Dasyproctidae is a family of large South American rodents, comprising the agoutis and acouchis. 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.
The agouti or common agouti is any of several rodent species of the genus Dasyprocta. They are native to Middle America, northern and central South America, and the southern Lesser Antilles. Some species have also been introduced elsewhere in the West Indies. They are related to guinea pigs and look quite similar, but they are larger and have longer legs. The species vary considerably in colour, being brown, reddish, dull orange, greyish, or blackish, but typically with lighter underparts. Their bodies are covered with coarse hair, which is raised when alarmed. They weigh 2.4–6 kg (5.3–13.2 lb) and are 40.5–76 cm (15.9–29.9 in) in length, with short, hairless tails.
A paca is a member of the genus Cuniculus of ground-dwelling, herbivorous rodents in South and Central America. It is the only genus in the family Cuniculidae. Pacas are large rodents with dots and stripes on their sides, short ears, and barely visible tails. Pacas are eaten by people in Belize, where they are known as "gibnut" and, having been served to Queen Elizabeth II, "the royal rat". In the Amazon basin they are known as "majás". In Guyanese English, it is known as labba from Arawak.
The Brazilian porcupine is a porcupine found in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Peru, Paraguay, Suriname, Bolivia and Trinidad, with a single record from Ecuador. It inhabits tropical forests at elevations up to 1500 m.
The red-rumped agouti, also known as the golden-rumped agouti, orange-rumped agouti or Brazilian agouti, is a species of agouti from the family Dasyproctidae.
The Central American agouti is a species of agouti from the family Dasyproctidae. The main portion of its range is from Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula, through Central America, to northwestern Ecuador, Colombia and far western Venezuela. A highly disjunct population is found in southeastern Peru, far southwestern Brazil, Bolivia, western Paraguay and far northwestern Argentina. The disjunct population has been treated as a separate species, the brown agouti, but a major review of the geographic variation is necessary. The Central American agouti has also been introduced to Cuba and the Cayman Islands.
Persea schiedeana, the coyo, is an endangered, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae), native to tropical forests of southern Mexico and Central America. Its edible fruit resembles that of the avocado, a related tree in the genus Persea. Other common names include aguacate de montaña, aguacatón, chinini, chupte and yas.
The mottled tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Argentina. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The Magellanic tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is also known as the cururo by the Ona culture of Tierra del Fuego.
The Coiban agouti is a species of rodent in the family Dasyproctidae. It is endemic to the island of Coiba (Panama) and resembles the more widespread Central American agouti. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The crested agouti is a species of rodent in the family Dasyproctidae. It is endemic to Guyana and Suriname. Its taxonomic status is uncertain and it may be synonymous with Dasyprocta leporina, leading the IUCN to rate it as Data Deficient.
The Orinoco agouti is a species of rodent in the family Dasyproctidae. It is endemic to Delta Amacuro in Venezuela, where it is found in areas with rainforest or mangroves.
Kalinowski's agouti is a species of rodent in the family Dasyproctidae. It is endemic to southeast Peru. It occurs at elevations of up to 3,080 metres (10,100 ft) asl. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Mexican agouti,, also known as the Mexican black agouti, is 1 of 13 species of rodent in the genus Dasyprocta. This species was first discovered in 1860 in Veracruz, Mexico and described by Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure.
The Ruatan Island agouti, also called the Roatán Island agouti, is a species of agouti in the family Dasyproctidae. It is endemic to the island of Roatán, off the north coast of Honduras.
The Colombian soft-furred spiny-rat, or arboreal soft-furred spiny-rat, is a species of rodent in the family Echimyidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The rufous soft-furred spiny-rat, known as ratón espinoso meaning "spiny" or "thorny" rat in Spanish, is a species of rodent in the family Echimyidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. In November 2015, it was spotted for the first time in Osa, Costa Rica by the Costa Rican researcher Jim Córdoba-Alfaro.
The black-tailed hutia, also known as the bushy-tailed hutia, is a small, furry, rat-like mammal found only in Cuba. It lives in lowland moist forests and is threatened by habitat loss. It is a member of the hutia subfamily (Capromyinae), a group of rodents native to the Caribbean that are mostly endangered or extinct.
The Santa Marta porcupine is a rodent in the family Erethizontidae. It is known from dry forests on the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Serranía del Perijá mountains of northern Colombia, at altitudes below 500 and 1100 m, respectively, and intervening lowlands, and may also be present in nearby parts of Venezuela. It has been described as a subspecies of C. prehensilis, although the latter may be a species complex. Its karyotype has 2n = 74, FN = 82.
