Eight suine species (counter-clockwise from top left): red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), collared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu), feral pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), north Sulawesi babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis), wild boar (Sus scrofa), pygmy hog (Porcula salvanius), common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), and Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus)

Suina, also known as Suiformes, is a suborder of omnivorous, non-ruminant hoofed mammals in the order Artiodactyla. A member of this clade is called a suine. It includes the family Suidae, termed suids or colloquially pigs or swine, as well as the family Tayassuidae, termed tayassuids or peccaries. Suines are largely native to Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia, with the exception of the wild boar, which is additionally native to Europe and Asia and introduced to North America and Australasia, including widespread use in farming of the domestic pig subspecies. Suines range in size from the 55 cm (22 in) long pygmy hog to the 210 cm (83 in) long giant forest hog, and are primarily found in forest, shrubland, and grassland biomes, though some can be found in deserts, wetlands, or coastal regions. Most species do not have population estimates, though approximately two billion domestic pigs are used in farming, while several species are considered endangered or critically endangered with populations as low as 100.

The 20 extant species of Suina are split between the Suidae family, containing 17 extant species belonging to six genera, and the Tayassuidae family, containing three species in three genera. All extant suids are members of the Suinae subfamily; extinct species have also been placed into Suinae as well as other subfamilies. Dozens of extinct Suina species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.^[1][2]

Conventions

Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the species's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†".

Classification

The suborder Suina consists of 20 extant species in nine genera, divided into dozens of extant subspecies. These are split between the Suidae family, containing 17 species belonging to 6 genera, and the Tayassuidae family, containing 3 species in 3 genera. This does not include hybrid species such as boar–pig hybrids or extinct prehistoric species.

Suines

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis. There are several additional proposals which are disputed, such as the creation of a fourth species of peccary, the giant peccary (Pecari maximus), which are not included here.^[3]

Suidae

Main article: Suidae

Genus Babyrousa – Perry, 1811 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Buru babirusa	B. babyrussa (Linnaeus, 1758)	Buru, Mangole, and Taliabu islands in Indonesia	Size: 85–110 cm (33–43 in) long, plus 20–32 cm (8–13 in) tail[4] Habitat: Forest and inland wetlands[5] Diet: Fruit and browse[5]	VU  Unknown [5]
North Sulawesi babirusa	B. celebensis (Deninger, 1909)	Sulawesi and nearby Indonesian islands	Size: 85–110 cm (33–43 in) long, plus 20–32 cm (8–13 in) tail[6] Habitat: Forest and inland wetlands[7] Diet: Fruit and browse[7]	VU  10,000 [7]
Togian babirusa	B. togeanensis (Sody, 1949)	Togian Islands of Indonesia	Size: Unknown, but likely the largest babirusa species[8][9] Habitat: Forest, inland wetlands, and intertidal marine[10] Diet: Fruit, rhizomes, tamarinds, cacao, herbs, and vegetables[8]	EN  1,000 [10]

Genus Hylochoerus – Thomas, 1904 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Giant forest hog	H. meinertzhageni Thomas, 1904 Three subspecies H. m. ivoriensis H. m. meinertzhageni H. m. rimator	Scattered central Africa	Size: 130–210 cm (51–83 in) long, plus 25–45 cm (10–18 in) tail[11] Habitat: Forest[12] Diet: Large variety of plants, particularly herbaceous plants[12]	LC  Unknown [12]

Genus Phacochoerus – F. Cuvier, 1826 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Common warthog	P. africanus (Gmelin, 1788) Four subspecies P. a. aeliani (Eritrean warthog) P. a. africanus (Nolan warthog) P. a. massaicus (Central African warthog) P. a. sundevallii (Southern warthog)	Sub-saharan Africa	Size: 90–150 cm (35–59 in) long[13] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland[14] Diet: Grass, as well as roots, berries, bark, and carrion[13][14]	LC  250,000[15] [14]
Desert warthog	P. aethiopicus (Pallas, 1766) Two subspecies P. a. aethiopicus (Cape warthog)† P. a. delamerei	Eastern Africa	Size: 100–145 cm (39–57 in) long[16] Habitat: Savanna and shrubland[17] Diet: A variety of grass, shrubs, and tubers, as well as fruit and insects[16][17]	LC  Unknown [17]

Genus Porcula – Hodgson, 1847 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Pygmy hog	P. salvania (Hodgson, 1847)	Southern Bhutan and northwest India	Size: 55–71 cm (22–28 in) long, plus tail[18] Habitat: Grassland[19] Diet: Roots, grass, tubers, and invertebrates[20][19]	EN  100–250 [19]

Genus Potamochoerus – Gray, 1854 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Bushpig	P. larvatus (F. Cuvier, 1822) Six subspecies P. l. edwardsi (Edwards' bushpig) P. l. hassama (White-faced bushpig) P. l. koiropotamus (Southern bushpig) P. l. larvatus (Madagascar bushpig) P. l. nyasae (Nyasan bushpig) P. l. somaliensis (Somalian bushpig)	Southeastern Africa	Size: 100–150 cm (39–59 in) long[21] Habitat: Forest and shrubland[22] Diet: Roots, tubers, fruit, invertebrates, small vertebrates, and carrion[21][22]	LC  Unknown [22]
Red river hog	P. porcus (Linnaeus, 1758)	Western Africa	Size: 100–150 cm (39–59 in) long, plus 30–40 cm (12–16 in) tail[23] Habitat: Forest[24] Diet: Fruit and seeds, as well as carrion[24]	LC  Unknown [24]

