Dasyproctidae | |
---|---|
Central American agouti, D. punctata | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Superfamily: | Cavioidea |
Family: |
Dasyproctidae Gray 1825 |
Type genus | |
Dasyprocta
Illiger, 1811
| |
Genera | |
Dasyproctidae is a family of large South American rodents, comprising the agoutis and acouchis. [1] Their fur is a reddish or dark colour above, with a paler underside. They are herbivorous, often feeding on ripe fruit that falls from trees. They live in burrows, and, like squirrels, will bury some of their food for later use. [2]
Dasyproctids exist in Central and South America, which are the tropical parts of the New World. The fossil record of this family can be traced back to the Late Oligocene ( Deseadan in the SALMA classification).
As with all rodents, members of this family have incisors, pre-molars, and molars, but no canines. The cheek teeth are hypsodont and flat-crowned.
Fossil taxa follow McKenna and Bell, [3] with modifications following Kramarz. [4]
The pacas (genus Cuniculus) are placed by some authorities [3] [5] in Dasyproctidae, but molecular studies have demonstrated they do not form a monophyletic group. [6]
Dasyproctidae | |
---|---|
Central American agouti, D. punctata | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Superfamily: | Cavioidea |
Family: |
Dasyproctidae Gray 1825 |
Type genus | |
Dasyprocta
Illiger, 1811
| |
Genera | |
Dasyproctidae is a family of large South American rodents, comprising the agoutis and acouchis. [1] Their fur is a reddish or dark colour above, with a paler underside. They are herbivorous, often feeding on ripe fruit that falls from trees. They live in burrows, and, like squirrels, will bury some of their food for later use. [2]
Dasyproctids exist in Central and South America, which are the tropical parts of the New World. The fossil record of this family can be traced back to the Late Oligocene ( Deseadan in the SALMA classification).
As with all rodents, members of this family have incisors, pre-molars, and molars, but no canines. The cheek teeth are hypsodont and flat-crowned.
Fossil taxa follow McKenna and Bell, [3] with modifications following Kramarz. [4]
The pacas (genus Cuniculus) are placed by some authorities [3] [5] in Dasyproctidae, but molecular studies have demonstrated they do not form a monophyletic group. [6]