Agouti

[Christi]

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Red-rumped agoutis are 16-25 inches long (including a one-inch tail), and weigh from two to nine pounds. They are rodents and look a bit like huge tailless rats or squirrels. Their hair is coarse and glossy, longest on the rump. In this species, the long hairs on the hind quarters are usually reddish or orange. Ears are small, tail a black naked stub, whiskers black. Most of the fur is grizzled black or brown.

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[Christi]

Brown Agouti
The brown agouti (Dasyprocta variegata) is a rodent scavenger that lives on the ground of dense rain forests. This small-eared animal feeds on fruits, leaves, and roots. It can grow to a length of two feet (61 cm) and weigh up to four pounds (1.8 kg). Using its long legs, an agouti moves with a jumping motion, not unlike a deer. Agouti couples usually bear two young. When born, the young are fully capable of taking care of themselves, but remain with their parents for as long as 20 weeks. Jaguars often prey on the agouti.

[Christi]

Agouti

CLASS: Mammalia

ORDER: Rodentia

FAMILY: Dasyproctidae

GENUS & SPECIES: orange-rumped agouti = Dasyprocta aguti; Azara's agouti = D. azarae; sooty agouti = D. fuliginosa

CLASSIFICATION:

These little mammals are kin to the "Guinea Pig" (which is neither from Guinea or Guiana, nor is it a pig). They are in the Suborder Caviomorpha which means "Cavy-like." Agoutis are in the same Suborder with the aperea, or wild cavy (the wild "guinea pig") and the capybara, the world's largest rodent.

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