Editing Cheetah (section)

==Characteristics==
[[File:Cheetah portrait Whipsnade Zoo.jpg|thumb|Cheetah portrait showing black "tear marks" running from the corners of the eyes down the side of the nose|alt=Close-up of the face of a cheetah showing black tear marks running from the corners of the eyes down the side of the nose]]
[[File:Cheetah Kruger.jpg|thumbnail|Close view of a cheetah. Note the lightly built, slender body, spotted coat and long tail|alt=Close full-body view of a cheetah]]
[[File:Acinonyx jubatus hecki 3d scan Natural History Museum University of Pisa C 1386.stl|thumb|3d model of the skeleton]]

The cheetah is a lightly built, spotted cat characterised by a small rounded head, a short [[snout]], black tear-like facial streaks, a deep chest, long thin legs and a long tail. Its slender, canine-like form is highly adapted for speed, and contrasts sharply with the robust build of the genus ''[[Panthera]]''.<ref name=marker7/><ref name="bcw3">{{cite book |last1=Kitchener |first1=A. |title=Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids |last2=Van Valkenburgh |first2=B. |last3=Yamaguchi |first3=N. |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-19-923445-5 |editor1-last=Macdonald |editor1-first=D. W. |location=Oxford |pages=83–106 |chapter=Felid form and function |editor2-last=Loveridge |editor2-first=A. J. |chapter-url=http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/88796/1/Biology%20and%20Conservation%20of%20Wild%20Felids.pdf#page=104 |name-list-style=amp |access-date=21 April 2024 |archive-date=14 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414160415/http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/88796/1/Biology%20and%20Conservation%20of%20Wild%20Felids.pdf#page=104 |url-status=live}}</ref> Cheetahs typically reach {{cvt|67|–|94|cm}} at the shoulder and the head-and-body length is between {{cvt|1.1|and|1.5|m}}.<ref name=skinner/><ref name=kingdon/><ref name=nowak>{{cite book |last1=Nowak |first1=R. M. |title=Walker's Carnivores of the World |chapter-url-access = registration |year=2005 |publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]] |location=Baltimore |isbn=978-0-8018-8032-2 |pages=270–272 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/walkerscarnivore0000nowa/page/270 |chapter=Cheetah ''Acinonyx jubatus''}}</ref> The weight can vary with age, health, location, sex and subspecies; adults typically range between {{cvt|21|and|65|kg}}.<ref name="marker2003" /><ref name="Schaller-1972" /> Cubs born in the wild weigh {{cvt|150|–|300|g}} at birth, while those born in captivity tend to be larger and weigh around {{cvt|500|g|oz}}.<ref name=marker7/><ref name=kingdon/> The cheetah is [[sexually dimorphic]], with males larger and heavier than females, but not to the extent seen in other large cats; females have a much lower body mass index than males.<ref name="marker2003">{{cite journal |last1=Marker |first1=L. L. |last2=Dickman |first2=A. J. |name-list-style=amp |date=2003 |title=Morphology, physical condition, and growth of the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus jubatus'') |url=https://cheetah.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/morphology-physical-condition-and-growth-of-the-cheetah.pdf |journal=[[Journal of Mammalogy]] |volume=84 |issue=3 |pages=840–850 |doi=10.1644/BRB-036 |jstor=1383847 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Studies differ significantly on morphological variations among the subspecies.<ref name=marker2003/>

The coat is typically tawny to creamy white or pale buff (darker in the mid-back portion).<ref name=skinner/><ref name=kingdon/> The chin, throat and underparts of the legs and the belly are white and devoid of markings. The rest of the body is covered with around 2,000 evenly spaced, oval or round solid black spots, each measuring roughly {{cvt|3|–|5|cm}}.<ref name=wcw/><ref name=hunterwcw/> Each cheetah has a distinct pattern of spots which can be used to identify unique individuals.<ref name=nowak/> Besides the clearly visible spots, there are other faint, irregular black marks on the coat.<ref name=hunterwcw/> Newly born cubs are covered in fur with an unclear pattern of spots that gives them a dark appearance—pale white above and nearly black on the underside.<ref name=marker7/> The hair is mostly short and often coarse, but the chest and the belly are covered in soft fur; the fur of king cheetahs has been reported to be silky.<ref name=skinner/><ref name=Estes>{{cite book |last1=Estes |first1=R. D. |author-link=Richard Despard Estes |title=The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates |year=2004 |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |location=Berkeley |isbn=978-0-520-08085-0 |pages=377–383 |edition=4th |chapter=Cheetah ''Acinonyx jubatus'' |chapter-url=http://www.catsg.org/cheetah/05_library/5_3_publications/E/Estes_1991_Felidae.pdf#page=30 |access-date=30 April 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224160848/http://www.catsg.org/cheetah/05_library/5_3_publications/E/Estes_1991_Felidae.pdf#page=30 |url-status=live}}</ref> There is a short, rough mane, covering at least {{cvt|8|cm}} along the neck and the shoulders; this feature is more prominent in males. The mane starts out as a cape of long, loose blue to grey hair in juveniles.<ref name=wcw/><ref name=Estes/> [[Melanism|Melanistic]] cheetahs are rare and have been seen in Zambia and Zimbabwe.<ref name=hunterwcw/> In 1877–1878, Sclater described two partially [[Albinism|albino]] specimens from South Africa.<ref name=wcw/>

