The Amazing Life History of the Porcus boriphoricus

1. The Amazing Life History of the Porcusboriphoricus As per the recent dig in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Teacher Excavation Program

2. Why this dig? • Professor Maxwell Monter from Akron University has proposed the existence of Porcusboriphoricusfrom the existence of other Ohio Ice Age remains and fossils. • Plants: spruce, fir, hemlock, tamarack, cedar and larch. (same plants in N. Canada today) • Animals: mammoth, mastadon, muskox, caribou, short-faced bear, ground sloth, and giant beaver Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

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5. Why this dig? • Pigs and pig-like species typically exist in these types of ecosystem • (when humans are not present) • Professor Monter hypothesized that the Dire Wolf and Smilidon would have feasted on the Porcusboriphoricus • NO bones available for research….HUGE need to find tangible evidence of this animal Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

6. The CVNF Dig • Cuyahoga Valley National Forest (CVNF) asked high school teachers to sign up for a dig. • 1 week in June 2012 • Ice age location recently unearthed due to Erie canal maintenance. • Identified by evidence of lack of previous glaciated topsoil. • Teachers brought in to help unearth evidence. • (free labor from enthusiastic workers!) Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

7. The CVNF Dig • Mark & Ginny-Athens • Clyde and Philip-Hudson • Professor Monter Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

8. The CVNF Dig • Teachers given background in proper dig procedure • Classes in mammalian anatomy, ice age ecosystems, paleoartistry and deciphering ground clues • Reconstructed presumed replica fossils to take to classrooms. • Required to present to current Biology classes Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

9. The CVNF Dig • During maintenance of Erie canal, a pre-Pleistocene strata un-earthed. • Construction was halted until a digging team was called in. Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

10. The CVNF Dig • What did I do? • Lots of digging!! • Comparative snout mark analysis • Helped with articulating hypothesized skeleton • Made molds from others models • Got tired….often Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

11. The CVNF Dig • No tangible evidence was found. • Not a total loss! • Presumed pig rooting marks • Under a few layers of topsoil. • Pig snout marks • Maybe some pig hoof prints • Somewhat comparable to current wild boar markings. Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

12. The CVNF Dig • Only from presumed snout marks, skull determined. • Size of skull led to overall body plan • Based on current pigs / hogs • Nothing to make measurements of except marks in soil • No physical evidence found! • But some info might be available Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

13. The CVNF Dig • Rest of skeleton assumed from assumptions of skull • Presumed Porcusboriphoricusskeleton (below). • About 4-5 feet tall Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

14. Paleoartists rendering of the Porcusboriphoricus Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

15. The CVNF Dig • Hypothesized teeth positively identify P. boriphoricus as omnivore that favored mosses, grasses, earthworms, root vegetables and snails. • From presumed skelton, P. boriphoricus had a top speed of 25 mph • This suggests large previously unknown predatator that used speed to hunt P. boriphoricus • Work next summer? Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

16. Team examining reconstrucutedPorcusboriphoricus • Team examining final fleshed-out model • Trying to deduce behaviors from hypothesized model Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

17. Porcusboriphoricus • Body structure • 4 feet tall at the shoulders • About 200-450 pounds (males larger) • 4 toes • 2 large & 2 small • Black or dark brown with thick short hair • Males had a mane • Piglets had a mottled appearance for camouflage • Females bare on undersize for nursing Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

18. Porcusboriphoricus • Habitat • Evergreen forests gathering funguses growing on dead and decaying woods • Rooted around under trees for grubs, worm and tubers. • Nested in pine needle beds or thick brush in and around pine forests Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

19. Porcusboriphoricus • Diet • As most pigs are omnivores, P. boriphoricus, also presumed to be an omnivore • Therefore teeth sharp in front and grinding in back • Many pig species males have large canines so those were included in our model as P. boriphoricus • No fossilized poop or other remains found Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

20. Porcusboriphoricus • Mating • Since males had large canines they MUST have been fighting one another. • Males had dramatic winking to alert rival males of intent to challenge • Very loud call to gather females (males had large chest cavities) • Males had harems of 4-7 sows • Sows had 6-10 piglets (sow age dependent) • With most pigs, piglets stay for a max of 6 months Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials

21. Porcusboriphoricus • Any questions? • Quiz tomorrow?? Cuyahoga Valley National Park Educational Materials