The red-rumped agouti ( Dasyprocta leporina), also known as the golden-rumped agouti, orange-rumped agouti or Brazilian agouti, is a species of agouti from the family Dasyproctidae.
Distribution
It is native to northeastern South America, mainly in
Venezuela,
Guyana,
Suriname,
French Guiana, northeastern
Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago and
Saint Lucia in the
Caribbean. It has also been introduced to
Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
Grenada, and
Dominica.
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Names
Despite the alternative name Brazilian agouti, it is neither the only nor the most widespread species of agouti in Brazil. In Brazil all agoutis are often called "cutia" .
Habitat
It is found in a wide range of forests, including rainforest and secondary forest.
Description
The red-rumped agouti weighs about . It is about long. The females are larger than males but otherwise look similar. It is brownish with darker spots on the upper body. The fur becomes more orange as it goes past (going down) the middle area of the animal. The ears are somewhat square in shape. The front feet have four toes and the back have three each. It can be distinguished from other agoutis by their distinct coloring.
It has no distinct breeding season, but females come into season twice a year and generally have one to four young.
Diet
Food mostly consists of seeds, pulp, leaves, roots and fruits. It also feeds on insect larvae when plant resources are low.
Further reading
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John F. Eisenberg and Kent H. Redford, 2000. Mammals of Neotropics: Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil.
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Bricklin, R. and P. Myers. 2004. "Dasyprocta leporina" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed December 12, 2006 at ADW: Dasyprocta leporina: CLASSIFICATION
External links
