ThePalawan bearded pig (Sus ahoenobarbus) is a pig species in the genusSusendemic to thePhilippines, where it occurs on thearchipelago of islands formed byBalabac,Palawan, and theCalamian Islands.[1] It is 1 to 1.6 m (3.3 to 5.2 ft) in length, about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall and weigh up to 150 kg (330 lb).
Until recently, it was considered asubspecies of theBornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus), but at least under thephylogenetic species concept, it must be classified as a separate species. For its treatment under other (and more widely used)species concepts, more study is required, but the presently available information seems to argue for full species status in any case.[2]
Fossilsexcavated in Palawan were identified as being of the Palawan bearded pig,deer,Philippine long-tailed macaques,tiger, small mammals, lizards, snakes and turtles. From the stone tools, besides the evidence for cuts on the bones, and the use of fire, it would appear that early humans had accumulated the bones.[3][4]
Borneo might have been connected to Palawan during thepenultimate and previousglacial periods, judging from themolecular phylogeny ofmurids.[5] Remains of pigs were compared with thewild boar (Sus scrofa)and Palawanese wild boar (Sus ahoenobarbus). It is known that the wild boar was imported as a domesticate to the islands from mainland Southeast Asia during the lateHolocene.[6][7][8][9][10]
^Lucchini, V.; Meijaard, E.; Diong, C. H.; Groves, C. P.; Randi, E. (2005). "New phylogenetic perspectives among species of South-east Asian wild pig (Sus sp.) based on mtDNA sequences and morphometric data".The Journal of Zoology.266. London:25–35.doi:10.1017/S0952836905006588.
^Piper, P. J.; Ochoa, J.; Lewis, H.; Paz, V.; Ronquillo, W. P. (2008). "The first evidence for the past presence of the tigerPanthera tigris (L.) on the island of Palawan, Philippines: extinction in an island population".Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.264 (1–2):123–127.Bibcode:2008PPP...264..123P.doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.04.003.
^Ochoa, J.; Piper, P. J. (2017)."Tiger". In Monks, G. (ed.).Climate Change and Human Responses: A Zooarchaeological Perspective.Springer. pp. 79–80.ISBN978-9-4024-1106-5.
