Pig Classification

Understanding the classification of pigs can be quite fascinating. Pigs, also known as swine, belong to the family Suidae. Here's a detailed look into their classification:

1. Kingdom: Animalia

• Characteristics:
  • Multicellular
  • Eukaryotic
  • Heterotrophic

2. Phylum: Chordata

• Subphylum: Vertebrata
  • Characteristics:
    • Possess a backbone
    • Bilateral symmetry
• Classes within Chordata:
  1. Mammalia
  2. Aves
  3. Reptilia

3. Class: Mammalia

• Characteristics:
  • Warm-blooded
  • Have hair or fur
  • Produce milk
• Orders within Mammalia:
  1. Carnivora
  2. Primates
  3. Artiodactyla
     • Even-toed ungulates
     • Includes pigs, deer, and cattle

4. Order: Artiodactyla

• Families within Artiodactyla:
  1. Bovidae
  2. Cervidae
  3. Suidae
     • Characteristics:
       • Omnivorous
       • Thick skin
       • Short legs

5. Family: Suidae

• Genera within Suidae:
  1. Sus
     • Species:
       • Sus scrofa (Wild Boar)
       • Sus domesticus (Domestic Pig)
  2. Phacochoerus
     • Species:
       • Phacochoerus africanus (Common Warthog)
  3. Babyrousa
     • Species:
       • Babyrousa babyrussa (Babirusa)

6. Genus: Sus

• Species within Sus:
  1. Sus scrofa
     • Subspecies:
       • Sus scrofa scrofa (Western Wild Boar)
       • Sus scrofa ussuricus (Ussuri Wild Boar)
  2. Sus domesticus
     • Breeds:
       • Yorkshire
         • Characteristics:
           • Large size
           • White color
       • Berkshire
         • Characteristics:
           • Medium size
           • Black with white points

7. Importance of Pigs

• Economic Importance:
  • Source of meat (pork)
  • By-products (leather, bristles)
• Ecological Importance:
  • Soil aeration through rooting
  • Seed dispersal