Octodon

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Octodon
Temporal range: Recent
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Octodon degus 1.jpg
Common degu, Octodon degus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Octodontidae
Genus: Octodon
Bennett, 1823
Type species
Octodon cumingi
Species

Octodon bridgesi
Octodon degus
Octodon lunatus
Octodon pacificus
Octodon ricardojeda

Contents

Octodon is a genus of octodontid rodents native to South America, in particular in the Chilean Andes. [1] 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. [2] [3]

Classification

This genus was first described in 1832 by the British zoologist Edward Turner Bennett. [4]

Taxonomy

The genus name Octodon comes from the Latin octo, eight, with reference to their teeth, molars and premolars having the shape of the number 8. [5]

The full list of species is:

Distribution

In the wild, all species of degus live in the Andes, mainly in the mountains of Chile, to which most of them are endemic, aside from a few populations of O. ricardojeda in the neighboring province of Neuquén, Argentina. They are found between 0 and 1,800 m in altitude. [4]

Description

They are medium-sized octodontids. Their total body length varies between 200 and 390 mm, with a tail which measures between 81 and 170 mm and represents 70 to 80% of the head + body length. The coat color is grayish, or dull with orange highlights, and turns creamy yellow on the belly. The tail is carried slightly curved and is the same color as the body, and ends with a tuft of black hairs, with the extent of black depending on the species. The ears are quite large and protrude widely from the head, except in O. pacificus . The lower limbs are suitable for jumping, with pads on the soles of the paws that prevent slipping. The forelegs have four clawed fingers, along with a poorly developed fifth finger with a nail. The glans of the penis is characterized by a variable number of spikes, 5 or more in number, on each side. [2] [4]

Lifestyle

They are both nocturnal and diurnal. Degus are primarily folivorous herbivores. Their diet varies according to annual vegetation cycles. The consumption of their own droppings (coprophagia) is practiced during times of scarcity. This provides them with a nutritional supplement thanks to the microbial fermentation that takes place in the cecum and optimizes the digestion of fibrous foods. [6]

These social animals dig a burrow made of a series of tunnels where they live in small to large groups composed of both males and females. [7]

Conservation status

O. bridgesii (assessed as conspecific with O. ricardojeda ) is considered vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, while O. pacificus is considered critically endangered. The other two species are considered of least concern. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common degu</span> Species of rodent (Octodon degus)

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'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mocha Island</span> Island in Chile

Mocha Island is a Chilean island located west of the coast of Arauco Province in the Pacific Ocean. It is approximately 48 km2 (19 sq mi) in area, with a chain of mountains running north–south. Mocha Island National Reserve covers approximately 45% of its surface. The island is the location of numerous historic shipwrecks. In Mapuche mythology, the souls of dead people travel west to visit this island.

Neacomys spinosus, also known as the common neacomys, common bristly mouse, or bristly mouse, is a nocturnal rodent species from South America in the genus Neacomys. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, where it often lives in transition areas between lowland forest and open regions. Its diet consists of insects, seeds and fruit.

Scolomys ucayalensis, also known as the long-nosed scolomys or Ucayali spiny mouse is a nocturnal rodent species from South America. It is part of the genus Scolomys within the tribe Oryzomyini. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in various different habitats in the Amazon rainforest.

<i>Oligoryzomys</i> Genus of rodents

Oligoryzomys is a genus of rodents in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. Many species are known as pygmy rice rats or colilargos. The genus is found from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego and includes approximately 17 species.

Abrothrix illuteus, also known as the gray akodont, gray grass mouse, or gray soft-haired mouse, is a species of small rodent in the genus Abrothrix of family Cricetidae. It is found only in northwestern Argentina.

Oligoryzomys destructor, also known as Tschudi's colilargo or the destructive pygmy rice rat, is a species of rodent in the genus Oligoryzomys of family Cricetidae. It is found along the eastern Andes from southern Colombia, through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia into northern Argentina. Its karyotype has 2n = 60 and FNa = 76.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennett's chinchilla rat</span> Species of rodent

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 moon-toothed degu is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Chile, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain degu</span> Species of rodent

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.

The mountain viscacha rat or mountain vizcacha rat, historically viscacha rat or vizcacha rat, is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Argentina.

Nectomys grandis, also known as the Magdalena-Cauca water rat, is a nocturnal, semiaquatic species of rodent in the genus Nectomys of family Cricetidae. It is found in western and northern Colombia at altitudes from sea level to 2000 m, including the basins of the Magdalena, Cauca and Porce rivers. It has two subspecies, N. g. grandis and N. g. magdalenae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Octodontidae</span> Family of rodents

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.

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.

Thomas Bridges was an English Victorian era botanist and traveling specimen collector. He is most notable for his discovery of new plant and animal species from South America in the Andes of Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, as well as in California. He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1844. He collected at various times in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The specimens he collected were sent back to Europe for identification.

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.

References

  1. ↑ Woods, C.A.; Kilpatrick, C.W. (2005). "Genus Aconaemys". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1571-1572. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 Wise Geek
  3. ↑ University of Michigan Archived 2012-07-20 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 1 2 3 Diaz, Monica; Barquez, Rubén; Verzi, Diego (2015-03-15), Genus Octodon, pp. 1029–1034, ISBN   978-0-226-16957-6 , retrieved 2021-10-18
  5. ↑ Woods, C.; Boraker, D. (21 November 1975), "Octodon degus" (PDF), Mammalian Species (67): 1–5, doi:10.2307/3503820, JSTOR   3503820, S2CID   253992625
  6. ↑ Kenagy, G. J.; Veloso, Claudio; Bozinovic, Francisco (1999-01-01). "Daily Rhythms of Food Intake and Feces Reingestion in the Degu, an Herbivorous Chilean Rodent: Optimizing Digestion through Coprophagy". Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. 72 (1): 78–86. doi:10.1086/316644. ISSN   1522-2152. PMID   9882606. S2CID   32432487.
  7. ↑ Diaz, Monica; Barquez, Rubén; Verzi, Diego (2015-03-15), Genus Octodon, pp. 1029–1034, ISBN   978-0-226-16957-6 , retrieved 2021-06-08
  8. ↑ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
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