Worldwide Phylogeography of Wild Boar Reveals Multiple Centers of Pig Domestication

2005915 citationsJournal Articlegreen Open Access

Authors

Greger Larson · University of Auckland

Keith Dobney · University of Auckland

Umberto Albarella · University of Auckland

Meiying Fang · University of Sheffield

Elizabeth Matisoo‐Smith · University of Sheffield

Judith Robins · University of Auckland

Stewart Lowden ·

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from 686 wild and domestic pig specimens place the origin of wild boar in island Southeast Asia (ISEA), where they dispersed across Eurasia. Previous morphological and genetic evidence suggested pig domestication took place in a limited number of locations (principally the Near East and Far East). In contrast, new genetic data reveal multiple centers of domestication across Eurasia and that European, rather than Near Eastern, wild boar are the principal source of modern European domestic pigs.

Topics & Keywords

Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Genetic diversity and population structure

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Life below water

Publication Details

Published in: Science

Volume 307, Issue 5715, pp. 1618-1621

DOI: 10.1126/science.1106927

Field-Weighted Citation Impact: 20.96