The potamoquero has a coat of long bristles, with a color that can vary from reddish brown to black that, in general, becomes darker with age. It has a crest-like fringe of white hair that runs along its back and reaches its ears.

These end in a tuft of long hair. The head has a characteristic elongated and truncated snout that lacks hair. The potamoquero has two pairs of fangs that are the result of the great development of its canines. Males, especially older ones, have two well-developed warts on their snout. It is an animal with a robust body, measuring between 1 and 1,5 m tall at the withers, and weighing between 46 and 130 kg; Despite this, they move quite quickly and are excellent swimmers.

They are gregarious animals and live in family groups that often join together to form large herds. They roam the forest in herds of 15 individuals, rooting for tubers, roots and invertebrates. They occasionally gather in temporary groups of up to 60 animals, within which many fights occur between males to establish dominance. The bony outgrowths and warts on its face protect the most vital parts from the sharp fangs.

After four months of gestation, the female gives birth to litters of variable numbers, in hollow trunks or nests of thick vegetation. During the first three months, wild boars have yellow and dark stripes to camouflage themselves and they play dead if they are attacked.
They are crepuscular and nocturnal animals that rest during the day among thick bushes; They often wallow in wet mud since being covered in mud helps them regulate their body temperature.