Giant cheetah
Encyclopedia
The Giant Cheetah is an extinct species of big cat
; its closest living relative is the modern Cheetah
.
at the shoulder, but due to light build, weighed considerably less. It was roughly twice the size of today's cheetahs, putting it at around 120 kilograms (264.6 lb), and about 200 centimetres (78.7 in) from head to rump, not including a 140 centimetres (55.1 in) tail. Its reconstructed shoulder height was at 90 centimetres (35.4 in). It was a specialized sprinter with long limbs just like the modern cheetah
and a back that is slightly longer. This back is highly flexible and allowed great propulsion during a sprint.
Just as with the modern cheetah, almost every aspect of Acinonyx pardinesis is specialized for running. The muzzle is short, nasal passage large for increased air intake during a strenuous sprint. To make room for the enlarged nasal passage, the maxilla
was reduced and the anchorage for the canine
roots was less, resulting in shorter canine roots and a shorter, more stout external canine, a characteristic seen in the modern cheetah. To lighten the weight of the animal, bone girth is reduced and the skeleton is lean and light, excellent for running but not fighting or coping with injuries, severe or minor. Its thoracic cavity
was consumed by large lungs and a powerful heart. The intestines were probably shorter to lighten the animal and muscles not used for running were reduced. The diaphragm
was connected to the movement of its gate and with the stretching phase of a stride, the expansion of space in the abdominal cavity
pulled the diaphragm down and forced the animal to inhale, while the contractile phase compressed the lungs and forced air out, so it had no control over its breathing while running, a commonality of most quadruped sprinters. It was a fragile animal who could be killed by a simple sprain
if it meant the individual could not run well enough to hunt. Its tail was long, probably thickly furred, and relatively heavy to be used for balance as a counterweight
to aid in quick directional changes when chasing prey.
One of the most complete skulls of this species is from the well-known French site of Saint-Vallier, but the best collection of postcranial bones comes from the older site of Perrier in the Massif Central, including vertebral column
and long bones of one individual were found. Unfortunately, the metacarpals were not recovered and so subsequent reconstructions depict them at the same length as the modern Acinonyx.
during the Early
and Middle Pleistocene
. The Giant Cheetah was found in Germany
, France
, and also in China
and India
. European cheetahs occurred alongside jaguar
s and leopard
s at some Middle Pleistocene localities, and it is possible that competition among the three contributed to the cheetah's decline. Its large mass and more worn claw
s (when compared to modern cheetahs) suggest it was less adapted to climbing, an ability which would continue to evolve until modern-day cheetahs appeared.
, to elk
and possibly sambar, prey that was considerably larger than the modern cheetah's ideal prey, the thomson's gazelle
. The modern cheetah utilizes a specific hunting style seen nowhere else in the cat family : on open plains, it locates prey and walks directly towards a group or individual, without crouching, with head and tail down. When it comes within suitable distance (usually 50 yards), it sprints forward. The chase is fast and takes many turns until the cheetah uses an enlarged dew claw to hook the hind leg of the prey or smack its flanks to either knock it off balance or damage its Achilles tendon
. When the prey falls to the ground, the cheetah suffocates it with a throat clamp, and after resting, eats as much as it can on the spot before being chased off by larger predators or occasionally having eaten all it can. This sequence of a chase over an open area and the hooking of the back leg is very unique and often necessary for the cheetah: prey that does not flee is addressed with a great deal of confusion on the cheetah's part and is often left unharmed if it cannot be coaxed to flee.
Due to the skeletal structure of Acinonyx pardinensis, it is very likely that the larger species used a similar approach to hunting: it, too, bore a large dew claw and the lean form was definitely built for running. A stalk, sprint, trip, and kill was probably a commonality of the large species' hunting tactics. The modern cheetah almost always uses a throat clamp to suffocate prey and it is likely that this species of Acinonyx used this method of killing. Due to the small canines and weaker jaw muscles of both species, a muzzle clamp
(seen in lions) or severing of the spinal cord
(seen in jaguar
s) is generally not an option, so a throat clamp
would have been used most prominently.
and Panthera tigris, the Asian tiger
, individuals in higher and colder areas acquire larger sizes. The fossil record for cheetahs is scarce. In contrast to Smilodon fatalis, severe injuries lead to death and there is no sign of cooperation as seen in the latter species of machairodont. Fossils suggest a lifestyle similar to the modern cheetah species: solitary, except for mothers a cubs and possibly siblings as seen with cheetah brothers, more specialized hunting tactics that narrow the number of species being hunted and therefore increasing the size of a territory and causing the species to be spread out more thinly than the much more adaptable modern Panthera pardus, or leopard
. Vertebrate paleontologist Alan Turner suggests that "since it had the bodily proportions of the living cheetah, and sinec running speed is a reflections of stride length for a given stride frequency, such large animals may also have been capable of running somewhat faster than their living relatives, although greater weight may have countered any advantage of greater size. Whether they needed to run faster is less clear." The motivation for Acinonyx pardinensis achieving large size could be to keep warm, to move faster, to subdue larger prey, or a combination of the three.