The head is small and more rounded compared to other [[big cat]]s.<ref name="mills">{{cite book |last1=Mills |first1=G. |last2=Hes |first2=L. |name-list-style=amp |title=The Complete Book of Southern African Mammals |url=https://archive.org/details/completebooksout00mill/page/n180 |url-access=limited |date=1997 |publisher=[[Struik]] |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-0-947430-55-9 |pages=175–177 |edition=First}}</ref> Saharan cheetahs have canine-like slim faces.<ref name="hunterwcw">{{cite book |last1=Hunter |first1=L. |title=Wild Cats of the World |year=2015 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Group|Bloomsbury]] |location=London |isbn=978-1-4729-1219-0 |pages=167–176 |chapter=Cheetah ''Acinonyx jubatus'' (Schreber, 1776) |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hzNBCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA167 |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404175800/https://books.google.com/books?id=hzNBCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA167 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ears are small, short and rounded; they are tawny at the base and on the edges and marked with black patches on the back. The eyes are set high and have round [[Pupil (eye)|pupils]].<ref name=nowak/> The whiskers, shorter and fewer than those of other felids, are fine and inconspicuous.<ref name=Montgomery>{{cite book |last1=Montgomery |first1=S. |title=Chasing Cheetahs: The Race to Save Africa's Fastest Cats |year=2014 |publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]] |location=Boston |isbn=978-0-547-81549-7 |pages=15–17}}</ref> The pronounced tear streaks (or malar stripes), unique to the cheetah, originate from the corners of the eyes and run down the nose to the mouth. The role of these streaks is not well understood—they may protect the eyes from the sun's glare (a helpful feature as the cheetah hunts mainly during the day), or they could be used to define facial expressions.<ref name=hunterwcw/> The exceptionally long and muscular tail, with a bushy white tuft at the end, measures {{cvt|60|–|80|cm}}.<ref name = Stuart/> While the first two-thirds of the tail are covered in spots, the final third is marked with four to six dark rings or stripes.<ref name=wcw/><ref name="arnold">{{cite book |last1=Arnold |first1=C. |title=Cheetah |date=1989 |publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]] |location=New York |isbn=978-0-688-11696-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/cheetaharno00arno/page/16 16] |edition=1st |url=https://archive.org/details/cheetaharno00arno |url-access=registration}}</ref>

The cheetah is superficially similar to the leopard, which has a larger head, fully retractable claws, [[Rosette (zoology)|rosettes]] instead of spots, lacks tear streaks and is more muscular.<ref name="hilde">{{cite book |last=Hunter |first=L. |title=Cats of Africa: Behaviour, Ecology, and Conservation |date=2005 |publisher=Struik |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-1-77007-063-9 |pages=20–23}}</ref><ref name="foley">{{cite book |last1=Foley |first1=C. |author2=Foley, L. |author3=Lobora, A. |author4=de Luca, D. |last5=Msuha, M. |author6=Davenport, T. R. B. |author7=Durant, S. M. |title=A Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Tanzania |date=2014 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |name-list-style=amp |location=Princeton |isbn=978-0-691-16117-4 |chapter=Cheetah |pages=122–123 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dt6QAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA122 |access-date=30 April 2020 |archive-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404175759/https://books.google.com/books?id=dt6QAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA122 |url-status=live}}</ref> Moreover, the cheetah is taller than the leopard. The [[serval]] also resembles the cheetah in physical build, but is significantly smaller, has a shorter tail and its spots fuse to form stripes on the back.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schütze |first1=H. |title=Field Guide to the Mammals of the Kruger National Park |date=2002 |publisher=Struik |chapter=Cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-1-86872-594-6 |page=98 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rQhbDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188 |access-date=14 January 2020 |archive-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404175758/https://books.google.com/books?id=rQhbDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188 |url-status=live}}</ref> The cheetah appears to have evolved convergently with canids in morphology and behaviour; it has canine-like features such as a relatively long snout, long legs, a deep chest, tough paw pads and blunt, semi-retractable claws.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Henry |first1=J. D. |title=Red Fox: The Catlike Canine |date=2014 |publisher=Smithsonian Books |location=Washington D.C. |isbn=978-1-58834-339-0 |chapter=Fox hunting|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raFqBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT88 |pages=88–108|access-date=20 December 2019|archive-date=4 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404175759/https://books.google.com/books?id=raFqBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT88|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ichikawa |first1=H. |last2=Matsuo |first2=T. |last3=Haiya |first3=M. |last4=Higurashi |first4=Y. |last5=Wada |first5=N. |name-list-style=amp |title=Gait characteristics of cheetahs (''Acinonyx jubatus'') and greyhounds (''Canis lupus familiaris'') running on curves |journal=Mammal Study |date=2018 |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=199–206 |doi=10.3106/ms2017-0089 |s2cid=91654871 |url=http://petit.lib.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/G0000006y2j2/file/27997/20200108113051/2019010036.pdf |access-date=26 April 2020 |archive-date=7 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507152928/http://petit.lib.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/G0000006y2j2/file/27997/20200108113051/2019010036.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> The cheetah has often been likened to the greyhound, as both have similar morphology and the ability to reach tremendous speeds in a shorter time than other mammals,<ref name="Estes" /><ref name=Stuart>{{cite book |last1=Stuart |first1=C. T. |last2=Stuart |first2=Mm. |name-list-style = amp |title=Stuarts' Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa: Including Angola, Zambia & Malawi |year=2015 |publisher=Struik |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-1-77584-111-1 |pages=600–604 |edition=3rd |chapter=Cheetah ''Acinonyx jubatus'' |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=yw1bDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT600 |access-date = 30 April 2020 |archive-date = 4 April 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220404175758/https://books.google.com/books?id=yw1bDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT600 |url-status = live}}</ref> but the cheetah can attain much higher maximum speeds.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hudson |first1=P. E. |last2=Corr |first2=S. A. |last3=Wilson |first3=A. M. |s2cid=13543638 |name-list-style=amp |title=High speed galloping in the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') and the racing greyhound (''Canis familiaris''): spatio-temporal and kinetic characteristics |journal=Journal of Experimental Biology |date=2012 |volume=215 |issue=14 |pages=2425–2434 |doi=10.1242/jeb.066720 |pmid=22723482 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2012JExpB.215.2425H }}</ref>

