Nyanzachoerus

Nyanzachoerus is an extinct genus of the pig family (Suidae) belonging to the subfamily Tetraconodontinae. The several species of Nyanzachoerus lived in Africa from the Miocene to Pliocene.^[1][2]

Nyanzachoerus Temporal range: Miocene–Pliocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Nyanzachoerus khinzir skull in lateral and ventral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Suidae
Subfamily:	†Tetraconodontinae
Genus:	†Nyanzachoerus Leakey, 1958
Type species
†Nyanzachoerus syrticus
Species
N. syrticus N. kanamensis N. devauxi N. jaegeri N. waylandi N. pattersoni N. tulotos N. plicatus N. australis N. khinzir N. nakaliensis

Description

This was a large pig-like creature, larger than living species.

Fossils of males of these species show that they had large lumps on their muzzle and widely flaring cheekbones. Their tusks were only of moderate size. It can be assumed that the ornaments were used as a mating display.

Palaeoecology

Dental microwear analysis of N. pattersoni fossils found at Kanapoi indicate that it was a mixed feeder, partitioning its dietary niche with Notochoerus jaegeri, which was a grazer.^[3]

Species

A total of 11 species have been described.^[4]

• N. syrticus, Leonardi 1952
• N. kanamensis, Leakey 1958
• N. devauxi, Arambourg 1968
• N. jaegeri, Coppens 1971
• N. waylandi, Cooke and Coryndon 1970
• N. pattersoni, Cooke and Ewer 1972
• N. tulotos, Cooke and Ewer 1972
• N. plicatus, Cooke and Ewer 1972
• N. australis, Cooke and Hendey 1992
• N. khinzir, Boisserie, Souron, Mackaye, Likius, Vignaud and Brunet, 2014
• N. nakaliensis, Tsubamoto et al., 2020