If it was on the same field as the modern cheetah, it would have been a relatively successful hunter and very wary of injuries and rarely came into contact with others of its species. It would have been cautious, preferred fleeing to fighting and would have been wary of prey that is too large resulting in injuries. Cooperative hunting would generally been out of the question and mortality rates in young would have been high. The modern cheetah must stop running after about 60 seconds, or when its body temperature rises over 104 degrees Fahrenheit and this large species would have had these confines as well.
Big cat
The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...
; its closest living relative is the modern Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
.
Morphology
The lifestyle and physical characteristics of the Giant Cheetah were probably similar to that of its modern relative, except that the Giant Cheetah was the height of a lionLion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
at the shoulder, but due to light build, weighed considerably less. It was roughly twice the size of today's cheetahs, putting it at around 120 kilograms (264.6 lb), and about 200 centimetres (78.7 in) from head to rump, not including a 140 centimetres (55.1 in) tail. Its reconstructed shoulder height was at 90 centimetres (35.4 in). It was a specialized sprinter with long limbs just like the modern cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
and a back that is slightly longer. This back is highly flexible and allowed great propulsion during a sprint.
Just as with the modern cheetah, almost every aspect of Acinonyx pardinesis is specialized for running. The muzzle is short, nasal passage large for increased air intake during a strenuous sprint. To make room for the enlarged nasal passage, the maxilla
Maxilla
The maxilla is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper jaw. This is similar to the mandible , which is also a fusion of two halves at the mental symphysis. Sometimes The maxilla (plural: maxillae) is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper...
was reduced and the anchorage for the canine
Canine
Canine may refer to:* Domestic dog* Animals belonging to the family Canidae, or the sub-family Caninae* Canine tooth* Ralph Canine, American soldier and government administrator* A character in Glenn Martin, DDS...
roots was less, resulting in shorter canine roots and a shorter, more stout external canine, a characteristic seen in the modern cheetah. To lighten the weight of the animal, bone girth is reduced and the skeleton is lean and light, excellent for running but not fighting or coping with injuries, severe or minor. Its thoracic cavity
Thoracic cavity
The thoracic cavity is the chamber of the human body that is protected by the thoracic wall ....
was consumed by large lungs and a powerful heart. The intestines were probably shorter to lighten the animal and muscles not used for running were reduced. The diaphragm
Diaphragm
-Optics and photography:* Diaphragm , a stop in the light path of a lens, having an aperture that regulates the amount of light that passes* Diaphragm shutter, a type of leaf shutter consisting of a number of thin blades in a camera-Acoustics:...
was connected to the movement of its gate and with the stretching phase of a stride, the expansion of space in the abdominal cavity
Abdominal cavity
The abdominal cavity is the body cavity of the human body that holds the bulk of the viscera. It is located below the thoracic cavity, and above the pelvic cavity. Its dome-shaped roof is the thoracic diaphragm , and its oblique floor is the pelvic inlet...
pulled the diaphragm down and forced the animal to inhale, while the contractile phase compressed the lungs and forced air out, so it had no control over its breathing while running, a commonality of most quadruped sprinters. It was a fragile animal who could be killed by a simple sprain
Sprain
A sprain is an injury in a joint, caused by the ligament being stretched beyond its capacity. A muscular tear caused in the same manner is referred to as a strain. In cases where either ligament or muscle tissue is torn, immobilization and surgical repair may be necessary...
if it meant the individual could not run well enough to hunt. Its tail was long, probably thickly furred, and relatively heavy to be used for balance as a counterweight
Counterweight
A counterweight is an equivalent counterbalancing weight that balances a load.-Uses:A counterweight is often used in traction lifts , cranes and funfair rides...
to aid in quick directional changes when chasing prey.
One of the most complete skulls of this species is from the well-known French site of Saint-Vallier, but the best collection of postcranial bones comes from the older site of Perrier in the Massif Central, including vertebral column
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
and long bones of one individual were found. Unfortunately, the metacarpals were not recovered and so subsequent reconstructions depict them at the same length as the modern Acinonyx.
