SREL Reprint #0521
Morphological
Characterizations of Two Populations of Feral Swine
I. Lehr
Brisbin, Jr., Richard A. Geiger, H. B. Graves, John E. Pinder, III, James M.
Sweeney and John R. Sweeney
Abstract
Morphology of feral swine was compared between an
island population (OIP) and a mainland population (SRP) in the southeastern
United States. The two populations
differed in the amount of time that they had existed in the feral state; OIP was
essentially free from the influences of domestication for several hundred years,
while SRP was feral approximately 20 years. SRP pigs were significantly heavier and had greater total
body lengths than OIP pigs, but no significant differences in total body lengths
or weights were noted between differences in total body lengths or weights were
noted between sexes within either population.
A discriminant function analysis was used to test for significant
differences between populations with respect to various body measurements, which
were normalized for differences in total body length.
Only shoulder height contributed a meaningful proportion of the total
variation of the discriminant function for differences between populations.
The discriminant function for differences due to sex within populations
was not significant. Flank and
spinal hair lengths were significantly greater in the OIP pigs, but exhibited no
sexual dimorphism within either population.
The frequency distribution of various color phenotypes was significantly
different distribution of various color phenotypes was significantly different
between populations, with differences largely attributable to a marked reduction
in the frequency of the rarer phenotypes (particularly white) in the OIP.
SREL Reprint #0521
Brisbin, I.L., Jr., R.A. Geiger, H.B. Graves, J.E. Pinder
III, J.M. Sweeney, and J.R. Sweeney. 1977. Morphological
characterizations of two populations of feral swine. Acta
Theriologica 22:75-85.
