Modern weights and morphometric measurements of the cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus)

[Acinonyx sp.]

Regional variation in body size of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) show considerable variation in body size across their fragmented geographical range spanning throughout Africa and into Asia (Caro 1994). Klein (1986) found carnassial length to vary with latitude, adhering to Bergmann's rule that individuals tend to be larger in cooler climates. Cranial measurements suggest that individuals from North Africa are smaller than those from sub-Saharan Africa (Saleh et al. 2001). Within sub-Saharan Africa, Marker and Dickman (2003) found various morphological traits to vary in size across study sites.

Morphometric measurements (X ̄ ± SD) taken from adult cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in Botswana and Namibia that showed significant regional variation (Botswana: n = 18–20 for males and 14–15 for females; Namibia: n = 81–94 for males and 38 for females).
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