Amerikan çitası
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| ?Amerika çitası Korunma durumu: Prehistorik |
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Amerikan çitası (Miracinonyx), kedigiller (Felidae) familyasının çitayla aynı türünde olan bir hayvandır. 3 milyon yıl öncesinden 10-12 bin yıl öncesine kadar Kuzey Amerika'da yaşayan bu kediler hakkındaki bilgiler, bu hayvanların iskelet parçalarından ibarettir. Tam olarak kendilerine çita denmez, çünkü bu hayvanlar modern çitaların ve onların atalarının türü olan Acinonyx türünden ayrı bir tür olarak yer alırlar. İki türü vardır:Miracinonyx inexpectatus ve M. trumani. Bazen üçüncü bir tür olarak da M. studeri de belirtilebilir ama bu tür genel olarak M. trumani'nin küçüğü olarak belirtilir.
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Both species are similar to true cheetahs, with faces shortened and nasal cavities expanded for increased oxygen capacity, and legs proportioned for swift running, however these similarities are parallel rather than inherited from a common ancestor. Recent studies comparing the DNA of Miracinonyx, the Cheetah and the Cougar concluded that Miracinonyx was not closely related to the Cheetah, but instead was a close cousin to the Cougar. Apparently, the Cougar and M. trumani split from a 'cougar-like ancestor' around three million years ago, but where M. inexpectatus fits in is unclear, although it likely is a more primitive version of M. trumani.[1]
[değiştir] Miracinonyx trumani
M. trumani was the most similar to true cheetahs in morphology. Living on the prairies and plains of western America, it was likely a predator of hoofed plains animals such as the Pronghorn. In fact, Miracinonyx is thought to be the reason why the Pronghorn evolved to run so swiftly, its 60 mph top speed being much more than is needed to outrun modern American predators such as the Cougar and the Gray Wolf.
The similarity between M. trumani and the Cheetah is an example of parallel evolution. As grasslands became more common in both Africa and North America, the separate cat species from both continents evolved to catch the new fleet-footed herbivores. The claws of M. trumani had even become only partially retractable, to be used for better grip at high speeds, just as true cheetahs have fully un-retractable claws.
[değiştir] Miracinonyx inexpectatus
M. inexpectatus was more similar to the Cougar, its proportions between that of the Cougar and M. trumani. It had fully retractable claws, and though it was likely faster than the Cougar, due to its slim build, it is also thought to have been more adept at climbing than M. trumani.
