subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
of artiodactyl mammals that includes several of the extant members of
Suidae
Suidae is a family of artiodactyl mammals which are commonly called pigs, hogs or swine. In addition to numerous fossil species, 18 extant species are currently recognized (or 19 counting domestic pigs and wild boars separately), classified into ...
and their closest relatives – the
domestic pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
and related species, such as
babirusa
The babirusas, also called deer-pigs ( id, babi rusa), are a genus, ''Babyrousa'', in the swine family found in the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Togian, Sula and Buru. All members of this genus were considered part of a single species until ...
s. Several extinct species within the Suidae are classified in subfamilies other than Suinae. However, the classification of the extinct members of the Suoidea – the larger group that includes the Suidae, the peccary family (Tayassuidae), and related extinct species – is controversial, and different classifications vary in the number of subfamilies within Suidae and their contents. Some classifications, such as the one proposed by paleontologist Jan van der Made in 2010, even exclude from Suinae some extant taxa of Suidae, placing these excluded taxa in other subfamilies.
Species
In their 1997 ''Classification of Mammals'', Malcolm C. McKenna and Susan K. Bell classify the Suinae as:
*Tribe
Suini
Suinae is a subfamily of artiodactyl mammals that includes several of the extant members of Suidae and their closest relatives – the domestic pig and related species, such as babirusas. Several extinct species within the Suidae are classified i ...
Eumaiochoerus
''Eumaiochoerus'' is an extinct genus of even-toed ungulates that existed during the Miocene in Italy.
Description
''Eumaiochoerus'' had a short snout, spatulate upper incisors and small, chisel-shaped lower tusks.
Fossils of ''Eumaiochoerus'' ...
'' (Miocene)
**Genus †''
Hippopotamodon
''Hippopotamodon'' is a genus of extinct suid even-toed ungulates that existed during the Miocene and Pliocene in Europe and Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent ...
'' (Miocene to
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...
)
**Genus †''
Korynochoerus
''Korynochoerus'' is an extinct genus of even-toed ungulates that existed during the Miocene in Europe and Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Weste ...
'' (Miocene to
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Microstonyx'' (Miocene)
**Genus ''
Porcula
The pygmy hog (''Porcula salvania'') is the rarest species of pig in the world today, and is the only species in the genus ''Porcula''. It is also the smallest species of pig in the world, with its piglets being small enough to fit in one's pock ...
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
to
Recent
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene together ...
)
*Tribe
Potamochoerini
Potamochoerini is a tribe of even-toed ungulates which encompasses the giant forest hog
The giant forest hog (''Hylochoerus meinertzhageni''), the only member of its genus (''Hylochoerus''), is native to wooded habitats in Africa and is gener ...
**Genus †''
Celebochoerus
''Celebochoerus'' is an extinct genus of giant suid artiodactyl that existed during the Pliocene and Pleistocene in Sulawesi, Indonesia (''Celebochoerus heekereni''), and the middle Pleistocene of Luzon, in the Philippines (''Celebochoerus caga ...
'' (Pliocene to Pleistocene)
**Genus †''
Kolpochoerus
''Kolpochoerus'' is an extinct genus of the pig family Suidae related to the modern-day genera ''Hylochoerus'' and ''Potamochoerus''. It is believed that most of them inhabited African forests, as opposed to the bushpig and red river hog that inha ...
'' (Pliocene to Pleistocene)
**Genus ''
Potamochoerus
''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. Earl ...
'' (Miocene to recent)
**Genus †''
Propotamochoerus
''Propotamochoerus'' is an extinct genus of pig-like animals that lived from Miocene to Pliocene of Algeria, India, Moldova, China, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Myanmar, Thailand, Tunisia and Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), ...
'' (Miocene to Pliocene)
*Tribe † Hippohyini
**Genus †''
Hippohyus
''Hippohyus'' is an extinct genus of pig-like animals that lived during the Pliocene in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most pop ...
'' (Pliocene)
**Genus †''
Sinohyus
''Sinohyus'' was a genus of ground dwelling omnivorous even toed ungulates that existed in Asia during the Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58
'' (Pliocene)
**Genus †''
Sivahyus
''Sivahyus'' was a genus of ground dwelling omnivorous even toed ungulates that existed in Asia during the Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Phacochoerini
**Genus †''
Metridiochoerus
''Metridiochoerus'' is an extinct genus in the pig family indigenous to the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Africa. It is also known as the giant warthog.
Description
''Metridiochoerus'' was a large animal, in length, resembling a giant warthog. ...
'' (Pliocene to Pleistocene)
**Genus ''
Phacochoerus
''Phacochoerus'' is a genus in the family Suidae, commonly known as warthogs (pronounced ''wart-hog''). They are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, in sub-Saharan Africa. The two species were formerly cons ...
'' (Pliocene to recent)
**Genus ''
Hylochoerus
The giant forest hog (''Hylochoerus meinertzhageni''), the only member of its genus (''Hylochoerus''), is native to wooded habitats in Africa and is generally considered the largest wild member of the pig family, Suidae; however, a few subspeci ...
'' (Pleistocene to recent)
**Genus †''
Potamochoeroides
''Potamochoeroides'' was an extinct genus of even-toed ungulates that existed during the Pliocene in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the sou ...
Babyrousini
The babirusas, also called deer-pigs ( id, babi rusa), are a genus, ''Babyrousa'', in the swine family found in the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Togian, Sula and Buru. All members of this genus were considered part of a single species until ...
**Genus '' Babyrousa'' (Pleistocene to recent)
In the 2005 third edition of '' Mammal Species of the World'', which treats only recent forms, Peter Grubb followed this classification.Grubb, 2005 The recent forms are wild boars, domestic pigs, and pygmy hogs together in one tribe, with warthogs, a genus of African pigs, and a genus of pigs from the islands of
Wallacea
Wallacea is a biogeographical designation for a group of mainly Indonesian islands separated by deep-water straits from the Asian and Australian continental shelves. Wallacea includes Sulawesi, the largest island in the group, as well as Lo ...