===Internal anatomy===
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical  |image1=Gepardjagt1 (Acinonyx jubatus).jpg |caption1=The lightly built, streamlined, agile body of the cheetah makes it an efficient sprinter |alt1=A sprinting cheetah  |image2=Acinonyx jubatus 47zz.jpg |caption2=The blunt claws and the sharp, curved [[dewclaw]] |alt2=Forepaws of a cheetah featuring blunt claws and the sharp, curved dewclaw}}
Sharply contrasting with the other big cats in its morphology, the cheetah shows several specialized adaptations for prolonged chases to catch prey at some of the fastest speeds reached by land animals.<ref name="claw">{{cite journal |last1=Russell |first1=A. P. |last2=Bryant |first2=H. N.|name-list-style=amp |title=Claw retraction and protraction in the Carnivora: the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') as an atypical felid |journal=Journal of Zoology |year=2001 |volume=254 |issue=1 |pages=67–76 |doi=10.1017/S0952836901000565}}</ref> Its light, streamlined body makes it well-suited to short, explosive bursts of speed, rapid acceleration, and an ability to execute extreme changes in direction while moving at high speed.<ref name=cheathsr>{{cite journal |last1=West |first1=T. G. |last2=Curtin |first2=N. A. |last3=McNutt |first3=J. W. |last4=Woledge |first4=R. C. |last5=Golabek |first5=K. A. |last6=Bennitt |first6=E. |last7=Bartlam-Brooks |first7=H. L. A. |last8=Dewhirst |first8=O. P. |last9=Lorenc |first9=M. |last10=Lowe |first10=J. C. |last11=Wilshin |first11=S. D. |last12=Hubel |first12=T. Y. |last13=Wilson |first13=A. M. |name-list-style=amp |date=2018 |title=Biomechanics of predator–prey arms race in lion, zebra, cheetah and impala |url=https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/preview/1388812/11143.pdf |journal=Nature |volume=554 |issue=7691 |pages=183–188 |bibcode=2018Natur.554..183W |doi=10.1038/nature25479 |pmid=29364874 |s2cid=4405091 |access-date=24 December 2023 |archive-date=5 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305065622/https://researchonline.rvc.ac.uk/id/eprint/11143/1/11143.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Agility, not speed, puts cheetahs ahead |journal=Science |volume=340 |issue=6138 |page=1271 |year=2013 |doi=10.1126/science.340.6138.1271-b |bibcode=2013Sci...340R1271. |last=[[American Association for the Advancement of Science]]}}</ref><ref name="WilsonBiologyLetters">{{cite journal |last1=Wilson |first1=J. W. |author2=Mills, M. G. L. |author3=Wilson, R. P. |author4=Peters, G. |author5=Mills, M. E. J. |author6=Speakman, J. R. |author7=Durant, S. M. |author8=Bennett, N. C. |author9=Marks, N. J. |author10=Scantlebury, M. |name-list-style=amp |title=Cheetahs, ''Acinonyx jubatus'', balance turn capacity with pace when chasing prey |journal=[[Biology Letters]] |volume=9 |issue=5 |year=2013 |page=20130620 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2013.0620 |pmid=24004493 |pmc=3971710}}</ref> The large [[nasal passage]]s, accommodated well due to the smaller size of the canine teeth, ensure fast flow of sufficient air, and the enlarged heart and lungs allow the enrichment of blood with oxygen in a short time. This allows cheetahs to rapidly regain their stamina after a chase.<ref name=mammal/> During a typical chase, their [[respiratory rate]] increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute.<ref name="O'Brien">{{cite journal |last1=O'Brien |first1=S. J. |last2=Wildt |first2=M. B. D. |name-list-style=amp |year=1986 |title=The cheetah in genetic peril |journal=Scientific American |volume=254 |issue=5 |pages=68–76 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0586-84 |bibcode=1986SciAm.254e..84O}}</ref> The cheetah has a fast heart rate, averaging 126–173 beats per minute at resting without arrhythmia.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Button |first1=C. |last2=Meltzer |first2=D. G |last3=Mülders |first3=M. S. |name-list-style=amp |date=1981 |title=The electrocardiogram of the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') |journal=Journal of the South African Veterinary Association |volume=52 |issue=3 |pages=233–235 |pmid=7310794 |url=https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA00382809_3117}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schumacher |first1=J. |last2=Snyder |first2=P. |last3=Citino |first3=S. B. |last4=Bennett |first4=R. A. |last5=Dvorak |first5=L. D. |name-list-style=amp |date=2003 |title=Radiographic and electrocardiographic evaluation of cardiac morphology and function in captive cheetahs (''Acinonyx jubatus'') |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8624366 |journal=Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine |volume=34 |issue=4 |pages=357–363 |doi=10.1638/01-008 |pmid=15077711}}</ref> Moreover, the reduced [[viscosity]] of the blood at higher temperatures (common in frequently moving muscles) could ease blood flow and increase [[oxygen transport]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hedrick |first1=M. S. |last2=Kohl |first2=Z. F. |last3=Bertelsen |first3=M. |last4=Stagegaard |first4=J. |last5=Fago |first5=A. |last6=Wang |first6=T. |name-list-style=amp |title=Oxygen transport characteristics of blood from the fastest terrestrial mammal, the African cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') |journal=The FASEB Journal |date=2019 |volume=33 |issue=S1 |doi=10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.726.2 |doi-access=free}}</ref> While running, in addition to having good traction due to their semi-retractable claws, cheetahs use their tail as a rudder-like means of steering that enables them to make sharp turns, necessary to outflank antelopes which often change direction to escape during a chase.<ref name=wcw/><ref name=mills/> The protracted claws increase grip over the ground, while rough paw pads make the sprint more convenient over tough ground. The limbs of the cheetah are longer than what is typical for other cats its size; the thigh muscles are large, and the [[tibia]] and [[fibula]] are held close together making the lower legs less likely to rotate. This reduces the risk of losing balance during runs, but compromises the cat's ability to climb trees. The highly reduced [[clavicle]] is connected through [[ligament]]s to the [[scapula]], whose pendulum-like motion increases the stride length and assists in shock absorption. The extension of the [[vertebral column]] can add as much as {{cvt|76|cm}} to the stride length.<ref name=hildebrand>{{cite journal |last1=Hildebrand |first1=M. |year=1961 |title=Further studies on locomotion of the cheetah |url=https://www.originalwisdom.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/04/Hildebrand_1961_Further-Studies-on-Locomotion-of-the-Cheetah.pdf |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=84–96 |doi=10.2307/1377246 |jstor=1377246 |access-date=21 December 2023 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221042523/https://www.originalwisdom.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/04/Hildebrand_1961_Further-Studies-on-Locomotion-of-the-Cheetah.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=bertram>{{cite journal |last1=Bertram |first1=J. E. A. |last2=Gutmann |first2=A. |title=Motions of the running horse and cheetah revisited: fundamental mechanics of the transverse and rotary gallop |journal=Journal of the Royal Society Interface |year=2009 |volume=6 |issue=35 |pages=549–559 |doi=10.1098/rsif.2008.0328 |pmid=18854295 |pmc=2696142 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref>

