SUS NATUNENSIS sp. nov.
1894. Sus sp. Thomas and Hartert, Novitates Zoologicæ, I, p. 660. September, 1894 (Bunguran).
1895. Sus sp. Thomas and Hartert, Novitates Zoologicæ, II, p. 492. December, 1895 (Bunguran).
Type.—Adult female (skin and skull) No. 104856 U. S. National Museum. Collected on Pulo Laut, North Natuna Islands, August 6, 1900. Original number 609.
Characters.—Externally much like the Tenasserim form of Sus cristatus, but smaller; body brownish in marked contrast with black legs and face; skull conspicuously shorter and broader.
Fur.—The fur throughout consists of bristles with no admixture of softer hairs. The bristles are everywhere less stiff than in the Tenasserim pig, but the difference is most noticeable in the mane, which, though well developed (about 80 mm. in length), is composed of bristles very slightly coarser than those of the surrounding parts, and of not more than half the diameter of the corresponding hairs in females of S. cristatus. Muzzle, chest, belly and ears nearly bare.
Color.—General color black, clear and unmixed with brown on legs, throat, and face, but elsewhere heavily overlaid with brownish buff, particularly on back and sides. The brownish wash ceases abruptly just in front of ears, leaving the face and cheeks clear black. A conspicuous dull buff streak 100 mm. long and about half as wide at middle extends back from angle of mouth to level of posterior canthus of eye. It is sharply outlined above by black of cheeks, and below by that of chin. A faint buffy mark beneath eye. Tail like back.
Skull.—The skull while much shorter than that of Sus cristatus from Tenasserim is actually broader. As a result the width across postorbital processes is contained only about three times in occipito-nasal length, as opposed to nearly four times in the related species. Similarly the zygomatic breadth slightly exceeds one half of the basilar length, while in Sus cristatus it is less than half. Width of palate between middle molars almost exactly one sixth distance from posterior edge of palate to front of premaxillaries (measured along median line). In Sus cristatus the palatal width is contained nearly seven times in the same distance. Dorsal profile of skull slightly concave near base of nasals. Zygomata heavier and deeper than in Sus cristatus. Audital bullæ noticeably smaller and less inflated than in the Tenasserim pig. Mandible shorter and much more robust than that of Sus cristatus, the outward bulge of the ramus a little behind middle of toothrow greatly accentuated.
Teeth.—As the teeth of the two specimens of Sus natunensis are much worn, while those of the only skulls of Sus cristatus at hand are not fully grown, it is impossible to make any accurate comparisons. The smaller size of the Natuna pig's teeth is, however, evident for the length of the entire upper toothrow does not equal that of S. cristatus without the posterior molar. The crown of the middle upper molar appears to be more nearly square in outline than that of the Tenasserim pig, but in the very different condition of the specimens it would be unsafe to assume that this character is constant.
Measurements.—External measurements of type; total length 1294; head and body 1117; tail vertebræ 177; height at shoulder 558; hind foot 220 (170); ear from meatus 100; width of ear 75.
Cranial measurement of type: greatest length 295 (332[10]); occipito-nasal length 282 (316); basal length 245 (275); basilar length 235 (263); length of nasals 135 (157); width of both nasals together posteriorly 34 (33); median length of bony palate 168 (183); width of bony palate at middle of second molar 30 (29); breadth between tips of postorbital processes 87 (87); least interorbital breadth 64 (65); zygomatic breadth 130 (133); occipital breadth 58 (62); occipital depth 100 (103); least depth of rostrum between canine and incisor 33 (39); mandible 225 (232); depth of mandible through coronoid process 104 (110); depth of ramus at front of first molar 40 (41); maxillary toothrow to front of canine (alveoli) 113 (131[11]); mandibular toothrow to front of canine (alveoli) 120 (138); crown of first upper molar 12 × 13 (18 × 16); crown of second upper molar 18 × 18 (22 × 16).
Weight.—Weight of type, 40 kg.; weight of adult female from Pulo Lingung, 35 kg.
Specimens examined.—Two, one from Pulo Laut, the other from Pulo Lingung.
Remarks.—While the two specimens agree in all essential characters they differ in numerous minor details. The skin from Pulo Lingung is somewhat darker than the type, but the difference is due to the shade of the brown wash, not to any extension of the black. The skull of this specimen is more rounded posteriorly than that of the type, and the rostrum is shorter. Both specimens show conclusively that their relationships are with the Sus cristatus of the Malay Peninsula and not with the S. longirostris of Borneo, a case which finds an exact parallel in the giant squirrels.