5 m (3 ft 7 in and 4 ft 11 in). The weight can vary with age, health, location, sex and subspecies; adults typically range between 21 and 72 kg (46 and 159 lb). Cubs born in
2407-624: Is phylogenetically closer to the cougar than the cheetah; the similarities to cheetahs have been attributed to parallel evolution . The three species of the Puma lineage may have had a common ancestor during the Miocene (roughly 8.25 mya). Some suggest that North American cheetahs possibly migrated to Asia via the Bering Strait , then dispersed southward to Africa through Eurasia at least 100,000 years ago; some authors have expressed doubt over
2490-492: Is superficially similar to the leopard, which has a larger head, fully retractable claws, rosettes instead of spots, lacks tear streaks and is more muscular. Moreover, the cheetah is taller than the leopard. The serval also resembles the cheetah in physical build, but is significantly smaller, has a shorter tail and its spots fuse to form stripes on the back. The cheetah appears to have evolved convergently with canids in morphology and behaviour; it has canine-like features such as
2573-785: Is the oldest known cat that occurred after the Eocene–Oligocene extinction event about 33.9 million years ago ; fossil remains were excavated in France and Mongolia's Hsanda Gol Formation . Fossil occurrences indicate that the Felidae arrived in North America around 18.5 million years ago . This is about 20 million years later than the Ursidae and the Nimravidae , and about 10 million years later than
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2656-609: Is the oldest known pantherine cat dated to the late Messinian to early Zanclean ages about 5.95 to 4.1 million years ago . A fossil skull was excavated in 2010 in Zanda County on the Tibetan Plateau . Panthera palaeosinensis from North China probably dates to the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene . The skull of the holotype is similar to that of a lion or leopard. Panthera zdanskyi dates to
2739-428: Is typically tawny to creamy white or pale buff (darker in the mid-back portion). The chin, throat and underparts of the legs and the belly are white and devoid of markings. The rest of the body is covered with around 2,000 evenly spaced, oval or round solid black spots, each measuring roughly 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in). Each cheetah has a distinct pattern of spots which can be used to identify unique individuals. Besides
2822-591: The Canidae . In the Early Miocene about 20 to 16.6 million years ago , Pseudaelurus lived in Africa. Its fossil jaws were also excavated in geological formations of Europe's Vallesian , Asia's Middle Miocene and North America's late Hemingfordian to late Barstovian epochs. In the Early or Middle Miocene, the saber-toothed Machairodontinae evolved in Africa and migrated northwards in
2905-761: The Feliformia . All members of the cat family have the following characteristics in common: The colour, length and density of their fur are very diverse. Fur colour covers the gamut from white to black, and fur patterns from distinctive small spots, and stripes to small blotches and rosettes . Most cat species are born with spotted fur, except the jaguarundi ( Herpailurus yagouaroundi ), Asian golden cat ( Catopuma temminckii ) and caracal ( Caracal caracal ). The spotted fur of lion ( Panthera leo ), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and cougar ( Puma concolor ) cubs change to uniform fur during their ontogeny . Those living in cold environments have thick fur with long hair, like
2988-583: The Gelasian about 2.55 to 2.16 million years ago . Several fossil skulls and jawbones were excavated in northwestern China. Panthera gombaszoegensis is the earliest known pantherine cat that lived in Europe about 1.95 to 1.77 million years ago . Living felids fall into eight evolutionary lineages or species clades . Genotyping of the nuclear DNA of all 41 felid species revealed that hybridization between species occurred in
3071-772: The Late Miocene . With their large upper canines , they were adapted to prey on large-bodied megaherbivores . Miomachairodus is the oldest known member of this subfamily. Metailurus lived in Africa and Eurasia about 8 to 6 million years ago . Several Paramachaerodus skeletons were found in Spain. Homotherium appeared in Africa, Eurasia and North America around 3.5 million years ago , and Megantereon about 3 million years ago . Smilodon lived in North and South America from about 2.5 million years ago . This subfamily became extinct in
3154-607: The Late Pleistocene . Results of mitochondrial analysis indicate that the living Felidae species descended from a common ancestor , which originated in Asia in the Late Miocene epoch. They migrated to Africa, Europe and the Americas in the course of at least 10 migration waves during the past ~11 million years. Low sea levels and interglacial and glacial periods facilitated these migrations. Panthera blytheae