Muscle tissue has been analyzed in the cheetah and it has been found that there are little differences in [[type II muscle fiber]] concentration, anaerobic [[lactate dehydrogenase]] enzyme activity, and [[glycogen]] concentration between sexes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Kohn |first1=T. A. |last2=Knobel |first2=S. |last3=Donaldson |first3=B. |last4=van Boom |first4=K. M. |last5=Blackhurst |first5=D. M. |last6=Peart |first6=J. M. |last7=Jensen |first7=J. |last8=Tordiffe |first8=A. S. W. |date=2024 |title=Does sex matter in the cheetah? Insights into the skeletal muscle of the fastest land animal |journal=Journal of Experimental Biology |volume=227 |issue=15 |pages=jeb247284 |doi=10.1242/jeb.247284 |doi-access=free |pmid=39023116 |pmc=11418166 |bibcode=2024JExpB.227B7284K}}</ref>

{{multiple image |align=left |direction=vertical  |image1=Description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des mammifères récents et fossiles (Acinonyx jubatus skull).jpg |caption1=Cheetah skull. |alt1=Skull of a cheetah  |image2=Description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des mammifères récents et fossiles (Acinonyx jubatus).jpg |caption2=Cheetah skeleton. Note the deep chest and long limbs. |alt2=Skeleton of a cheetah}}

The cheetah resembles the smaller cats in [[Skull|cranial]] features, and in having a long and flexible spine, as opposed to the stiff and short one in other large felids.<ref name=mammal/> The roughly triangular skull has light, narrow bones and the [[sagittal crest]] is poorly developed, possibly to reduce weight and enhance speed. The mouth can not be opened as widely as in other cats given the shorter length of muscles between the jaw and the skull.<ref name=wcw/><ref name="hilde"/> A study suggested that the limited retraction of the cheetah's claws may result from the earlier truncation of the development of the middle [[phalanx bone]] in cheetahs.<ref name=claw/>

