HOME --> CLASS MAMMALIA
--> ORDER RODENTIA
--> SUBORDER HYSTRICOMORPHA
--> INFRAORDER HYSTRICOGNATHI
--> FAMILY Dasyproctidae
--> GENUS Dasyprocta
SPECIES Dasyprocta leporina
Author: | Linnaeus, 1758. | Citation: | Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1: 59. | Common Name: | Red-rumped Agouti | Type Locality: | Suriname, Peninka, Peninka Creek and Cennewijne River. | Distribution: | Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Guianas, Amazonian and E Brazil, introduced into the Virgin Isls. | Status: | IUCN – Lower Risk (lc). Common. | Comments: | Although the name aguti has been traditionally used, Husson (1978:462-463) explained why Mus leporinus has priority and Husson (1978) and Voss et al. (2001) explained why aguti should by synonymized. Recognized as D. aguti cayana by Cabrera (1961:585-586); may also include cristata. Includes albida, antillensis, and noblei; see Varona (1974:75), who included these forms in aguti. Several subspecies have been recognized by Cabrera (1961) and Ojasti (1972), but a comprehensive review of geographic variation is needed. The West Indian agoutis are descendents of forms introduced to the islands. The pattern appears to be D. leporina (from Brazil) to the Virgin Islands; D. l. albida on St. Vincent and Granada; D. l. fulvus on Martinique and St. Lucia; and D. l. noblei on Guadeloupe, St. Kitts, Dominica, and Montserrat. Karyotype has 2n=64 and FN=124 (Fredga, 1966). |
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