3237-602: The diurnal tendency of cheetahs helps them avoid larger predators in areas where they are sympatric , such as the Okavango Delta . In areas where the cheetah is the major predator (such as farmlands in Botswana and Namibia), activity tends to increase at night. This may also happen in highly arid regions such as the Sahara, where daytime temperatures can reach 43 °C (109 °F). The lunar cycle can also influence
3320-452: The jaguarundi ( Herpailurus yagouaroundi ). Together, these three species form the Puma lineage, one of the eight lineages of the extant felids ; the Puma lineage diverged from the rest 6.7 mya . The sister group of the Puma lineage is a clade of smaller Old World cats that includes the genera Felis , Otocolobus and Prionailurus . The oldest cheetah fossils, excavated in eastern and southern Africa, date to 3.5–3 mya;
3403-458: The snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ) and the Pallas's cat ( Otocolobus manul ). Those living in tropical and hot climate zones have short fur. Several species exhibit melanism with all-black individuals, cougars are notable for lacking melanism but leucism and albinism are present in cougars along with many other felids. In the great majority of cat species, the tail is between a third and
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3486-455: The 19th and 20th centuries, several cheetah zoological specimens were described; some were proposed as subspecies . A South African specimen with notably dense fur was proposed as ( Felis lanea ) by Philip Sclater in 1877 and became known as the "woolly cheetah". Its classification as a species was mostly disputed. There has been considerable confusion in the nomenclature of the cheetah and leopard ( Panthera pardus ) as authors often confused
3569-588: The Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group revised felid taxonomy and recognised these four subspecies as valid. Their details are tabulated below: Lynx Cheetah [REDACTED] Cougar P. concolor [REDACTED] Jaguarundi H. yagouaroundi [REDACTED] Felis Otocolobus Prionailurus The cheetah's closest relatives are the cougar ( Puma concolor ) and
3652-600: The Pantherinae and Felinae, with the Acinonychinae subsumed into the latter. Pantherinae includes five Panthera and two Neofelis species , while Felinae includes the other 34 species in 12 genera . The first cats emerged during the Oligocene about 25 million years ago , with the appearance of Proailurus and Pseudaelurus . The latter species complex was ancestral to two main lines of felids:
3735-415: The base and on the edges and marked with black patches on the back. The eyes are set high and have round pupils . The whiskers, shorter and fewer than those of other felids, are fine and inconspicuous. The pronounced tear streaks (or malar stripes), unique to the cheetah, originate from the corners of the eyes and run down the nose to the mouth. The role of these streaks is not well understood—they may protect
3818-451: The body temperature reaches 40–41 °C (104–106 °F). However, a 2013 study recorded the average temperature of cheetahs after hunts to be 38.6 °C (101.5 °F), suggesting high temperatures need not cause hunts to be abandoned. The running speed of 71 mph (114 km/h) of the cheetah was obtained as an result of a single run of one individual by dividing the distance traveled for time spent. The run lasted 2.25 seconds and
3901-543: The cats in the extant subfamilies and a group of extinct "saber-tooth" felids of the subfamily Machairodontinae , which range from the type genus Machairodus of the late Miocene to Smilodon of the Pleistocene. The "false saber-toothed cats", the Barbourofelidae and Nimravidae , are not true cats but are closely related. Together with the Felidae, Viverridae , hyenas and mongooses , they constitute
3984-459: The chase much lower than the highest recorded speed; their run was interspersed with a few short bursts of a few seconds when they attained peak speeds. The average speed recorded during the high speed phase was 53.64 km/h (33.3 mph), or within the range 41.4–65.88 km/h (25.7–40.9 mph) including error. The highest recorded value was 93.24 km/h (57.9 mph). A hunt consists of two phases, an initial fast acceleration phase when
4067-402: The cheetah and it has been found that there are little differences in type IIx muscle fibers concentration, anaerobic LDH enzyme activity, as well glycogen concentration between sexes, in contrast to humans where women had LDH activity much lower that men, although type IIx muscle fibers concentration were similar. Cheetah males had larger cross-sectional area fibers. The cheetah resembles
4150-447: The cheetah tries to catch up with the prey, followed by slowing down as it closes in on it, the deceleration varying by the prey in question. The initial linear acceleration observed was 12 m/s² , twice than 6 m/s² of horses and greater than 10 m/s² of greyhounds. Cheetahs can increase up 3 m/s (10.8 km/h) and decrease up 4 m/s (14.4 km/h) in a single stride. Speed and acceleration values for a hunting cheetah may be different from those for
