Metridiochoerus

Metridiochoerus is an extinct genus of swine known from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Africa. It is also known as the giant warthog.

Metridiochoerus Temporal range: Late Pliocene to Late Pleistocene
Jaw of M. hopwoodi at National Museum of Natural History
M. andrewsi (centre) compared to a living Desert warthog (left) and Notochoerus eulius (right)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Suidae
Subfamily:	Suinae
Genus:	†Metridiochoerus Hopwood, 1926
Type species
†Metridiochoerus andrewsi Hopwood, 1926
Species
M. andrewsi M. compactus M. hopwoodi M. jacksoni M. meadowsi M. modestus

Chronology

The oldest specimen dates to around 3.4 million years ago from the Usno Formation in Ethiopia.^[1] It probably evolved from a recent immigrant from Eurasia, which has been suggested to be the European "Postpotamochoerus" provincialis.^[2] The youngest remains of the genus date to the Late Pleistocene in southern Africa (Zimababwe, and possibly South Africa).^[3]

Description

Restoration

Metridiochoerus was a large animal, 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in length, resembling a giant warthog. It had two pairs of large tusks which were pointed sideways and curved upwards.^[4] The teeth, especially the third molars, become increasingly high-crowned (hypsodont) in later species.^[1]

Biology

The various species are usually thought to have been grazers,^[3] though this has been questioned for the earliest, low-crowned species.^[1]