| Choeropsis | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Pygmy Hippopotamus | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Hippopotamidae |
| Genus: | Choeropsis |
| Species | |
Choeropsis is a genus of pygmy hippopotamuses.
There are two known species, one of which is extinct:
- Pygmy Hippopotamus — Choeropsis liberiensis
- Madagascan Pygmy Hippopotamus — Choeropsis madagascariensis †
Some researchers consider Pygmy Hippos to be a member of the genus Hexaprotodon.
The name choeropsis is derived from the Greek word Khoiros meaning "pig" and Opsis meaning "belonging to". The pygmy hippo, however, is not a pig, and the suffix "-opsis" can also be translated as "like unto", or "resembling," as in Phalaenopsis meaning "moth-like" or "resembling a moth."
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