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Cheetah skull measurements and remarks on cheetah skull morphology in scientific literature
Cheetah Skull morphology
Skull length Namibia Namibian farmlands Male cheetahs in the namibian farmland have a skull length of 23.4 cm (n=54) and females have a skull length of 21.8 cm (n=26).The smallest male had a skull length of 21 cm and largest 26.7 cm.The smallest female had a skull length of 18.5 cm and largest 24.1 cm.(1)
Otjiwarongo Male cheetahs here had an average skull length of 20.3 cm (n=89) and females 19.1 cm (n=47).The largest male had a skull length of 23 cm and the largest female 21 cm.(3)
Etosha National Park Male cheetahs here have an average skull length of 15.7 cm (n=298) and female cheetahs have an average skull length of 15.1 cm (n=146).(2)
Total average in Namibia Male cheetahs had an average skull length of 17.5 cm (n=441) and female cheetahs 16.7 cm (n=191).(1,2,3)
Botswana Okavango delta Male cheetahs in the Okavango delta have 22.7 cm (n=7).(5)
Ghanzi and Kgalagadi District Male cheetahs in this area have an average skull length of 16.3 cm (n=24) and female cheetahs have an average skull length of 15.6 cm (n=17).(4)
Total average of Botswana Male cheetahs in Botswana have an average skull length of 17.7 cm (n=31) and females have an average skull length of 15.6 cm (n=17). (4,5)
India 2 female cheetahs in India had an average skull length of 17.5 cm.(6)
Iraq One asiatic cheetah in Iraq had a skull length of 17.2 cm(7)
Other skull lengths Christiansen et al 2007 gives 14.9 cm for 9 cheetah skulls from museums of unknown genders and ages. Adolffsen et al 2005 gives 17.2 cm for one cheetah skull, gender and age unknown. Cheetah Conservation Botswana 2014-15 gives 15.6 cm for 57 cheetahs of both genders from Serengeti and Masai Mara. Anirudh et al gives a skull length of 15.9 cm.(5,9,10)
Skull width
Namibia Namibian farmlands Male cheetahs in the namibian farmlands have an average skull width of 14.6 cm (n=84) and females have an average skull width of 13.3 cm (n=37).The largest male had a skull width of 17.2 cm and the smallest male had a skull width of 12.4 cm.The largest female had a skull width of 14.7 cm and the smallest female had a skull width of 10.8 cm.(1)
Otjiwarongo District Males in the Otjiwarongo District have an average skull length of 15.88 cm (n=89) and females have an average skull width of 14.93 cm (n=47).The largest male cheetah had a skull width of 18.50 cm and the largest male cheetah had a skull width of 16 cm.(3)
Etosha National Park Male cheetahs in Etosha national park have an average skull width of 14.1 cm (n=298) and female cheetahs have an average skull width of 13.2 cm (n=146).(2)
Total average in Namibia Male cheetahs have an average skull width of 14.5 cm (n=470) in all of Namibia and female cheetahs have an average skull width of 13.5 cm (n=230).(1,2,3)
Botswana Okavango delta Male cheetahs in the Okavango delta have an average skull width of 15.4 cm (n=7).(5)
Kgalagadi and Ghazni Districts Male cheetahs in these districts have an average skull width of 14.3 cm (N=24) and female cheetahs have an average skull width of 13 cm (n=17).(4)
Total average in Botswana Male cheetahs have an average skull width of 14.5 cm (n=31) and female cheetahs have an average skull width of 13 cm (n=17) in all of Botswana.(4,5)
Canine length Namibian farmlands Male cheetahs in the namibian farmlands have an average upper canine length of 2.2 cm (n=87) and females have an average upper canine length of 1.6 cm (n=37). Male cheetahs in the namibian farmlands have an average lower canine length of 1.6 cm (n=86) and females 1.4 cm (n=35).The largest male cheetah ever recorded had a upper canine length of 2.6 cm and the smallest cheetah ever recorded had an upper canine length of 1.6 cm in the namibian farmlands.The largest female cheetah had an upper canine length of 2.3 cm and the smallest female cheetah ever recorded had an upper canine length of 1.7 cm in the namibian farmlands.The largest male cheetah ever recorded had a lower canine length of 2.1 cm and the smallest male cheetah had a lower canine length of 1 cm in the namibian farmlands.The largest female cheetah had a lower canine length of 2 cm and the smallest female cheetah had a lower canine length of 1 cm in the namibian farmlands.(1)
