Worldwide Phylogeography of Wild Boar Reveals Multiple Centers of Pig Domestication

2005/03/10 by Greger Larson, Keith Dobney, Umberto Albarella +10 · 17 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Genetic diversity and population structure

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1106927

openalex publication_date 2005/03/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

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.

Citations

• Median-joining networks for inferring intraspecific phylogenies
• Mitochondrial DNA and the origins of the domestic horse

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