1. Acinonyx pardinensis (Giant Cheetah)
Extinction Date: Approximately 1.5 million years ago
Region: Europe and Asia
Details: Known as the giant cheetah, it was significantly larger than the modern cheetah. It roamed the open plains and was adapted to the cooler climates of the Pleistocene epoch.
2. Acinonyx intermedius
Extinction Date: Approximately 2 million years ago
Region: Europe and Africa
Details: This species was slightly larger than the modern cheetah and lived during the Pleistocene epoch. It shared habitats with other large Pleistocene mammals and was adapted to a variety of landscapes, including grasslands and savannas.
3. Acinonyx aicha
Extinction Date: Approximately 126,000 years ago
Region: North Africa, specifically Algeria
Details: Similar in size to the modern cheetah, Acinonyx aicha lived during the Pleistocene epoch. Fossil remains have been found in Algeria, indicating it inhabited savanna-like environments with abundant prey.
4. Acinonyx kurteni
Extinction Date: Approximately 10,000 years ago
Region: China
Details: Identified from fossils found in China, Acinonyx kurteni lived during the late Pleistocene epoch. It was slightly larger than the modern cheetah and adapted to the rugged terrain of ancient China, coexisting with other large Pleistocene predators and prey.
