Peccaries
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Tayassuidae
Animals in the family Tayassuidae |
|---|
| Chacoan peccary |
| Collared peccary |
| White-lipped peccary |
Facts about the family Tayassuidae, the peccaries
The family Tayassuidae is made up of the three species of peccary found from the southwestern United States to Argentina.
Tayassuidae is a pig-like family of animals of the order Artiodactyla, that are found in the south-western USA, south to central Argentina.
There are some purported fossil peccaries from the late Eocene through the late Miocene in Eurasia and Africa; however, allocation of this material to the Tayassuidae is not well accepted. (Full text)
de Ecologia, Casilla 933, Osorno, Chile Among the free ranging ungulates of the Nearctic and the Neotropics, the collared peccary, Tayassu tajacu (Tayassuidae), is one of the most important game species for rural hunters.
One of the warning sounds used by collared peccaries is a "clack" produced by clashing the canines together.
The similarity between true pigs and peccaries is an example of convergent evolution resulting from the fact that they both evolved independently to occupy similar ecological niches – omnivorous rooters.
But a little herd, or population of peccaries is subject to all the forces of variation and natural selection, and can undergo all the changes in genotypes and phenotypes associated with evolutionary change. (Full text)
Introduction Human utilization of the peccaries is widespread
All of this information on the reproduction and productivity of peccaries is essential for implementing management practices that conserve peccary populations over short and long time-scales (Gottdenker 1998).
Reproduction:The breeding season for Chacoan peccaries is typically September through January.
"And studying peccaries is fascinating - they have such an important role in the ecosystem.
Individual peccaries cannot evolve, but the little herd, or population, of peccaries is subject to all the forces of variation and natural selection. (Full text)
(Tayassu pecari) - Mexico Comparisons While Peccaries look similar to pigs, Peccaries are classified in a family of their own because of anatomical differences. (Full text)
Peccaries are omnivorous but generally prefer roots, seeds, and fruit. (Full text)
Long-nosed Peccary skeleton from Friesenhahn Cave, Texas Peccaries are members of the artiodactyl family Tayassuidae. (Full text)
Description: Peccaries are common to Central and South America.
Peccaries are often referred to as wild pigs. (Full text)
"Peccaries are extremely shy animals.
Peccaries are highly social animals - often scent-marking one another as well as physical territory. (Full text)
Habitat: The species prefers the vast primary tropical moist forests, but in some areas white-lipped peccaries are also found in deciduous, montane or thorn forests. (Full text)
Koffler Collared peccaries are adaptable to a wide variety of habitats, from deserts to tropical rain forests.
Some of the peccaries are radio-tagged, so some radio-tracking will be involved. (Full text)
