Dasyproctidae is a family of large
South Americanrodents, comprising the
agoutis and
acouchis.[1] Their fur is a reddish or dark colour above, with a paler underside. They are
herbivorous, often feeding on ripe
fruit that falls from trees. They live in burrows, and, like
squirrels, will bury some of their food for later use.[2]
Dasyproctids exist in Central and South America, which are the tropical parts of the New World. The fossil record of this family can be traced back to the Late Oligocene (
Deseadan in the
SALMA classification).
As with all rodents, members of this family have incisors, pre-molars, and molars, but no canines. The cheek teeth are
hypsodont and flat-crowned.
Classification
Fossil taxa follow McKenna and Bell,[3] with modifications following Kramarz.[4]
The
pacas (genus Cuniculus) are placed by some authorities[3][5] in Dasyproctidae, but molecular studies have demonstrated they do not form a
monophyletic group.[6]
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abMcKenna, Malcolm C.; Bell, Susan K (1997). Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. New York: Columbia University Press.
ISBN0-231-11013-8.