Choeropsis liberiensis

(Morton, 1849)

Pygmy Hippopotamus

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Artiodactyla
Suborder : Whippomorpha
Infraorder : Ancodonta
Family : Hippopotamidae
Genus : Choeropsis

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Morton, S.G. 1849. Additional Observations on a new living species of Hippopotamus. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (2)1:231-239.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35780322

Original name as described

Hippopotamus (Tetraprotodon) liberiensis

Other common names

Heslop's Pygmy Hippopotamus · Niger Delta Pygmy Hippopotamus

Type material

BMNH:Mamm:1850.7.5.1, ANSP 2332, ANSP 2333

Type kind

syntypes

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/219056f2-914e-4a90-917e-fc52cf1bf445 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a36070ca-6f6b-439a-817d-9cb8c3bc26bb https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b25f5615-d9a9-45d3-801c-ef23f3ec7cc7 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ee0136a1-912f-4304-b3c0-fc42a63eab35

Type locality

Liberia.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Guinea · Sierra Leone · Liberia · Cote d'Ivoire

Taxonomy notes

includes heslopi as a subspecies, although the taxon was recognized as a distinct species by Groves & Grubb 2011; for additional information regarding the MDD's decision to not follow the Groves & Grubb 2011 Ungulate Taxonomy, see 'Subjective decisions' on the 'About' tab

Taxonomy notes citation

Groves, C. P. & Grubb, P. 2011. Ungulate taxonomy. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.

IUCN Red List status

Endangered

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006389

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Hippopotamus minor

(Morton, 1844)

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

minor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1850.7.5.1, ANSP 2332, ANSP 2333

Type kind

syntypes

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/219056f2-914e-4a90-917e-fc52cf1bf445 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a36070ca-6f6b-439a-817d-9cb8c3bc26bb https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b25f5615-d9a9-45d3-801c-ef23f3ec7cc7 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ee0136a1-912f-4304-b3c0-fc42a63eab35

Authority page

15

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6605621

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Hippopotamus (Tetraprotodon) liberiensis

(Morton, 1849)

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

liberiensis

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1850.7.5.1, ANSP 2332, ANSP 2333

Type kind

syntypes

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/219056f2-914e-4a90-917e-fc52cf1bf445 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a36070ca-6f6b-439a-817d-9cb8c3bc26bb https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b25f5615-d9a9-45d3-801c-ef23f3ec7cc7 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ee0136a1-912f-4304-b3c0-fc42a63eab35

Authority page

232

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35780322

Authority publication

Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:412, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741632) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Ward (1910:451, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15016094) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)

Choeropsis liberiensis heslopi

Corbet, 1969

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

heslopi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1940.352

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/583c86be-961e-4a90-b859-807f12efaf5a https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b794d439-b5ae-4bcc-8e4b-7ab89eb4cc06 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ea945f33-d32a-464e-bc2b-7dc57334fcb8

Authority page

388

Authority publication

Journal of Zoology, London

Name usages

Groves & Grubb (2011:55) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Choeropsis liberiensis

Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

liberiensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

117

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Corbet & Hill (1980:117) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  2. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:317) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  3. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:319) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)
  4. Groves & Grubb (2011:55) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)
  5. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #10032) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #10032) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006389) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  8. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/10032/18567171) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Hexaprotodon liberiensis heslopi

(Grubb, 2005)

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

heslopi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Hexaprotodon liberiensis

(Grubb, 2005)

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

liberiensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Hexaprotodon liberiensis liberiensis

(Grubb, 2005)

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

liberiensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Choeropsis liberiensis liberiensis

D. E. Wilson & Mittermeier, 2011

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

liberiensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

319

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:319) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)

Choeropsis heslopi

Groves & Grubb, 2011

Family

Hippopotamidae

Root name

heslopi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

55

Authority publication

book

Name usages

  1. Groves & Grubb (2011:55) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)
  2. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #400000553) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)

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