Distribution and habitat
Giant Cheetahs were present in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during the Early
Early Pleistocene
Calabrian is a subdivision of the Pleistocene Epoch of the Geologic time scale. ~1.8 Ma.—781,000 years ago ± 5,000 years, a period of ~.The end of the stage is defined by the last magnetic pole reversal and plunge in to an ice age and global drying possibly colder and drier than the late Miocene ...
and Middle Pleistocene
Middle Pleistocene
The Middle Pleistocene, more specifically referred to as the Ionian stage, is a period of geologic time from ca. 781 to 126 thousand years ago....
. The Giant Cheetah was found in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and also in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. European cheetahs occurred alongside jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
s and leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s at some Middle Pleistocene localities, and it is possible that competition among the three contributed to the cheetah's decline. Its large mass and more worn claw
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
s (when compared to modern cheetahs) suggest it was less adapted to climbing, an ability which would continue to evolve until modern-day cheetahs appeared.
Hunting
It could have preyed upon anything from small, contemporary muntjac deer, mountainous ibex and bighorn sheepBighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
, to elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
and possibly sambar, prey that was considerably larger than the modern cheetah's ideal prey, the thomson's gazelle
Thomson's Gazelle
The Thomson's gazelle is one of the best-known gazelles. It is named after explorer Joseph Thomson and, as a result, is sometimes referred to as a "tommie"...
. The modern cheetah utilizes a specific hunting style seen nowhere else in the cat family : on open plains, it locates prey and walks directly towards a group or individual, without crouching, with head and tail down. When it comes within suitable distance (usually 50 yards), it sprints forward. The chase is fast and takes many turns until the cheetah uses an enlarged dew claw to hook the hind leg of the prey or smack its flanks to either knock it off balance or damage its Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. When the prey falls to the ground, the cheetah suffocates it with a throat clamp, and after resting, eats as much as it can on the spot before being chased off by larger predators or occasionally having eaten all it can. This sequence of a chase over an open area and the hooking of the back leg is very unique and often necessary for the cheetah: prey that does not flee is addressed with a great deal of confusion on the cheetah's part and is often left unharmed if it cannot be coaxed to flee.
Due to the skeletal structure of Acinonyx pardinensis, it is very likely that the larger species used a similar approach to hunting: it, too, bore a large dew claw and the lean form was definitely built for running. A stalk, sprint, trip, and kill was probably a commonality of the large species' hunting tactics. The modern cheetah almost always uses a throat clamp to suffocate prey and it is likely that this species of Acinonyx used this method of killing. Due to the small canines and weaker jaw muscles of both species, a muzzle clamp
Muzzle clamp
A method of killing that large predators, usually cats such as Panthera leo, the lion, Panthera pardus, the leopard, and Uncia uncia, the snow leopard, use...
(seen in lions) or severing of the spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
(seen in jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
s) is generally not an option, so a throat clamp
Throat clamp
Throat clamp is method of subduing often seen in predatory felids and occasionally canids and hyaenids. It involves the predator grasping the throat of the prey and clamping tight so that the windpipe is either crushed or blocked. Cats use this to kill prey while dogs and hyenas use this to weaken...
would have been used most prominently.
Lifestyle and behavior
Within the same species, as shown in the modern species Panthera onca, the South American jaguarJaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
and Panthera tigris, the Asian tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
, individuals in higher and colder areas acquire larger sizes. The fossil record for cheetahs is scarce. In contrast to Smilodon fatalis, severe injuries lead to death and there is no sign of cooperation as seen in the latter species of machairodont. Fossils suggest a lifestyle similar to the modern cheetah species: solitary, except for mothers a cubs and possibly siblings as seen with cheetah brothers, more specialized hunting tactics that narrow the number of species being hunted and therefore increasing the size of a territory and causing the species to be spread out more thinly than the much more adaptable modern Panthera pardus, or leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
. Vertebrate paleontologist Alan Turner suggests that "since it had the bodily proportions of the living cheetah, and sinec running speed is a reflections of stride length for a given stride frequency, such large animals may also have been capable of running somewhat faster than their living relatives, although greater weight may have countered any advantage of greater size. Whether they needed to run faster is less clear." The motivation for Acinonyx pardinensis achieving large size could be to keep warm, to move faster, to subdue larger prey, or a combination of the three.
If it was on the same field as the modern cheetah, it would have been a relatively successful hunter and very wary of injuries and rarely came into contact with others of its species. It would have been cautious, preferred fleeing to fighting and would have been wary of prey that is too large resulting in injuries. Cooperative hunting would generally been out of the question and mortality rates in young would have been high. The modern cheetah must stop running after about 60 seconds, or when its body temperature rises over 104 degrees Fahrenheit and this large species would have had these confines as well.