Southern viscacha

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Southern viscacha
Bolivian vizcacha.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Chinchillidae
Genus: Lagidium
Species:
L. viscacia
Binomial name
Lagidium viscacia
(Molina, 1782)

The southern viscacha (Lagidium viscacia) is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. It is a colonial animal living in small groups in rocky mountain areas. It has long ears and hind legs and resembles a rabbit in appearance apart from its long, bushy tail, but is not a lagomorph.

Contents

Description

The southern viscacha has yellowish-grey upperparts, paler underparts, and a black-tipped, bushy tail. The body fur is long and soft, while that on the tail is coarse. The long, fur-covered ears have a white fringe and both the short front legs and longer hind legs have four digits on the feet. The soles of the feet have fleshy pads called "pallipes" and they can move about with agility over rocky surfaces. The weight of an adult southern viscacha is about 3 kg (6.6 lb). [2] [3] They are also adept climbers, exhibiting proficiency in ascending vertical rock surfaces. Their leaps frequently span distances of five meters or greater, with downward descents covering distances of over fifteen meters. These jumps are often executed from small ledges on which they can barely stand to comparatively narrow outcroppings of rock. [4]

Distribution/Habitat

Range of the southern viscacha. Lagidium Viscacia.png
Range of the southern viscacha.

The southern viscacha is native to the mountainous parts of western Argentina, southern Peru, western and central Bolivia, and northern and central Chile. It lives among rocks and around crags where the vegetation is sparse. [2] Its elevation range is about 700 to 5,100 m (2,300 to 16,700 ft) above sea level. [1]

Behaviour

The southern viscacha does not hibernate and is mostly active soon after dawn and again in the evening. At these times, it emerges from its underground hiding place to feed on what plant material is available, which is mostly grasses and moss, and it also eats lichens. Part of the day is spent perched on a rock sunbathing, grooming, or resting. Southern viscachas are a colonial species and do not venture far from rocks so that they can plunge underground if danger threatens. They use various calls to communicate with each other. [2] [3] They are preyed on by the Andean mountain cat (Leopardus jacobitus) and they form a substantial part of its diet. [5]

Breeding starts in the last quarter of the year when mating takes place. The gestation period is about 130 days and a single precocial pup (or sometimes two) is born which has its eyes open and is fully clad in fur at birth. It suckles for about eight weeks, but is able to supplement the milk with solid food within hours of its birth. The average lifespan is unknown, but one individual survived for 19 years in captivity. [2]

Status

Southern viscacha (Lagidium viscacia), Siloli desert, Bolivia Vizcacha de la Sierra (Lagidium viscacia), Desierto de Siloli, Bolivia, 2016-02-03, DD 33.JPG
Southern viscacha (Lagidium viscacia), Siloli desert, Bolivia

The southern viscacha is a common species and locally abundant, but it is prone to wide swings in population due to adverse weather conditions. It is hunted for its flesh and its fur, but not to such an extent as to reduce its numbers significantly. The IUCN lists it as being of Least Concern. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinchilla</span> Rodent genus

Chinchillas are either of two species of crepuscular rodents of the parvorder Caviomorpha, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America. They live in colonies called "herds" at high elevations up to 4,270 m (14,000 ft). Historically, chinchillas lived in an area that included parts of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, but today, colonies in the wild are known only in Chile. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae. They are also related to the chinchilla rat.

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

The family Chinchillidae is in the order Rodentia and consists of the chinchillas, the viscachas, and their fossil relatives. This family is restricted to southern and western South America, mostly living in mountainous regions of the Andes but one species living on plains. They are medium to large-sized rodents, weighing from 800 g (28 oz) to 8 kg (18 lb), with strong hind legs and large ears and a bushy tail. All species have thick, soft fur, which is considered valuable in some cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscacha</span> Group of rodents

Viscacha or vizcacha are rodents of two genera in the family Chinchillidae. They are native to South America and convergently resemble rabbits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andean mountain cat</span> Small wild cat

The Andean mountain cat is a small wild cat native to the high Andes that has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because fewer than 1,500 individuals are thought to exist in the wild. It is traditionally considered a sacred animal by indigenous Aymara and Quechua people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pampas fox</span> Species of carnivore

