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Caviidae, the cavy family, is composed of native to South America and includes the domestic guinea pig, wild cavies, and the largest living rodent, the capybara. They are found across South America in open areas from moist savanna to or scrubland desert. This family of rodents has fewer members than most other rodent families, with 19 species in seven genera in three subfamilies.
They are , eating tough grasses or softer leaves, depending on species. The dentition is similar to that of various other rodents: . Females give birth to two or three furred and active young after a gestation period of 50 to 90 days in most species, or 150 days in the capybara. In most species, they are sexually mature within a few months of birth, although in capybaras, maturity is not reached until around 18 months.
Social organisation varies widely among the group. Many cavies are promiscuous, forming no long-lasting social groups, although, in some species, males maintain harems of two or more females. In contrast, maras are monogamous, and form temporary colonial crèches to care for the young of multiple mothers. Capybaras live in groups of around 10 individuals, and sometimes many more, each with a single dominant male, and a number of females, subordinate males, and juveniles.
Family Caviidae
Classification
The family Caviidae is a sister group to the family Dasyproctidae, both of which are members of the superfamily Cavioidea. Fossils caviids first appeared during the middle of the Miocene epoch in South America.
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