DNA analysis has shown that the extinct American cheetah was related to the puma

The extinct North American predator Miracinonyx trumani, which for decades was known as the ‘American cheetah’, has turned out to be a close relative of the puma. Analysis of ancient DNA has also shown that it inhabited areas significantly further north than previously thought — as far north as the Arctic region of the Yukon.

The study, led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, was published on 4 September in the journal Current Biology. The genetic data reliably establishes the animal’s kinship, although the conclusion regarding its fish-based diet remains a well-founded but indirect interpretation of isotope analysis.

Details

A team led by Molly Cassatt-Johnstone (Molly Cassatt-Johnstone) obtained nuclear palaeogenomes from fossil remains of Miracinonyx trumani dating back approximately 23,000 years from Wyoming and approximately 31,000 years from the Yukon. Comparison with the genomes of other felids placed the extinct species closer to the modern puma than to the African cheetah. The researchers estimate that the lineages of Miracinonyx and the puma diverged approximately 2.6 million years ago.

The slender body and long legs of Miracinonyx, which resembled those of a cheetah, probably evolved independently — this is an example of convergent evolution, where unrelated species acquire similar traits. This finding casts doubt on the simple theory that the American pronghorn’s exceptional speed evolved specifically as a defence against being hunted by the ‘American cheetah’.

The remains from the Yukon extend the species’ known range by more than 20 degrees of latitude, as far as the Arctic. Stable isotope analysis showed that the northern animals occupied a higher position in the food chain than the Wyoming population. This finding is consistent with a diet comprising migratory fish, including salmonids, whereas southern members of the species were generalist terrestrial predators. This is not direct evidence from stomach contents, but rather a reconstruction of the diet based on the chemical composition of tissues.

The authors also identified variants that disrupt the function of certain genes associated with circadian rhythms. They suggest a link to the extreme alternation of light and darkness at high latitudes, though this remains a hypothesis. Genetic diversity in Miracinonyx was low; however, the researchers found no evidence of a sharp decline in population size or inbreeding immediately prior to the species’ extinction.

Why this is important

The study demonstrates just how misleading the skeletal similarities of extinct animals can be. The combination of palaeogenomics and isotope analysis has made it possible to simultaneously clarify the phylogenetic relationships of Miracinonyx, its range, and possible differences in diet between northern and southern populations.

The study has limitations: ancient DNA has been preserved in only a small number of samples from isolated locations across a vast range, and isotopes allow us to reconstruct the likely type of food but not the specific prey. Therefore, the diet consisting of salmon and the link between genetic changes and the Arctic light cycle should be regarded as interpretations rather than direct evidence. The declaration of conflict of interest states that the senior author, Beth Shapiro, works at Colossal Biosciences and holds options in the company.

Source

Molly Cassatt-Johnston et al. ‘Range and diet diversity in the Pleistocene American “cheetah”, Miracinonyx trumani’. Current Biology, 4 September 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2026.07.072. The research data have been published in the Dryad repository. Official press release from the University of California, Santa Cruz.