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O'Regan, H.J.
Defining cheetahs, a multivariante analysis of skull shape in big cats
2002 Mammal Review (32): 58-62
On the basis of this study, a Cheetah can be defined as a cat with narrow teeth, small canines and a wide brain case for its size. Despite being a highly specialized cat, it still follows the generalized large felid form in 21 out of 34 variables analysed. The dental differences seen are adaptations to capturing and killing prey that have occurred in the genus _Acinonyx _alone. In addition, the Cheetah has retained some cranial features of the smaller cats, despite increasing its overall size. In view of this, it is not so much that Cheetahs have altered that is surprising, but how apparently conservative the feline cranial shape has been over the last few million years.
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