Phacochoerusis a genus in the familySuidae,commonly known aswarthogs(pronouncedwart-hog). They are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, insub-Saharan Africa.The two species were formerly consideredconspecificunder the scientific namePhacochoerus aethiopicus,but today this is limited to thedesert warthog,while the best-known and most widespread species, thecommon warthog(or simply warthog), isPhacochoerus africanus.[2]
| Warthog | |
|---|---|
| |
| Malecommon warthog Phacochoerus africanus Tswalu Kalahari Reserve,South Africa | |
Scientific classification
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Suidae |
| Tribe: | Phacochoerini |
| Genus: | Phacochoerus F. Cuvier,1826 |
| Type species | |
| Aper aethiopicus[1] Pallas, 1766
| |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
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Description
Although covered in bristly hairs, a warthog's body and head appear largely bare, from a distance, with only a crest of hair along the back and the tufts on the face and tail being obvious. The English name "wart" -hog refers to their facialwattles,which are particularly distinct in males. The males also have very prominenttusks,which reach a length of 10 to 25 inches (25 to 64 centimetres); females' tusks are always smaller.[3]They are largelyherbivorous,but, like most suids, opportunistically eat invertebrates or small animals, even scavenging oncarrion.[4]While both species remain fairly common and widespread, and considered to be ofLeast Concernby theIUCN,thenominate subspeciesof desert warthog, commonly known as theCape warthog(P. a. aethiopicus) wasextinctby around 1865.[5]
Species in taxonomic order
The genusPhacochoeruscontains two species. The two species emerged from ecological barriers.[6]P. africanuswere found with a lack of upper incisors, whileP. aethiopicuswere found with a full set.[6]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common warthog
|
Phacochoerus africanus (Gmelin, 1788) Four subspecies
|
Widespread in the savannah ofSub-Saharan Africafrom Senegal to Ethiopia down to South Africa, absent from heavily forested or desert areas.
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Size:A head-and-body length ranging from 0.9 to 1.5 m (2 ft 11 in to 4 ft 11 in), and shoulder height from 63.5 to 85 cm (25.0 to 33.5 in). Females, at 45 to 75 kg (99 to 165 lb), are smaller and lighter than males, at 60 to 150 kg (130 to 330 lb).[7] Habitat: Diet: |
LC
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| Desert warthog
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Phacochoerus aethiopicus (Pallas, 1766) |
Northern Kenya and Somalia, and possibly Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia.
|
Size:Average length of 125 centimetres (49 in) and weight of 75 kilograms (165 lb) with males being larger than females.[9] Habitat: Diet: |
LC
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References
- ^Wilson, D. E.;Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005).Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference(3rd ed.).Johns Hopkins University Press.ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0.OCLC62265494.
- ^Wilson, D. E.;Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005).Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference(3rd ed.).Johns Hopkins University Press.ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0.OCLC62265494.
- ^Novak, R. M. (editor) (1999).Walker's Mammals of the World.Vol. 2. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.ISBN0-8018-5789-9.
- ^Kingdon, J. (1997).The Kingdon Guide to African Mammals.Academic Press Limited, London.ISBN0-12-408355-2.
- ^d'Huart, J.P.; Butynski, T.M.M. & De Jong, Y. (2008)."Phacochoerus aethiopicus".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2008.Retrieved20 April2010.
- ^abd'Huart, JP; Grubb, P (2001). "Distribution of the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and the desert warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) in the Horn of Africa".African Journal of Ecology.39(2): 156–169.doi:10.1046/j.0141-6707.2000.00298.x– via Web of Science.
- ^"Common WarthogPhacochoerus africanus"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 May 2013.Retrieved2013-07-30.
- ^d'Huart, J.P.; Butynski, T.M.M. & De Jong, Y. (2016) [errata version of 2016 assessment]."Phacochoerus aethiopicus".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2016:e.T41767A99376685.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41767A44140316.en.Retrieved12 April2022.Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
- ^Winkelstern, Ian (2009)."Phacochoerus aethiopicus".Animal Diversity Web.University of Michigan.Retrieved2013-09-04.
External links
Media related toPhacochoerusat Wikimedia Commons
Data related toPhacochoerusat Wikispecies- d'Huart, J.P. & Grubb, P. (2005).A photographic guide to the differences between the Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and the Desert Warthog (Ph. aethiopicus).[permanent dead link]Suiform Soundings 5(2): 4–8.
