Acinonyx

Acinonyx is a genus of mammals from the family Felidae. It is currently distributed in Africa and Asia, but at one time was also present in Europe. The cheetah is the only living species in the genus. Wozencraft (1993) put the genus Acinonyx in their own monophyletic subfamily, Acinonychinae. Salles (1992), Johnson & O'Brien (1997), Bininda-Emonds et al. (1999), and Mattern and McLennan (2000) consider Acinonyx, Puma concolor, and Puma (= Herpailurus) yagouaroundi as representatives of closely related sister groups.

Species

 * Acinonyx aicha Geraads, 1997 †
 * Acinonyx intermedius Thenius, 1954 †
 * Acinonyx jubatus Schreber, 1775 – Cheetah
 * Acinonyx kurteni Christiansen and Mazák, 2008 † (disputed, possibly fraudulent)
 * Acinonyx pardinensis Croizet e Joubert, 1828 †