The cheetah has a total of 30 teeth; the [[dental formula]] is {{DentalFormula|upper=3.1.3.1|lower=3.1.2.1}}. The small, flat [[Canine tooth|canines]] are used to bite the throat and suffocate the prey. A study gave the [[bite force quotient]] (BFQ) of the cheetah as 119, close to that for the lion (112), suggesting that adaptations for a lighter skull may not have reduced the power of the cheetah's bite.<ref name=mammal/><ref name=marker7/> Unlike other cats, the cheetah's canines have no gap or diastema behind them when the jaws close, as the top and bottom cheek teeth show extensive overlap.<ref name="bcw3" /> Cheetahs have relatively elongated, blade-like shape [[carnassial]] teeth, with reduced lingual cusps; this may have been an adaptation to consume quickly the flesh of a prey before more heavy-built predators from other species arrive to take it from them.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Antón |first=M. |url=https://archive.org/details/Sabertooth/page/n207/mode/1up |title=Sabertooth |date=2013 |publisher=Indiana University Press |pages=185}}</ref> The slightly curved claws, shorter and straighter than those of other cats, lack a protective sheath and are partly retractable.<ref name=wcw/><ref name=nowak/> The claws are blunt due to lack of protection,<ref name=hunterwcw/> but the large and strongly curved [[dewclaw]] is remarkably sharp.<ref name=dewclaw>{{cite journal |last1=Londei |first1=T. |year=2000 |title=The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') dewclaw: specialization overlooked |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=251 |issue=4 |pages=535–547 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2000.tb00809.x |doi-access=free}}</ref> Cheetahs have a high concentration of [[nerve cell]]s arranged in a band in the centre of the eyes, a visual streak, the most efficient among felids. This significantly sharpens the vision and enables the cheetah to swiftly locate prey against the horizon.<ref name=bcw3/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ahnelt |first1=P. K. |last2=Schubert |first2=C. |last3=Kuebber-Heiss |first3=A. |last4=Anger |first4=E. M. |name-list-style=amp |title=Adaptive design in felid retinal cone topographies |journal=Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science |date=2005 |volume=46 |issue=13 |page=4540 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264402644 |access-date=21 April 2020 |archive-date=5 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505152107/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264402644_Adaptive_Design_in_Felid_Retinal_Cone_Topographies |url-status=live}}</ref> The cheetah is unable to roar due to the presence of a sharp-edged vocal fold within the [[larynx]].<ref name=mammal/><ref name=hast>{{cite journal |last1=Hast |first1=M. H. |title=The larynx of roaring and non-roaring cats |journal=[[Journal of Anatomy]] |year=1989 |volume=163 |pages=117–121 |pmid=2606766 |pmc=1256521}}</ref>

In stressful situations, the cheetah has a lower [[cortisol]] level than the leopard, indicating better stress response; it also has lower [[immunoglobulin G]] and [[Serum amyloid A]] levels but a higher [[lysozyme]] level and a higher bacterial killing capacity than the leopard, indicating a poorer [[adaptive immune system|adaptive]] and induced [[innate immune system]]s but a better constitutive innate immune system; its constitutive innate immune system compensates for its low variation of [[major histocompatibility complex]] and poorer immune adaptability.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Heinrich |first1=S. K. |last2=Hofer |first2=H. |last3=Courtiol |first3=A. |last4=Melzheimer |first4=J. |last5=Dehnhard |first5=M. |last6=Czirják |first6=G. Á. |last7=Wachter |first7=B. |date=2017 |title=Cheetahs have a stronger constitutive innate immunity than leopards |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=44837 |doi=10.1038/srep44837 |pmc=5363065 |pmid=28333126 |bibcode=2017NatSR...744837H}}</ref>

===Speed and acceleration===
[[File:Cheetahs on the Edge (Director's Cut).ogv|thumb|thumbtime=2:24|[[:File:Cheetahs on the Edge (Director's Cut).ogv|Documentary video]] filmed at 1200 frames per second showing the movement of [[Sarah (cheetah)|Sarah]], the fastest recorded cheetah, over a set run|alt=Video of the cheetah Sarah sprinting over a set run]]

