Pygmy hippopotamus unusual secretion as common hippos, that gives a pinkish tinge to their bodies, and is sometimes described as "blood sweat" though the secretion is neither sweat nor blood. This substance, hipposudoric acid, is believed to have antiseptic and sunscreening properties. The skin of hippos dries out quickly and cracks, which is why both species spend so much time in water. The skeleton of "C. liberiensis" is more gracile than that of the common hippopotamus, meaning their bones are proportionally thinner. The common hippo's spine is parallel with the ground; the pygmy hippo's back slopes forward, a likely adaptation to pass
Pygmy hog small reptiles. The species was first described as the only member of the genus "Porcula", by Brian Houghton Hodgson but was later moved with other pig species in the genus "Sus" and named "Sus salvanius". A 2007 genetic analysis of the variation in a large section of mitochondrial DNA suggested that the original classification of the pygmy hog as a distinct genus was justified. The resurrection of the original genus status and the species name "Porcula salvania" has been adopted by GenBank. The species name "salvania" is after the sal forests where it was found. The pygmy hog is the