Suidae  

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Suidae is the biological family to which pigs and their relatives belong. Up to sixteen species are currently recognized, including the domestic pig Sus scrofa or S. domesticus. They are classified into between four and eight genera. In addition to numerous species of wild pig, the family includes the babirusa Babyrousa babyrussa and the warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus. All of the species are found in the Old World, ranging from Asia and its islands, to Europe, and Africa.

The earliest fossil suids date from the Oligocene epoch of Asia, and their descendants reached Europe during the Miocene. Several fossil species are known, and show adaptations to a wide range of different diets, from strict herbivory to possible carrion-eating (in Toconodon).

Behaviour and reproduction

Despite their apparently 'primitive' anatomy, suids are intelligent and adaptable animals. Adult females travel in groups called sounders, together with their young, whilst adult males are either solitary, or travel in small bachelor groups. They are generally not territorial animals, and come into conflict only during the mating season.

Litter size varies between one and twelve, depending on the species. The mother prepares a grass nest or similar den, which the young leave after about ten days. Suids are weaned at around three months, and become sexually mature at 18 months. In practice, however, male suids are unlikely to gain access to sows in the wild until they have reached their full physical size, at around four years of age. In all species, the male is significantly larger than the female, and possesses more prominent tusks.




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Suidae" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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