Otjiwarongo district Male cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2.3 cm (n=89) and female cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2.2 cm (n=47) in the Otjiwarongo district. Male cheetahs have an average lower canine length of 1.7 cm (n=89) and female cheetahs have an average lower canine length of 1.5 (n=47) in the Otjiwarongo district.The largest male cheetah ever recorded had an upper canine length of 2.6 cm and a lower canine length of 2 cm in the Otjiwarongo district.The largest female cheetah ever recorded had an upper canine length of 2.2 cm and a lower canine length of 1.5 cm in the Otjiwarongo district.(3)
Etosha National Park Male cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2.1 cm (n=298) and female cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2 cm (n=146) in the Etosha National Park. Male cheetahs have an average lower canine length of 1.6 cm (n=298) and female cheetahs have an average lower canine length of 1.4 cm (n=146).(2)
Total average in Namibia Male cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2.15 cm (n=474) and lower canine length of 1.6 cm (n=473). Female cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 1.56 cm (n=234) and an average lower canine length of 1.4 cm (n=321).(1,2,3)
Botswana Kgalagadi and Ghazni districts Male cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2.3 cm (n=24) and an average lower canine length of 1.7 cm (n=24) in the Kgalagadi and ghanzi district. Female cheetahs have an average upper canine length of 2.1 cm (n=17) and an average lower canine length of 1.5 cm (n=17).In the kgalagadi and ghazni districts.(4)
Other canine data Meachen Samuels reports an average canine ML diameter of 8.82 mm and a canine crown height of 18.63 mm. BVM Anirudh reports a canine length of 30.13 mm and a canine crown height of 14.80 mm. Christiansen reports a upper canine length of 2.8 cm and a lower canine length of 2.08 cm for one cheetah specimen.(15,16)
Other Skull and Skull related Measurements 2 asiatic female cheetahs had a Condylobasal Length of 15.55 cm, Zygomatic width of 11.9 cm, Postorbital width of 5.2 cm, Interorbital width of 3.8 cm, Maxillary width of 4.8 cm, Mandible length of 11.9 cm, skull length-width ratio of 1.44 cm and a Total score of the skull of 29.05 cm. Christiansen reports a cheetah specimen that had a basicranial length of 10.7 cm, snout length of 6.46 cm, Jaw Joint to Carnassial length of 7.47 cm, Jaw Joint to canine length of 10.91 cm, lower jaw length of 12.95 cm and a gape of 6.68 cm. Christensen also reports a cheetah specimen to have a upper canine anteroposterior diameter of 2.82 cm, a upper canine lateromedial diameter of 0.89 cm, a lower canine anteroposterior diameter of 1.05 cm and a lower canine lateromedial diameter of 0.76 cm.Therrien reports a mandibular length of 11.84 cm for cheetahs.One asiatic cheetah from iraq had a condylobasal length of 15.63 cm, zygomatic breadth of 11.41 cm, interorbital breadth of 4 cm, braincase width of 6 cm, canine to molar distance if 5.32 cm and a mandible length of 11.96 cm. A cheetah from El Malfa, Egypt had a zygomatic breadth of 10 cm, canine to molar distance of 4.73 cm and a mandible length of 10.42 cm.In libya 2 female cheetahs had a condylobasal length of 13.44 cm. In Libya 3 female cheetahs had a zygomatic width of 10.06 cm, upper tooth row length of 4.7 cm and a mandible length of 10.28 cm.(6,7,8,10,17)