The cheetah is the world's [[Fastest animals|fastest]] land animal.<ref name=gonyea>{{cite journal |last1=Gonyea |first1=W. J. |title=Functional implications of felid forelimb anatomy |journal=Acta Anatomica |year=1978 |volume=102 |issue=2 |pages=111–121 |pmid=685643 |doi=10.1159/000145627}}</ref><ref name=hudson>{{cite journal |last1=Hudson |first1=P. E. |author2=Corr, S. A. |author3=Payne-Davis, R. C. |author4=Clancy, S. N. |author5=Lane, E. |author6=Wilson, A. M. |name-list-style=amp |year=2011 |title=Functional anatomy of the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') hindlimb |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=218 |issue=4 |pages=363–374 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7580.2010.01310.x |pmc=3077520 |pmid=21062282}}</ref> Estimates of the maximum speed attained range from {{cvt|80|to|128|km/h}}.<ref name=wcw/><ref name=nowak/> A commonly quoted value is {{cvt|112|km/h}}, recorded in 1957, but this measurement is disputed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Knapton |first1=S. |date=2015 |title=Which creature makes Sir David Attenborough's jaw drop? It's not what you'd expect |work=[[The Telegraph (London)|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/11372002/Which-creature-makes-Sir-David-Attenboroughs-jaw-drop-Its-not-what-youd-expect.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/11372002/Which-creature-makes-Sir-David-Attenboroughs-jaw-drop-Its-not-what-youd-expect.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=24 April 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2012, an 11-year-old cheetah from the [[Cincinnati Zoo]] set a world record by running {{cvt|100|m}} in 5.95 seconds over a set run, recording a maximum speed of {{cvt|98|km/h}}.<ref name=Pappas>{{cite news |date=2012 |author=Pappas, S. |title=Wow! 11-year-old cheetah breaks land speed record |url=http://www.livescience.com/22080-cheetah-breaks-speed-record.html |access-date=24 March 2016 |work=[[LiveScience]] |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192235/http://www.livescience.com/22080-cheetah-breaks-speed-record.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Cheetahs equipped with [[GPS collar]]s hunted at speeds during most of the chase much lower than the highest recorded speed; their run was interspersed with a few short bursts of a few seconds when they attained peak speeds. The average speed recorded during the high speed phase was {{cvt|53.64|km/h|sigfig=3}}, or within the range {{cvt|41.4|–|65.88|km/h|sigfig=3}} including error. The highest recorded value was {{cvt|93.24|km/h|sigfig=3}}. A hunt consists of two phases, an initial fast acceleration phase when the cheetah tries to catch up with the prey, followed by slowing down as it closes in on it, the deceleration varying by the prey in question. The initial linear acceleration observed was 13 [[Metre per second squared|m/s²]], more than twice than 6 m/s² of horses and greater than 10 m/s² of greyhounds.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=S. B. |last2=Tan |first2=H. |last3=Usherwood |first3=J. R. |last4=Wilson |first4=A. M. |date=2009 |title=Pitch then power: limitations to acceleration in quadrupeds |journal=Biology Letters |volume=5 |issue=5 |pages=610–613 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2009.0360 |pmc=2781967 |pmid=19553249 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref> Cheetahs can increase up 3 m/s (10.8 km/h) and decrease up 4 m/s (14.4 km/h) in a single stride.<ref name="Wilson_al2013">{{cite journal |author1=Wilson, A. M. |author2=Lowe, J. C. |author3=Roskilly, K. |author4=Hudson, P. E. |author5=Golabek, K. A. |author6=McNutt, J. W. |name-list-style=amp |year=2013 |title=Locomotion dynamics of hunting in wild cheetahs |url=https://www.academia.edu/108858304 |url-status=live |journal=Nature |volume=498 |issue=7453 |pages=185–189 |bibcode=2013Natur.498..185W |doi=10.1038/nature12295 |pmid=23765495 |s2cid=4330642 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115212308/https://www.originalwisdom.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/04/wilson-et-al_2013_Locomotion-dynamics-of-hunting-in-wild-cheetahs.pdf |archive-date=15 January 2024 |access-date=15 January 2024}}</ref> Speed and acceleration values for a hunting cheetah may be different from those for a non-hunter because while engaged in the chase, the cheetah is more likely to be twisting and turning and may be running through vegetation.<ref name=Wilson_al2013/><ref name="WilsonBiologyLetters" /> The speeds of more than 100 km/h attained by the cheetah may be only slightly greater than those achieved by the [[pronghorn]] at {{cvt|88.5|km/h}}<ref>{{cite book |author=Carwardine, M. |title=Animal Records |year=2008 |publisher=Sterling |location=New York |isbn=978-1-4027-5623-8 |page=11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T3FEKopUFkUC&pg=PA11 |access-date=4 January 2020 |archive-date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328014409/https://books.google.com/books?id=T3FEKopUFkUC&pg=PA11 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[springbok]] at {{cvt|88|km/h}},<ref>{{cite book |author1=Burton, M. |author2=Burton, R. |title=International Wildlife Encyclopedia |year=2002 |publisher=[[Marshall Cavendish]] |location=New York |isbn=9780761472841 |pages=2499–2501 |volume=18 |edition=Third |name-list-style=amp}}</ref> but the cheetah additionally has an exceptional acceleration, can go from 0–97 km/h (0–60 mph) in less than 3 seconds, "faster than a Ferrari".<ref name="Philips, J. A.-1997">{{Cite journal |last1=Williams, T. M. |last2=Dobson, G. P. |last3=Mathieu-Costello, O. |last4=Morsbach, D. |last5=Worley, M. B. |last6=Philips, J. A. |name-list-style=amp |date=1997 |title=Skeletal muscle histology and biochemistry of an elite sprinter, the African cheetah |url=https://williams.eeb.ucsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CheetahMuscleHistology_WilliamsEtAl1997.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Journal of Comparative Physiology B |volume=167 |issue=8 |pages=527–535 |doi=10.1007/s003600050105 |pmid=9404014 |s2cid=22543782 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328014516/https://williams.eeb.ucsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CheetahMuscleHistology_WilliamsEtAl1997.pdf |archive-date=28 March 2023 |access-date=14 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kaplan |first=Matt |date=2013-06-01 |title=Speed test for wild cheetahs |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/498150a |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=498 |issue=7453 |pages=150 |doi=10.1038/498150a |pmid=23765470 |bibcode=2013Natur.498..150K |issn=1476-4687}}</ref> For comparison, [[Polo|polo horses]] can go from 0 to 36 km/h in 3.6 seconds.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tan |first=H. |last2=Williams |first2=S. |last3=Usherwood |first3=J. |last4=Wilson |first4=A. |date=2008 |title=Acceleration and turning performance of polo horses under field conditions |url=https://www.academia.edu/23264545/Acceleration_and_turning_performance_of_polo_horses_under_field_conditions |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology |series=Abstracts of the Annual Main Meeting of the Society of Experimental Biology, 6th - 10th July 2008, Marseille, France |volume=150 |issue=3, Supplement |pages=S83 |doi=10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.04.141 |issn=1095-6433}}</ref>