4233-455: The cheetah's routine—activity might increase on moonlit nights as prey can be sighted easily, though this comes with the danger of encountering larger predators. Hunting is the major activity throughout the day, with peaks during dawn and dusk. Groups rest in grassy clearings after dusk. Cheetahs often inspect their vicinity at observation points such as elevations to check for prey or larger carnivores; even while resting, they take turns at keeping
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#17327721947284316-399: The clearly visible spots, there are other faint, irregular black marks on the coat. Newly born cubs are covered in fur with an unclear pattern of spots that gives them a dark appearance—pale white above and nearly black on the underside. The hair is mostly short and often coarse, but the chest and the belly are covered in soft fur; the fur of king cheetahs has been reported to be silky. There is
4399-459: The combination of the Greek prefix a– (implying a lack of) and κῑνέω ( kīnéō ) meaning 'to move' or 'to set in motion'. The specific name jubatus is Latin for 'crested, having a mane'. A few old generic names such as Cynailurus and Cynofelis allude to the similarities between the cheetah and canids . In 1777, Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber described the cheetah based on
4482-492: The course of evolution within the majority of the eight lineages. Modelling of felid coat pattern transformations revealed that nearly all patterns evolved from small spots. Traditionally, five subfamilies had been distinguished within the Felidae based on phenotypical features: the Pantherinae , the Felinae , the Acinonychinae, and the extinct Machairodontinae and Proailurinae . Acinonychinae used to only contain
4565-624: The earliest known specimen from South Africa is from the lowermost deposits of the Silberberg Grotto ( Sterkfontein ). Though incomplete, these fossils indicate forms larger but less cursorial than the modern cheetah. The first occurrence of the modern species A. jubatus in Africa may come from Cooper's D, a site in South Africa dating back to 1.5 to 1.4 Ma, during the Calabrian stage . Fossil remains from Europe are limited to
4648-421: The extant Felidae into three subfamilies: the Pantherinae , the Felinae and the Acinonychinae, differing from each other by the ossification of the hyoid apparatus and by the cutaneous sheaths which protect their claws. This concept has been revised following developments in molecular biology and techniques for the analysis of morphological data. Today, the living Felidae are divided into two subfamilies:
4731-404: The eyes from the sun's glare (a helpful feature as the cheetah hunts mainly during the day), or they could be used to define facial expressions. The exceptionally long and muscular tail, with a bushy white tuft at the end, measures 60–80 cm (24–31 in). While the first two-thirds of the tail are covered in spots, the final third is marked with four to six dark rings or stripes. The cheetah
4814-456: The eyes, a visual streak, the most efficient among felids. This significantly sharpens the vision and enables the cheetah to swiftly locate prey against the horizon. The cheetah is unable to roar due to the presence of a sharp-edged vocal fold within the larynx . In stressful situations, the cheetah has a lower cortisol level than the leopard, indicating better stress response; it also has lower immunoglobulin G and Serum amyloid A levels but
4897-437: The fastest speeds reached by land animals. Its light, streamlined body makes it well-suited to short, explosive bursts of speed, rapid acceleration, and an ability to execute extreme changes in direction while moving at high speed. The large nasal passages , accommodated well due to the smaller size of the canine teeth, ensure fast flow of sufficient air, and the enlarged heart and lungs allow the enrichment of blood with oxygen in
4980-448: The following cladogram: Sunda clouded leopard (N. diardi) Clouded leopard ( N. nebulosa ) Tiger (P. tigris) Snow leopard (P. uncia) Jaguar (P. onca) Lion ( P. leo ) Leopard ( P. pardus ) Serval (L. serval) African golden cat ( C. aurata ) Caracal ( C. caracal ) Andean mountain cat ( L. jacobita ) Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber Too Many Requests If you report this error to
5063-866: The genus Acinonyx but this genus is now within the Felinae subfamily. The following cladogram based on Piras et al. (2013) depicts the phylogeny of basal living and extinct groups. † Proailurus bourbonnensis † Proailurus lemanensis † Proailurus major † Pseudaelurus quadridentatus † Pseudaelurus cuspidatus † Pseudaelurus guangheesis † Machairodontinae [REDACTED] † Hyperailurictis intrepidus † Hyperailurictis marshi † Hyperailurictis stouti † Hyperailurictis validus † Hyperailurictis skinneri † Sivaelurus chinjiensis † Styriofelis turnauensis † Styriofelis romieviensis Felinae [REDACTED] † Miopanthera lorteti † Miopanthera pamiri Pantherinae [REDACTED] The phylogenetic relationships of living felids are shown in
