Miracinonyx

Main Group: Placental Mammals (Carnivores)

Time: Pliocene - Pleistocene

Size: possibly 5 ft (1.5 m) long

Fossil Finds: North America



Miracinonyx known as the American cheetah, was most likely more related to modern day cougars than to African cheetahs. If this is so, then this would be a case of convergent evolution - the two species evolved the same traits despite being distantly related.