Fossil provides insights into origin of cheetahs
Cheetahs-The fastest land animals reaching to a speed of 75 mph (120 kph), currently regarded as one of the endangered species of cats in the world.The cheetah lineage is a group of large, slender, and long-limbed cats with a distinctive skull and dental morphology, of which only the extant cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is present today.The lineage of cheetahs show some very special characters in having abbreviated, tall, and domed crania.
Per Christiansena and Ji H. Mazák reperted a new discovery of a Late Pliocene specimen from China in online edition of PNAS journal, which gives some valuable insights about origin of fastest cats. The estimated age of specimen is ≈2.2–2.5 million years, which makes it one of the oldest specimens of cheetahs till date. 
Cladistics analysis prove that the fossil shares many traits with lineage of cheetahs but at the same time shows some quite primitive characters ,proving that it is the most oldest cheetah known.If one take for example that the fossil had enlarged sinuses for air intake during sprinting, as do modern cheetahs. But its teeth showed primitive features.
“The enlarged sinuses cause the forehead of the skull to bulge. If you look at a cheetah’s skull, it is remarkably tall and domed compared to similar sized cats such as pumas, ocelots or leopards, in particular around the upper nose region,”-Christiansena
The age and morphology of the new fossil helped researchers in predicting that the old world was indeed the original home of cheetahs rather than America ,as has been suggested. The fossil was named Acinonyx kurteni in honor of the late Björn Kurtén.
The complete details of the findings can be read in the latest edition of PNAS.
Reference:
A primitive Late Pliocene cheetah, and evolution of the cheetah lineage
Per Christiansena and Ji H. Mazákb
10.1073/pnas.0810435106
Image Source : Flickr / Together8
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Nagraj,
That’s quite some interesting facts about cheetahs. My elder son’s (6 year old) favorite animals are the cat species ones – cheetahs, tigers and jaguars are his favs.
I do not much about the evolution of these species but from what you explained about the bulged sinus, I get a feeling that they are probably a few generations behind (compared to the more majestic ones like bengal tigers) in the evolution process?
just my theory. I mean, just like australopithecus v/s modern human hahah… (sorry for my ignorance… only heard some names like that in the past)
yeah Ajith…….this finding of ancient fossils led scientists find out many intresting facts including original home of cheetahs………..ur understanding is pretty good regarding evolution of cheetahs ………
the specimen found also has a bulging nose, and, presumably large air sinuses for fast running,So running fast and becoming really good at it was one of the first steps in cheetah evolution. Later, the teeth changed as well.
this fossil was considered to be most primitive in lineage………….
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