The Pampas fox, also known as grey pampean fox, Pampas zorro, Azara's fox, or Azara's zorro, is a medium-sized zorro, or "false" fox, native to the South American Pampas. Azara in some of its alternative common names is a reference to Spanish naturalist Félix de Azara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hog-nosed skunk</span> Genus of carnivores

The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of the family Mephitidae (skunks). They are native to the Americas. They have white backs and tails and black underparts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South American gray fox</span> Species of carnivore

The South American gray fox, also known as the Patagonian fox, the chilla or the gray zorro, is a species of Lycalopex, the "false" foxes. It is endemic to the southern part of South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pampas cat</span> Small wild cat species

The Pampas cat is a small wild cat native to South America. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List as habitat conversion and destruction may cause the population to decline in the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-tailed chinchilla</span> Species of rodent

The short-tailed chinchilla is a small rodent part of the Chinchillidae family and is classified as an endangered species by the IUCN. Originating in South America, the chinchilla is part of the genus Chinchilla, which is separated into two species: the long-tailed chinchilla and the short-tailed chinchilla. Although the short-tailed chinchilla used to be found in Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia, the geographical distribution of the species has since shifted. Today, the species remains extant in the Andes mountains of northern Chile, but small populations have been found in southern Bolivia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taruca</span> Species of deer

The taruca, also known as the Peruvian guemal, north Andean deer, north Andean huemul, northern huemul or northern guemal, is a mid sized deer species that inhabits the high regions of the Andes mountains in South America. The common name taruca means "deer" in both the Quechua and Aymara languages, though these are not interrelated. The taruca is closely related to the southern guemal, the only other member of the Hippocamelus genus.

The pleasant bolo mouse, or pleasant akodont, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found on grassland at high altitudes in Bolivia and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain parakeet</span> Species of bird

The mountain parakeet, also known as the golden-fronted parakeet, is a species of parrot, one of two in the genus Psilopsiagon within the family Psittacidae. It is found in the Puna grassland. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Four subspecies are recognised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andean flicker</span> Species of woodpecker

The Andean flicker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern viscacha</span> Species of rodent

The northern viscacha is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae. It is known from Peru and Chile, at elevations from 300 to 5000 m, and may also be present in Bolivia.

<i>Lagidium</i> Genus of rodents

Lagidium is a genus of rodents in the family Chinchillidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolffsohn's viscacha</span> Species of rodent

Wolffsohn's viscacha, locally known as chinchillón anaranjado, is a rare species of rodent in the family Chinchillidae. This species occurs in southwestern Argentina and adjacent Chile. It occurs up to about 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level. It is found in rocky outcrops in mountainous areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plains viscacha</span> Species of rodent

The plains viscacha or plains vizcacha is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae. It is the only living species within the genus Lagostomus. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The plains viscacha is the largest species in its family. They construct elaborate burrows that house successive colonies for decades.

<i>Lagidium ahuacaense</i> Species of rodent

Lagidium ahuacaense is a rodent in the mountain viscacha genus (Lagidium) that occurs in southern Ecuador. First observed in 2005 and formally described in 2009, it occurs more than 500 km (310 mi) north of the nearest previously known population of mountain viscachas in central Peru. Only a single population is known, found on rocky habitats on Cerro El Ahuaca, an isolated granite mountain in southern Ecuador, and as few as several dozen individuals remain. The species is threatened by fires and grazing cattle, and the discoverers recommended its conservation status be assessed as critically endangered.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bernal, N. (2016). "Lagidium viscacia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T11148A22190789. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T11148A22190789.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Shefferly, Nancy (1999). "Lagidium viscacia: southern viscacha". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  3. 1 2 Myers, Phil (2002). "Chinchillidae: chinchillas and viscachas". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  4. Wolffsohn, John A. (1925), "La vizcacha y su caza" (PDF), Revista Chilena De Historia Natural, La Sociedad de Biología de Chile, retrieved 17 September 2023
  5. Walker, R. Susan; Novaro, Andrés J.; Perovic, Pablo; Palacios, Rocio; Donadio, Emiliano; Lucherini, Mauro; Pia, Mónica; López, María Soledad (2007). "Diets of three species of Andean carnivores in high-altitude deserts of Argentina". Journal of Mammalogy. 88 (2): 519–525. doi: 10.1644/06-MAMM-A-172R.1 . hdl: 11336/83323 .