One stride of a galloping cheetah measures {{cvt|4|to|7|m}}; the stride length and the number of jumps increases with speed.<ref name=wcw/> During more than half the duration of the sprint, the cheetah has all four limbs in the air, increasing the stride length.<ref name=taylor>{{cite book |author=Taylor, M. E. |chapter=Locomotor Adaptations by Carnivores |year=1989 |publisher=Springer |location=New York |isbn=9781461282044 |pages=382–409 |title=Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution |editor=Gittleman, J. L. |doi=10.1007/978-1-4757-4716-4_15}}</ref> Running cheetahs can retain up to 90% of the heat generated during the chase. A 1973 study suggested the length of the sprint is limited by excessive build-up of body heat when the body temperature reaches {{cvt|40|–|41|C|F}}. However, a 2013 study recorded the average temperature of cheetahs after hunts to be {{cvt|38.6|C|F}}, suggesting high temperatures need not cause hunts to be abandoned.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Taylor, C. R. |author2=Rowntree, V. J. |year=1973 |title=Temperature regulation and heat balance in running cheetahs: a strategy for sprinters? |journal=The American Journal of Physiology |volume=224 |issue=4 |pages=848–851 |doi=10.1152/ajplegacy.1973.224.4.848 |pmid=4698801|doi-access=free |name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |author=Hetem, R. S. |author2=Mitchell, D. |author3=Witt, B. A. de |author4=Fick, L. G. |author5=Meyer, L. C. R. |author6=Maloney, S. K. |author7=Fuller, A. |year=2013 |title=Cheetah do not abandon hunts because they overheat |journal=Biology Letters |name-list-style=amp |volume=9 |issue=5 |page=20130472 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2013.0472 |pmid=23883578 |pmc=3971684}}</ref>

The running speed of {{cvt|71|mph}} of the cheetah was obtained as an result of a single run of one individual by dividing the distance traveled for time spent. The run lasted 2.25 seconds and was supposed to have been {{cvt|73|m}} long, but was later found to have been {{cvt|59|m}} long. It was therefore discredited for a faulty method of measurement.<ref name=Hildebrand1959>{{Cite journal |last=Hildebrand |first=M. |date=1959 |title=Motions of the running cheetah and horse |journal=American Society of Mammalogists |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=481–495 |url=http://www.catsg.org/cheetah/05_library/5_3_publications/H/Hildebrand_1959_Motions_of_cheetah_and_horse.pdf |access-date=4 November 2022 |archive-date=5 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105001230/http://www.catsg.org/cheetah/05_library/5_3_publications/H/Hildebrand_1959_Motions_of_cheetah_and_horse.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
Cheetahs have subsequently been measured at running at a speed of {{cvt|104|km/h}} as the fastest speed from three runs including in opposite direction, for a single individual, over a marked {{cvt|201|m|order=|yd}} course, even starting the run {{cvt|18|m}} behind the start line, starting the run already running on the course. Again dividing the distance by time, but this time to determine the maximum sustained speed, completing the runs in an time of 7.0, 6.9 and 7.2 seconds. Being a more accurate method of measurement, this test was made in 1965 but published in 1997.<ref name="Sharp-1997">{{Cite journal |last=Sharp |first=Craig N. C. |date=1997 |title=Timed running speed of a cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=241 |issue=3 |pages=493–494 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb04840.x}}</ref>

In 2010, the running speed of 15 cheetahs was measured by means of high speed camera stationed on a tripod and placed at specific points on a track; the cheetahs were chasing a lure and there were several attempts per individual, and their length from the nose to base of the tail was used as a scale. The speed was estimated from the time the tip of the nose appeared until it was no longer visible on camera. The maximum speed recorded was 100.1 km/h for one individual.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Quirke |first1=T. |last2=O'Riordan |first2=R. |last3=Davenport |first3=J. |date=2013 |title=A comparative study of the speeds attained by captive cheetahs during the enrichment practice of the "cheetah run"|journal=Zoo Biology |volume=32 |issue=5 |pages=490–496 |doi=10.1002/zoo.21082 |url=https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/projectsandcentres/zooresearchgroup/documents/ckczoowebpublications/TQ_A_comparative_study_of_the_speeds_attain.pdf}}</ref>
Subsequently, with GPS-[[Inertial measurement unit|IMU]] collars, in 2011 and 2012, running speed was measured for wild cheetahs during hunts with turns and manoeuvres, and the maximum speed recorded was {{cvt|58|mph}} sustained for 1–2 seconds. The speed was obtained by dividing the length by the time between footfalls of a stride.<ref name=Wilson_al2013/> 
There are indirect ways to measure how fast a cheetah can run. One case is known of a cheetah that overtook a young male [[pronghorn]]. Cheetahs can overtake a running antelope with a {{cvt|150|yards|order=flip}} head start. Both animals were clocked at {{cvt|50|mph|order=flip}} by speedometer reading while running alongside a vehicle at full speed.<ref name=Hildebrand1959/> Cheetahs can easily capture gazelles galloping at full speed ({{cvt|70-80|km/h}}).<ref name=Schaller-1972/>