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#17327721947285146-447: The group. All males in the coalition typically have equal access to kills when the group hunts together, and possibly also to females who may enter their territory. A coalition generally has a greater chance of encountering and acquiring females for mating; however, its large membership demands greater resources than do solitary males. A 1987 study showed that solitary and grouped males have a nearly equal chance of coming across females, but
5229-502: The interaction with males when they enter their territories or during the mating season. Some females, generally mother and offspring or siblings, may rest beside one another during the day. Females tend to lead a solitary life or live with offspring in undefended home ranges ; young females often stay close to their mothers for life but young males leave their mother's range to live elsewhere. Some males are territorial, and group together for life, forming coalitions that collectively defend
5312-498: The latter. Noting this, palaeontologist Daniel Adams proposed Miracinonyx , a new subgenus under Acinonyx , in 1979 for the North American cheetah-like cats; this was later elevated to genus rank. Adams pointed out that North American and Old World cheetah-like cats may have had a common ancestor, and Acinonyx might have originated in North America instead of Eurasia. However, subsequent research has shown that Miracinonyx
5395-441: The limited retraction of the cheetah's claws may result from the earlier truncation of the development of the middle phalanx bone in cheetahs. The cheetah has a total of 30 teeth; the dental formula is 3.1.3.1 3.1.2.1 . The sharp, narrow carnassial molars are larger than those of leopards and lions , suggesting the cheetah can consume a larger amount of food in a given time period. The small, flat canines are used to bite
5478-451: The lower legs less likely to rotate. This reduces the risk of losing balance during runs, but compromises the cat's ability to climb trees. The highly reduced clavicle is connected through ligaments to the scapula , whose pendulum-like motion increases the stride length and assists in shock absorption. The extension of the vertebral column can add as much as 76 cm (30 in) to the stride length. Muscle tissue has been analyzed in
5561-597: The males in coalitions are notably healthier and have better chances of survival than their solitary counterparts. Felidae Felidae ( / ˈ f ɛ l ɪ d iː / ) is the family of mammals in the order Carnivora colloquially referred to as cats . A member of this family is also called a felid ( / ˈ f iː l ɪ d / ). The 41 extant Felidae species exhibit the greatest diversity in fur patterns of all terrestrial carnivores. Cats have retractile claws , slender muscular bodies and strong flexible forelimbs. Their teeth and facial muscles allow for
5644-522: The maximum speed attained range from 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph). A commonly quoted value is 112 km/h (70 mph), recorded in 1957, but this measurement is disputed. In 2012, an 11-year-old cheetah from the Cincinnati Zoo set a world record by running 100 m (330 ft) in 5.95 seconds over a set run, recording a maximum speed of 98 km/h (61 mph). Cheetahs equipped with GPS collars hunted at speeds during most of
5727-413: The maximum speed recorded was 58 mph (93 km/h) sustained for 1–2 seconds. The speed was obtained by dividing the length by the time between footfalls of a stride. Cheetahs can go from 0 to 97 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in less than 3 seconds. There are indirect ways to measure how fast a cheetah can run. One case is known of a cheetah that overtook a young male pronghorn . Cheetahs can overtake
5810-486: The muscle fibers of human athletes. The family Felidae is part of the Feliformia , a suborder that diverged probably about 50.6 to 35 million years ago into several families. The Felidae and the Asiatic linsangs are considered a sister group , which split about 35.2 to 31.9 million years ago . The earliest cats probably appeared about 35 to 28.5 million years ago . Proailurus
5893-409: The occurrence of cheetah-like cats in North America, and instead suppose the modern cheetah to have evolved from Asian populations that eventually spread to Africa. The cheetah is thought to have experienced two population bottlenecks that greatly decreased the genetic variability in populations; one occurred about 100,000 years ago that has been correlated to migration from North America to Asia, and
5976-457: The past, the cheetah was often called "hunting leopard" because they could be tamed and used for coursing . The generic name Acinonyx probably derives from the combination of two Greek words: ἁκινητος ( akinitos ) meaning 'unmoved' or 'motionless', and ὄνυξ ( onyx ) meaning 'nail' or 'hoof'. A rough translation is "immobile nails", a reference to the cheetah's limited ability to retract its claws. A similar meaning can be obtained by