Skull structure Cheetah skulls are highly domed in lateral aspect.The zygomatic arch is broad anteriorly and much narrower posteriorly.The Maxillary process is short and very little salient.The maxillary process does not in anyway overhand the infraorbital foramen.In postorbital processes tare very short and blunt.The vertical branch of the premaxilla protrudes only a short distance between the maxilla and the nasal.The nares are very large.The braincase is very rounded and there is usually little evidence of a Sagittal crest except at the extreme posterior.Ventrally the palate is short and broadly triangular. The post dental palate has sharp sloping sides.The hamulars are broad hooks.The bullae is inflated but it is relatively small for the overall size of the skull.The mandible is not particularly strongly built.The dentition is distinctive.The cheek teeth are nominally 3.1 / 2.1. The space between the canine and the first premolar is usually narrow.The jaws have little sign of any postcanine gap.The canines exhibit little or no sign of furrowing.The miracinonyx species also have similar skull structure. Cheetah canines are small, hooked backwards and have grooves that are absent or faint. Nasals are Straight to Concave.(11,12,13)
Size of skull in comparison to the members of the puma lineage Cheetahs have larger skulls than jaguarundis.There are no significant difference between pumas and cheetahs in the main axis of the skull (length, width,height) and 12 out of 20 skull measurements. Pumas score better in mastoid breadth,temporal fossa length, tooth row length and jaw width. Cheetahs score better in masseteric scar length, post orbital constriction breadth, condyle to length of jaw and orbit to premaxillae length.(14)
Total average Average skull measurements for both genders Skull length:17.08 cm (n=750) Skull width:14.15 cm (n=748) Upper Canine Length:2.08 cm (n=750) Lower Canine Length:1.86 cm (n=836) Condylobasal length:14.72 cm (n=5) Zygomatic width:11.05 cm (n=5) Postorbital Width:5.2 cm (n=2) Interorbital width:3.86 cm (n=3) Maxillary width:4.8 cm (n=2) Mandible length:11 cm (n=7) Skull Length Width Ratio=1.44 (n=2) Total score of the skull:29.05 cm (n=2) Basicranial length:10.7 cm (n=1) Snout Length:6.46 cm (n=1) Gape:6.68 cm(n=1) Lower Jaw Length:12.95 cm (n=1) Jaw Joint to Carnassial Length:7.47 cm (n=1) Jaw Joint to Canine Length:10.91 cm (n=1) upper canine anteroposterior diameter:2.82 cm (n=1) upper canine lateromedial diameter of 0.89 cm (n=1) lower canine anteroposterior diameter:1.05 cm (n=1) lower canine lateromedial diameter: 0.76 cm (n=1) Braincase Width:6 cm (n=1) Canine to Molar Distance:5.02 cm (n=2) Upper Tooth Row Length:4.7 cm (n=3)
References 1.Morphology, Physical Condition, and Growth of the Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) 2.Regional variation in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) revisited: Morphology of wild and captive populations 3.Africat 4.Regional variation in body size of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) 5.Cheetah Conservation Botswana 2014-15 6.Fauna of British India 7.The Cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus 1776) in Egypt (Felidae, Acinonychinae) 8.Libyan Mammals:Cats of Libya 9.Comparative Biteforces and Canine Bending Strength in Feline and Sabertooth felids:implications for predatory ecology 10.Bite Forces, Canine Strength and Skull Allometry in Carnivores 11.Carnivores of West Africa 12.Wild Cats of the World, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002 13.Cranial Morphology of Five Felids 14.Skull morphology and functionality of extant Felidae (Mammalia: Carnivora): A phylogenetic and evolutionary perspective 15.Morphological convergence of the prey-killing arsenal of sabertooth predators 16.Comparing the dimensions of canine tooth in different species 17.Mandibular force profiles of extant carnivorans and implications for the feeding behaviour of extinct predators
Modern weights and morphometric measurements of the cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus)
