| Moon-toothed degu | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Octodontidae |
| Genus: | Octodon |
| Species: | O. lunatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Octodon lunatus Osgood, 1943 | |
The moon-toothed degu (Octodon lunatus) is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. [2] It is endemic to Chile, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country. [1] [3]
Unlike its close relative the common degu, the moon-toothed degu is nocturnal (active at night). [4] The ventral fur of this species has been found to be much less reflective of UV light than other octodontids, [5] most likely as a result of its nocturnal habits.
The moon-toothed degu has deep molar indentations but lacks a fold on the inside of the last molar. [6]
The species is less widely distributed in Chile than the common degu and inhabits dense scrubland near the coast. [3] Habitat ranges from sea level to 1,200 m in the Andes. [5]
The molars or molar teeth are large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammals. They are used primarily to grind food during chewing. The name molar derives from Latin, molaris dens, meaning "millstone tooth", from mola, millstone and dens, tooth. Molars show a great deal of diversity in size and shape across the mammal groups. The third molar of humans is sometimes vestigial.
The common degu, or, historically, the degu, is a small hystricomorpha rodent endemic to the Chilean matorral ecoregion of central Chile. The name degu on its own indicates either the entire genus Octodon or, more commonly, just the common degu. Common degus belong to the parvorder Caviomorpha of the infraorder Hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and guinea pig. The word degu comes from the indigenous language of Chile, Mapudungun, and the word dewü, meaning 'mouse' or 'rat'.
Fitzroya is a monotypic genus in the cypress family. The single living species, Fitzroya cupressoides, is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains and coastal regions of southern Chile, and only to the Argentine Andes, where it is an important member of the Valdivian temperate forests. Common names include alerce, lahuén, and Patagonian cypress. The genus was named in honour of Robert FitzRoy.
The long-nosed caenolestid, also known as the Chilean shrew opossum or long-nosed shrew opossum, is a shrew opossum that occurs in temperate forests of Argentina and southern Chile. It was first described by American zoologist Wilfred Hudson Osgood in 1924. The long-nosed caenolestid resembles Caenolestes species in morphology. It is characterized by a long, pointed snout, small eyes and ears, and one claw on a digit of each of the thin limbs. Little is known of its behavior; it appears to be terrestrial, nocturnal and omnivorous. It prefers cool, moist areas, and has a small distribution. It is classified as near threatened by the IUCN.
Octodon is a genus of octodontid rodents native to South America, in particular in the Chilean Andes. The best-known member is the common degu, O. degus, which is kept as a pet in various countries. Two of the four species of degus are nocturnal.
Bennett's chinchilla rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the family Abrocomidae. It is found only in Chile where its habitat is Mediterranean-type scrub on the western side of the Andes. The IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The armored rat is a species of rodent in the family Echimyidae. It is monotypic within the genus Hoplomys. It is found in Latin America, from northern Honduras to northwest Ecuador. It possesses a range of spines on its back and sides of the body.
The Pacific degu, also known as the Mocha Island degu, is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Mocha Island in Chile. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was classified in 1994 by Dr. Rainer Hutterer.
The mountain degu is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is the only species in the genus Octodontomys. It is found in the foothills of the Andes in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk, is a species of hog-nosed skunk indigenous to the open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions of South Argentina and Chile. It belongs to the order Carnivora and the family Mephitidae.
Octodontidae is a family of rodents, restricted to southwestern South America. Fourteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in seven genera. The best known species is the common degu, Octodon degus.
Rodents are mammals of the order Rodentia, which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are native to all major land masses except for New Zealand, Antarctica, and several oceanic islands, though they have subsequently been introduced to most of these land masses by human activity.
Dust bathing is an animal behavior characterized by rolling or moving around in dust, dry earth or sand, with the likely purpose of removing parasites from fur, feathers or skin. Dust bathing is a maintenance behavior performed by a wide range of mammalian and avian species. For some animals, dust baths are necessary to maintain healthy feathers, skin, or fur, similar to bathing in water or wallowing in mud. In some mammals, dust bathing may be a way of transmitting chemical signals to the ground which marks an individual's territory.
Infanticide is the termination of a neonate after it has been born, and in zoology this is often the termination or consumption of newborn animals by either a parent or an unrelated adult. In rodents, it is not uncommon for the mother to commit infanticide shortly after parturition under conditions of extreme stress, or for an unrelated male to kill neonates.
Bridges's degu is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is found in southern Chile. The species was named after Thomas Bridges.
Galea is a genus of South American rodents of the family Caviidae. 5-6 extant species are known, found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Brazil. They are:
The Degus are a group of octodontid rodents in the Octodontidae family, but historically referred to the common degu.
Communal burrow refers to the habitat built by some species of mammals as a community habitat. There are some species that build burrows, but not communal burrows; and there are some species that live in communal groups, but do not construct burrows or any other type of habitat.
Ricardo Ojeda's degu is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is found in a small portion of eastern Chile and western Argentina, being the only degu found outside of Chile. It was named after Argentine mammalogist Ricardo Ojeda.
Data related to Octodon lunatus at Wikispecies  | This article about a rodent is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
