| Acinonyx kurteni Fossil range: late Pliocene |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukarya |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Felidae |
| Genus: | Acinonyx |
| Species: | Acinonyx kurteni |
Acinonyx kurteni is an extinct species of carnivorous feline of the family Felidae, endemic to Asia during the Late Pliocene subepoch. It lived from 2.5 mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately .[1][2]
It was described in 2008[3] and represents the most primitive cheetah species ever discovered. The discovery therefore supports an Old World origin of cheetahs. [4] It shares some features with the modern cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, such as enlarged sinuses for air intake during sprinting, but its teeth show primitive features.[5]
References
- ^ PaleoBiology Database: Acinonyx, basic info
- ^ "Ancient Cheetah Fossil Points to Old World Roots?". National Geographic Magazine. 2008-12-29. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/12/081229-cheetah-skull.html. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
- ^ Per Christiansen and Ji H. Mazák (January 13, 2009). "A primitive Late Pliocene cheetah, and evolution of the cheetah lineage". PNAS 106 (2): pp.512–515. doi:. PMID 19114651. http://www.pnas.org/content/106/2/512.full.
- ^ "Guardian Fossilised skull suggests cheetahs evolved in Asia not Americas". http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/dec/29/fossil-cheetah-skull-evolution Guardian.
- ^ "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28435011/ Big cats traced to Asia, not America: Ancient cheetah skull discovered in China challenges old theories]". http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28435011/. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
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