Potamochoerus (meaning "river pig") is a genus in the pig family (Suidae). The two species are restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, although the bushpig, possibly due to introduction by humans, also occurs in Madagascar and nearby islands. Early in the 20th century, there were considered to be as many as five different species within the genus. These were gradually consolidated, until, in the 1970s, it was generally agreed that all were representatives of just a single species (P. porcus). The bushpig was again recognised as a separate species from about 1993.[1]
The oldest fossils that can be assigned to the genus date from the mid Pliocene in Europe, and are first seen in Africa from least the mid Pleistocene, suggesting that it originally evolved in somewhere in Eurasia.[1] However, molecular phylogenetic evidence suggests that the genus first diverged from the line leading to the giant forest hog and the warthogs much earlier, in the late Miocene, between 11.9 and 5.6 million years ago. The same studies suggest that the two living species diverged from one another between 4.8 and 0.2 million years ago.[2]
potamochoerus, meaning, river, genus, family, suidae, species, restricted, saharan, africa, although, bushpig, possibly, introduction, humans, also, occurs, madagascar, nearby, islands, early, 20th, century, there, were, considered, many, five, different, spec. Potamochoerus meaning river pig is a genus in the pig family Suidae The two species are restricted to sub Saharan Africa although the bushpig possibly due to introduction by humans also occurs in Madagascar and nearby islands Early in the 20th century there were considered to be as many as five different species within the genus These were gradually consolidated until in the 1970s it was generally agreed that all were representatives of just a single species P porcus The bushpig was again recognised as a separate species from about 1993 1 PotamochoerusBushpig Potamochoerus larvatus Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ArtiodactylaFamily SuidaeSubfamily SuinaeGenus PotamochoerusGray 1854Type speciesChoiropotamus pictusLinnaeus 1758SpeciesPotamochoerus larvatus F Cuvier 1822 Potamochoerus magnus A Arribas amp G Garrido 2008 Potamochoerus porcus Linnaeus 1758 The oldest fossils that can be assigned to the genus date from the mid Pliocene in Europe and are first seen in Africa from least the mid Pleistocene suggesting that it originally evolved in somewhere in Eurasia 1 However molecular phylogenetic evidence suggests that the genus first diverged from the line leading to the giant forest hog and the warthogs much earlier in the late Miocene between 11 9 and 5 6 million years ago The same studies suggest that the two living species diverged from one another between 4 8 and 0 2 million years ago 2 Contents 1 Species 1 1 Extant species 1 2 Fossils 2 ReferencesSpecies editExtant species edit Image Scientific name Common Name Distribution nbsp Potamochoerus larvatus F Cuvier 1822 Bushpig East and Southern Africa nbsp Potamochoerus porcus Linnaeus 1758 Red river hog Guinean and Congolian forestsFossils edit Potamochoerus magnusReferences edit a b Leslie D M Huffman B A July 2015 Potamochoerus porcus Artiodactyla Suidae Mammalian Species 47 919 15 31 doi 10 1093 mspecies sev002 Gongora J et al June 2011 Rethinking the evolution of extant sub Saharan African suids Suidae Artiodactyla Zoologica Scripta 40 4 327 335 doi 10 1111 j 1463 6409 2011 00480 x S2CID 82372059 nbsp This Suidae related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Potamochoerus amp oldid 1142909438, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
