Ancient DNA Shows North America’s ‘American cheetah’ Was More Closely Related to Pumas
Genetic analysis of Miracinonyx trumani fossils reveals the extinct “American cheetah” is more closely related to modern pumas than to true cheetahs, and northern specimens likely ate fish.
Researchers examined several Pleistocene cat fossils, including three newly identified specimens from Canada’s Yukon Territory, and extracted ancient DNA to clarify the evolutionary position of Miracinonyx trumani. The genetic results show its closest living relative is the puma, sharing a common ancestor roughly 2.6 million years ago, while true cheetahs diverged about 4.7 million years earlier. Isotopic analysis of heavy nitrogen in the Yukon bones revealed values similar to marine predators, suggesting a diet dominated by fish, whereas Wyoming samples displayed signatures of a terrestrial carnivore feeding on herbivores.
These findings extend the known range of the “American cheetah” into northern Canada and portray it as an adaptable predator rather than a specialized high-speed runner. Scientists warn that the popular nickname may misrepresent the animal’s ecology, and further sampling across its former range could refine its ecological portrait.
Why it matters
The study reshapes our understanding of an extinct North American predator’s lineage and ecological flexibility.
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