Collared Peccary
Pecari tajacu
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 12,690
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The collared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu) is a peccary, a species of artiodactyl (even-toed) mammal in the family Tayassuidae. It is the only extant member of the genus Dicotyles. They are commonly referred to as javelina, saíno, taitetu, or báquiro, although these terms are also used to describe other species in the family. The species is also known as the musk hog. In Trinidad, it is colloquially known as quenk. The species is found in the tropical and subtropical Americas. In the Miocene, the first Tayassuids appeared, which would give rise to the modern collared peccary, with these species belonging to the same genus and often being larger than it. It is believed that many of its ancestors initially appeared in North America, later migrating to South America and eventually giving rise to the modern Tayassu (Tayassu tajacu).
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Collared peccary”.