Biologists Were Wrong About the “American Cheetah” According to New Genetic Findings

Biologists have reclassified the "American cheetah" as a Puma relative, challenging previous assumptions about its classification. The research, published in Current Biology, reveals that the species, known as Miracinonyx trumani, was not a true cheetah but a Puma-like animal adapted to Arctic conditions. The study analyzed fossils and genetic material, showing that the American cheetah had a slender body and long front legs, traits typically associated with cheetahs, but that it was a fish-eating Puma relative. The findings suggest that the American cheetah evolved in a way similar to pumas, but it was not a true cheetah.

• The American cheetah's fossils date from 23,000 to 31,000 years ago, which is considerably more recent than the split from the puma lineage.
• The species weighed about 150 pounds and measured about eight feet long and three feet tall.
• The cheetah's genetic makeup shows evidence of loss-of-function mutations in genes related to circadian rhythms, indicating it adapted to extreme light cycles in northern latitudes.

The research highlights the adaptability of the American cheetah, which could have occupied different ecological niches depending on its geographic location. In the Arctic, it was a tertiary predator, feeding on fish like salmon, while in the southern regions, it was a generalist predator. The study also notes that the American cheetah had a distinct lack of genetic diversity, which may have contributed to its slow decline during the Pleistocene. The findings suggest that the cheetah's slow decline was not sudden but gradual, and that its inability to adapt to climate changes may have contributed to its extinction. The paper, "Range and Diet Diversity in the Pleistocene American ‘Cheetah,’ Miracinonyx Trumani," was published in Current Biology on September 4, 2026.

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