The Evolution of Pigs and How We Discovered a New Species

In this video I have the pleasure to announce our new species! It is finally official. I have been wanting and waiting to make this video for a long long time, since our paper first came out on March 7th 2020 on a new fossil species we had discovered back in 2017. Our scientific paper was published in the journal Paludicola. This fossil is an early pig-like mammal fossil we found in the Eocene rock layers in Southwestern Wyoming, and I talk its relationship to other pig-like mammals in the fossil record.

Specially thanks for your patience during this time. We've been racing around ever since the pandemic hit our campus here in Utah, and working on our day jobs teaching and providing online learning for the university. It has been a crazy and surreal few months, when we first set out to make this video in March. I was hoping to make it better, and provide a summer of interesting videos, out in the field for you, but life got weird.

If you like to check out my new OER textbook, the massive book can be viewed here:

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[AzKotoys]

I’m a heritage hog farmer and I found this video to be very interesting! Thank you so much for taking your time to make these videos!

[Losaru]

Looking for cheaper textbooks for your students is the sign of a good instructor. You are a blessing for students, good sir!

[Tigerbearwolf]

I honestly can’t wait for more! Thank you for doing these amazing videos, and the learning experience you bring with each one.

[sillybuzz]

welcome back sir.. your new look is superb.. your channel help me alot during my study time, thank you!

[martinl]

Hooray! Benjamin's found and named a new species 😊 Fantastic! So pleased for you. I just love your series 👍🏻 Great species name BTW.

[ARCtheCartoonMaster]

Great video, Prof. Burger! I found it quite interesting, seeing the origin of the pig family, and where your fossil likely fits in with the artiodactyl clade. Can't wait to see more videos in the future! :)

[thetraplord]

Some scientists argue that Babirusas are also more closely related to anthracotheriidae as opposed to suids, and while there isn’t a lot of non-morphological evidence for it it’s pretty interesting to think about.

[ktmal]

Thank you for this video! i really like how well you describe the information...not blowing through 50 facts a second and listing off random information that vaguely relates!!!! Wonderful video.

[Cocobeachhippie]

Thanks for the great video! Very interesting!

[markgorman]

Thanks, Benjamin. I'm taking your advice - keeping my eyes glued to the ground. ;-p

[Redoctober]

Love your videos continue the good work

[MrRoccoMarchegiano]

Pigs are my favorite pets. Just needed to share that, lol. Very informative and fun video bud, thanks a bunch, I learned a ton.

[gatlingburst]

Im a huge fan of your content. Keep up the great work. Cheers from Turkey 🇹🇷

[privatexx]

Mr. Burger,
According to one of your older videos you discussed on becoming a paleontologist. You included that their was no degree in paleontology. I lived in San Diego, CA and pursuing a geology degree. Does an undergraduate in geology with an emphasis in Paleontology from SDSU count towards becoming a paleontologist?

[leftcoastdane]

Hello Benjamin I am big fan of your Videos and research work . I am learning a lot from your program, I am from Fillmore Utah Moved to Washington many years ago but love Wheeler Shale fossil beds..I spent time in Eastern Oregon hunting fossils neR Sheep rock and Clarno national monuments .The most common mammal fossils are a primitive pig named long ago and probabaly incorrectly a Oreodont ? Could you update the correct species name for me ?

[jonathanlee]

Thanks for all your hard work on our behalf

[rocksandoil]

J David Love was the state geologist of Wyoming, and featured on the PBS "The West" back 20 plus years ago.

[Katylest]

What a fun story with your daughter finding it the day after the eclipse. What a great name.

[GIANTSECRETS]

I would say another in the pig family is the bandicoot. They have teeth similar to a pig. They have teeth that angle outwards like tusks on a pig and there was a pig footed bandicoot. They also dig up the ground like pigs looking for the same food as pigs look for. It would be interesting to know when the two split back in history or which one came first.

[parapluie]

When can we see more videos? Miss them a lot!