Genus Sus – Linnaeus, 1758 – eight species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Bornean bearded pig	S. barbatus Müller, 1838 Two subspecies S. b. barbatus S. b. oi (Western bearded pig)	Southeast Asia	Size: 100–170 cm (39–67 in) long, plus 20–50 cm (8–20 in) tail[25] Habitat: Forest, inland wetlands, neritic marine, and intertidal marine[26] Diet: Roots, fungi, invertebrates, small vertebrates, turtle eggs, carrion, and a variety of plants[26]	VU  Unknown [26]
Celebes warty pig	S. celebensis Müller, Schlegel, 1843 Three subspecies S. c. celebensis S. c. floresianus S. c. timoriensis	Indonesian island of Sulawesi	Size: 80–130 cm (31–51 in) long[27] Habitat: Forest, grassland, and inland wetlands[28] Diet: Roots, fallen fruit, leaves, and young shoots, as well as invertebrates, small vertebrates, and carrion[28]	NT  Unknown [28]
Javan warty pig	S. verrucosus F. Boie, 1832 Two subspecies S. v. blouchi S. v. verrucosus	Indonesian islands of Java and Bawean	Size: 90–190 cm (35–75 in) long[29] Habitat: Forest and grassland[30] Diet: Omnivorous; wide variety of plants and small vertebrates[29][30]	EN  Unknown [30]
Oliver's warty pig	S. oliveri Groves, 1997	Philippines island of Mindoro	Size: Specific measurements not available, but likely similar to the Philippine warty pig[31][32] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland[33] Diet: Believed to eat a wide variety of plant and animal matter[33]	VU  Unknown [33]
Palawan bearded pig	S. ahoenobarbus Huet, 1888	Philippines	Size: 100–160 cm (39–63 in) long[34] Habitat: Forest[35] Diet: Omnivorous; wide variety of plants, invertebrates, small vertebrates, and carrion[34][35]	NT  Unknown [35]
Philippine warty pig	S. philippensis Nehring, 1886 Two subspecies S. p. mindanensis S. p. philippensis	Western Philippines	Size: Specific measurements not available[31][36] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and grassland[37] Diet: Tubers, fruit, and invertebrates[36][37]	VU  Unknown [37]
Visayan warty pig	S. cebifrons Heude, 1888 Two subspecies S. c. cebifrons (Cebu warty pig)† S. c. negrinus (Negros warty pig)	Visayan Islands in the Philippines	Size: 90–125 cm (35–49 in) long, plus 23 cm (9 in) tail[38] Habitat: Forest and grassland[39] Diet: Omnivorous; wide variety of plants and small vertebrates[38][39]	CR  Unknown [39]
Wild boar	S. scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 Seventeen subspecies S. s. algira (North African boar) S. s. attila (Carpathian boar) S. s. cristatus (Indian boar) S. s. davidi (Central Asian boar) S. s. domesticus (Domestic pig) S. s. leucomystax (Japanese boar) S. s. libycus (Anatolian boar) S. s. majori (Maremman boar) S. s. meridionalis (Mediterranean boar) S. s. moupinensis (Northern Chinese boar) S. s. nigripes (Middle Asian boar) S. s. riukiuanus (Ryukyu boar) S. s. scrofa (Central European boar) S. s. sibiricus (Trans-Baikal boar) S. s. taivanus (Formosan boar) S. s. ussuricus (Ussuri boar) S. s. vittatus (Banded pig)	Eurasia and North Africa; introduced to parts of United States, South America, and Oceania	Size: 90–200 cm (35–79 in) long, plus 15–40 cm (6–16 in) tail[40] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland, inland wetlands, and desert[41] Diet: Omnivorous; variety of plants, small vertebrates, invertebrates, and carrion[40][41]	LC  Unknown (about 2 billion S. s. domesticus used in farming)[42] [41]

Tayassuidae

Main article: Tayassuidae

Genus Catagonus – Ameghino, 1904 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Chacoan peccary	C. wagneri Rusconi, 1930	Gran Chaco region of central South America	Size: 96–118 cm (38–46 in) long[43] Habitat: Savanna and shrubland[44] Diet: Cacti, as well as roots, fruit, and forbs[44]	EN  Unknown [44]

Genus Dicotyles – Cuvier, 1816 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Collared peccary	D. tajacu (Linnaeus, 1758) Fourteen subspecies D. t. angulatus D. t. bangsi D. t. crassus D. t. crusnigrum D. t. humeralis D. t. nanus D. t. nelsoni D. t. niger D. t. nigrescens D. t. patira D. t. sonoriensis D. t. tajacu D. t. torvus D. t. yucatanensis	South America, Central America, and southern North America	Size: 80–100 cm (31–39 in) long[45] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland, and desert[46] Diet: Roots, tubers, fruits, seeds, as well as green plants, insects, and small animals[46]	LC  Unknown [46]

Genus Tayassu – Fischer von Waldheim, 1814 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
White-lipped peccary	T. pecari (Link, 1795) Five subspecies T. p. aequatoris T. p. albirostris T. p. pecari T. p. ringens T. p. spiradens	South America and Central America	Size: 75–100 cm (30–39 in) long, plus 1–6 cm (0–2 in) tail[47] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland[48] Diet: Fruit, as well as a variety of plants, invertebrates, fungi and fish[48]	VU  Unknown [48]

References

Sources