6059-466: The run 18 m (59 ft) behind the start line, starting the run already running on the course. Again dividing the distance by time, but this time to determine the maximum sustained speed, completing the runs in an average time of 7 seconds. Being a more accurate method of measurement, this test was made in 1965 but published in 1997. Subsequently, with GPS-IMU collars, running speed was measured for wild cheetahs during hunts with turns and maneuvers, and
6142-485: The second 10,000–12,000 years ago in Africa, possibly as part of the Late Pleistocene extinction event . The diploid number of chromosomes in the cheetah is 38, the same as in most other felids. The cheetah was the first felid observed to have unusually low genetic variability among individuals, which has led to poor breeding in captivity, increased spermatozoal defects, high juvenile mortality and increased susceptibility to diseases and infections. A prominent instance
6225-430: The smaller cats in cranial features, and in having a long and flexible spine, as opposed to the stiff and short one in other large felids. The roughly triangular skull has light, narrow bones and the sagittal crest is poorly developed, possibly to reduce weight and enhance speed. The mouth can not be opened as widely as in other cats given the shorter length of muscles between the jaw and the skull. A study suggested that
6308-407: The throat and suffocate the prey. A study gave the bite force quotient (BFQ) of the cheetah as 119, close to that for the lion (112), suggesting that adaptations for a lighter skull may not have reduced the power of the cheetah's bite. Unlike other cats, the cheetah's canines have no gap or diastema behind them when the jaws close, as the top and bottom cheek teeth show extensive overlap; this enables
6391-413: The two; some considered "hunting leopards" an independent species, or equal to the leopard. In 1975, five cheetah subspecies were considered valid taxa : A. j. hecki , A. j. jubatus , A. j. raineyi , A. j. soemmeringii and A. j. venaticus . In 2011, a phylogeographic study found minimal genetic variation between A. j. jubatus and A. j. raineyi ; only four subspecies were identified. In 2017,
6474-406: The upper and lower teeth to effectively tear through the meat of their prey. The slightly curved claws, shorter and straighter than those of other cats, lack a protective sheath and are partly retractable. The claws are blunt due to lack of protection, but the large and strongly curved dewclaw is remarkably sharp. Cheetahs have a high concentration of nerve cells arranged in a band in the centre of
6557-421: The wild weigh 150–300 g (5.3–10.6 oz) at birth, while those born in captivity tend to be larger and weigh around 500 g (18 oz). The cheetah is sexually dimorphic , with males larger and heavier than females, but not to the extent seen in other large cats; females have a much lower body mass index than males. Studies differ significantly on morphological variations among the subspecies. The coat
6640-415: The year. After a gestation of nearly three months, females give birth to a litter of three or four cubs. Cheetah cubs are highly vulnerable to predation by other large carnivores. They are weaned at around four months and are independent by around 20 months of age. The cheetah is threatened by habitat loss , conflict with humans, poaching and high susceptibility to diseases. The global cheetah population
6723-672: Was estimated in 2021 at 6,517; it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List . It has been widely depicted in art, literature, advertising, and animation. It was tamed in ancient Egypt and trained for hunting ungulates in the Arabian Peninsula and India. It has been kept in zoos since the early 19th century. The vernacular name "cheetah" is derived from Hindustani Urdu : چیتا and Hindi : चीता ( ćītā ). This in turn comes from Sanskrit : चित्रय ( Chitra-ya ) meaning 'variegated', 'adorned' or 'painted'. In
6806-424: Was supposed to have been 73 m (240 ft) long, but was later found to have been 59 m (194 ft) long. It was therefore discredited for a faulty method of measurement. Cheetahs have subsequently been measured at running at a speed of 64 mph (103 km/h) as an average of three runs including in opposite direction, for a single individual, over a marked 200 m (220 yd) course, even starting
6889-462: Was the deadly feline coronavirus outbreak in a cheetah breeding facility of Oregon in 1983 which had a mortality rate of 60%, higher than that recorded for previous epizootics of feline infectious peritonitis in any felid. The remarkable homogeneity in cheetah genes has been demonstrated by experiments involving the major histocompatibility complex (MHC); unless the MHC genes are highly homogeneous in
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