The physiological reasons for speed in cheetahs are:
*Small head and long lumbar region of the spine, 36.8% of the presacral vertebral column.<ref name=marker2/><ref name=Gonyea1976/><ref name=Valkenburgh1990/>
*A [[tibia]] and [[radius (bone)|radius]] longer than the [[femur]] and [[humerus]], with a femorotibial index of 101.9–105 and a humeroradial index of 100.1–103.3.<ref name=marker2 /><ref name=Valkenburgh1990>{{Cite journal |last1=Van Valkenburgh |first1=B. |last2=Grady |first2=F. |last3=Kurtén |first3=B. |name-list-style=amp |date=1990 |title=The Plio-Pleistocene cheetah-like cat ''Miracinonyx inexpectatus'' of North America |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=434–454 |doi=10.1080/02724634.1990.10011827 |bibcode=1990JVPal..10..434V |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254313576}}</ref><ref name=Gonyea1976>{{Cite journal |last=Gonyea |first=W. J. |date=1976 |title=Adaptive differences in the body proportions of large felids |journal=Acta Anatomica |volume=96 |issue=1 |pages=81–96 |doi=10.1159/000144663 |pmid=973541}}</ref>
*Elongated and slender long bones of the limbs, especially femur, tibia, humerus, radius and [[pelvis]], specially the [[ischium]].<ref name=marker7/><ref name=Gonyea1976/><ref name=hudson/>
*Enlarged respiratory passages and [[Frontal sinus|frontal sinuses]] that allow to cool inhaled and exhaled air with each breath, which helps dissipate body heat.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sicuro |first=F. L. |last2=Oliveira |first2=L. F. B. |date=2011 |title=Skull morphology and functionality of extant Felidae (Mammalia: Carnivora): a phylogenetic and evolutionary perspective |url=https://www.academia.edu/81994735/Skull_morphology_and_functionality_of_extant_Felidae_Mammalia_Carnivora_a_phylogenetic_and_evolutionary_perspective |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=161 |issue=2 |pages=414–462 |doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.2010.00636.x}}</ref>
*A higher concentration of [[Glycolysis|glycolytic]] [[fast twitch muscle]] fibers (Type IIx) than other cats and animals in general.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Abraham Kohn |first1=T. |last2=Burroughs |first2=R. |last3=Jacobus Hartman |first3=M. |last4=David Noakes |first4=T. |date=2011 |title=Fiber type and metabolic characteristics of lion (''Panthera leo''), caracal (''Caracal caracal'') and human skeletal muscle |url=https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/2263/19598/1/Kohn_Fiber%282011%29.pdf |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology |volume=159 |issue=2 |pages=125–133 |hdl=2263/19598 |doi=10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.02.006 |pmid=21320626 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hyatt |first1=J.-P. K. |last2=R. Roy |first2=R. |last3=Rugg |first3=S. |last4=Talmadge |first4=R. J. |date=2009 |title=Myosin heavy chain composition of Tiger (''Panthera tigris'') and Cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') hindlimb muscles |journal=Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology |volume=313A |issue=1 |pages=45–57 |pmid=19768738 |doi=10.1002/jez.574 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref> A very high [[Lactate dehydrogenase|LDH]] activity is indicative of this principally anaerobic muscle metabolism.<ref name="Philips, J. A.-1997" />
*Most of the locomotor muscle mass is concentrated proximally close to the body in shoulders, thighs and spine, and is reduced in shins and forearms. Long tendons finish off the distal locomotor muscles.<ref name=marker7/><ref name=hudson/>
*Muscular hindlimbs form 19.8% of the body mass, whereas the forelimbs form 15.1%.<ref name=hudson/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hudson |first1=P. E. |last2=Corr |first2=S. A. |last3=Payne-Davis |first3=R. C. |last4=Clancy |first4=S. N. |last5=Lane |first5=E. |last6=Wilson |first6=A. M. |date=2011 |title=Functional anatomy of the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') forelimb |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=218 |issue=4 |pages=375–385 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01344.x |pmc=3077521 |pmid=21332715 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref> The [[hamstring]]s, [[quadriceps]], [[adductor muscles of the hip]] and [[psoas major muscle]]s are especially large.<ref name="McNeill">{{Cite book |last=Alexander |first=R. McNeill |url=https://archive.org/details/mammalsaspredato0000unse/mode/2up |title=Mammals as Predators: The Proceedings of a Symposium held by The Zoological Society of London and The Mammal Society: London, 22nd and 23rd November 1991 |date=1993 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-854067-0 |editor-last=Dunstone |editor-first=N. |pages=1–13 |chapter=Legs and locomotion of carnivora |doi=10.1093/oso/9780198540670.003.0001 |editor-last2=Gorman |editor-first2=M. L.}}</ref>
*Enlarged [[Betz cell]]s in the [[motor cortex]] M1 and innervating muscle fibers, to fit its predominant type IIx fibers and powerful muscles.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nguyen |first1=V. T. |last2=Uchida |first2=R. |last3=Warling |first3=A. |last4=Sloan |first4=L. J. |last5=Saviano |first5=M. S. |last6=Wicinski |first6=B. |last7=Hård |first7=T. |last8=Bertelsen |first8=M. F. |last9=Stimpson |first9=C. D. |last10=Bitterman |first10=K. |last11=Schall |first11=M. |last12=Hof |first12=P. R. |last13=Sherwood |first13=C. C. |last14=Manger |first14=P. R. |last15=Spocter |first15=M. A. |name-list-style=amp |date=2020 |title=Comparative neocortical neuromorphology in felids: African lion, African leopard, and cheetah |journal=Journal of Comparative Neurology |volume=528 |issue=8 |pages=1392–1422 |doi=10.1002/cne.24823 |pmid=31749162 |url=https://www.coloradocollege.edu/academics/dept/neuroscience/documents/Nguyen%20et%20al.%202019a-compressed.pdf}}</ref>