Acouchi

Acouchi
Green acouchi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Placentalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Dasyproctidae
Genus: Myoprocta
Thomas, 1903
Type species
Cavia acouchy
Erxleben, 1777
Species
Dasyproctidae distribution. Dasyprocta in red; Myoprocta in blue (darker where ranges overlap)

The acouchis (genus Myoprocta) are rodents belonging to the family Dasyproctidae[1] from the Amazon basin. They are generally smaller than agoutis and have very short tails (5 to 7 cm), while agoutis lack tails.[2] For this reason the acouchis are also called tailed agoutis.[3]

The two species – the red acouchi (M. acouchy) in the Guianas of Amazonia and nearby parts of Brazil, and the green acouchi (M. pratti) in western Amazonia - differ in coloration and other characteristics. The taxonomy of the genus has historically been confused, with some authors applying the name M. acouchy to the green acouchi, in which case the red acouchi is called M. exilis. Although this issue has now been resolved, other problems remain; in particular, the green acouchi may include more than one species.[4]

They are coloured brown or greenish, but with bright orange or red parts on their heads. Often, acouchis live in riverbanks, where they dig holes. Like the common agoutis, but unlike the much larger pacas, acouchis are active at day and feed on fruit.[5]

Acouchis depend on their tails to convey their willingness and readiness to mate.[citation needed] Confident, ready males will hold their tails erect and begin to wag them, whereas the more timid, but still aroused, males will wag their tails in a downward position. Females will signal their interest by erecting their tails while simultaneously arching their backs downward. The litter size is generally two.

"Acouchi" is one of the words that Leaf Coneybear is asked to spell in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.[6]

References

  1. ^ Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Weir, B.J. (1967). "The care and management of laboratory hystricomorph rodents". Lab Anim. 1 (2): 95–104. doi:10.1258/002367767781035521.
  3. ^ "Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  4. ^ Voss et al., 2001, pp. 144-151
  5. ^ "Acouchy | rodent". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  6. ^ "Theater Review: "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at Keegan Theatre". Washingtonian. Retrieved 2026-04-14.

Literature cited

  • Voss, R.S., Lunde, D.P. & Simmons, N.B. 2001. Mammals of Paracou, French Guiana: a Neotropical lowland rainforest fauna. Part 2. Nonvolant species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 263:1-236.

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