The genus Kerodon (vernacular name Mocos; Rock Cavies[1]) contains two species of South American rock cavies, related to capybaras and guinea pigs.[2] They are found in semiarid regions of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This area has a rocky terrain with large granite boulders that contain rifts and hollows where Kerodon spp. primarily live.[3]
They are hystricomorph rodents, medium-sized, with rabbit-like bodies, a squirrel-like face, and heavily padded feet. Their nails are blunt on all digits except a small grooming claw on the outermost digit of the foot. Fully grown adults weigh around 1000 g or 31-35 oz, and range in length from 200 to 400 mm or 7.5 to 16 in.[4] They forage for mostly leaves, grasses, seeds, and tree bark.[3] They breed year round, usually having one to three litters per year and one to three young per pregnancy. Gestation last around 76 days and the young are weaned from the mother within 33 days. They reach sexual maturity at 133 days.[citation needed]
Behavior
Like their relatives, the capybaras and the maras, members of the genus Kerodon are highly social.[5]Kerodon spp., like the capybaras, are polygynous, with males forming harems. They are very vocal creatures and make many different whistles, chirps, and squeaks.[4] Males claim one or several rock piles as their own and defend their territory. Each male has a few female mates and a hierarchy exists within each group. They are most often active late in the day.[citation needed]
Classification
Traditionally, the genus Kerodon has been considered a member of the subfamily Caviinae along with the guinea pigs and other cavies. Molecular results have consistently suggested Kerodon is most closely related to the capybara, and the two evolved from within the Caviidae.[5] This led Woods and Kilpatrick (2005) to unite the two into the subfamily Hydrochoerinae within the Caviidae. Using a molecular clock approach, Opazo[6] suggested Kerodon diverged from Hydrochoerus (the capybara) in the late Middle Miocene.
^Murray Wrobel, 2007. Elsevier's dictionary of mammals: in Latin, English, German, French and Italian. Elsevier
^Woods, C.A.; Kilpatrick, C.W. (2005). "Infraorder Hystricognathi". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1538–1600. ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^ ab"Rock Cavy". Central Park Zoo. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
^ abRowe, D. L. and R. L. Honeycutt. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships, ecological correlates, and molecular evolution within the Cavioidea (Mammalia, Rodentia). Molecular Biology and Evolution, 19:263-277.
^Opazo, J. C. 2005. A molecular timescale for Caviomorph rodents (Mammalia, Hystricognathi). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 37:932-937.
Further reading
Nowak, Ronald M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1936 pp. ISBN0-8018-5789-9
February 27, 2023
kerodon, genus, vernacular, name, mocos, rock, cavies, contains, species, south, american, rock, cavies, related, capybaras, guinea, pigs, they, found, semiarid, regions, northeast, brazil, known, caatinga, this, area, rocky, terrain, with, large, granite, bou. The genus Kerodon vernacular name Mocos Rock Cavies 1 contains two species of South American rock cavies related to capybaras and guinea pigs 2 They are found in semiarid regions of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga This area has a rocky terrain with large granite boulders that contain rifts and hollows where Kerodon spp primarily live 3 KerodonTemporal range Late Pleistocene recentRock Cavy Kerodon rupestris Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder RodentiaFamily CaviidaeSubfamily HydrochoerinaeGenus KerodonF Cuvier 1825Type speciesKerodon mocoSpeciesKerodon acrobataKerodon rupestris Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Behavior 3 Classification 4 Species 5 References 6 Further readingCharacteristics EditThey are hystricomorph rodents medium sized with rabbit like bodies a squirrel like face and heavily padded feet Their nails are blunt on all digits except a small grooming claw on the outermost digit of the foot Fully grown adults weigh around 1000 g or 31 35 oz and range in length from 200 to 400 mm or 7 5 to 16 in 4 They forage for mostly leaves grasses seeds and tree bark 3 They breed year round usually having one to three litters per year and one to three young per pregnancy Gestation last around 76 days and the young are weaned from the mother within 33 days They reach sexual maturity at 133 days citation needed Behavior EditLike their relatives the capybaras and the maras members of the genus Kerodon are highly social 5 Kerodon spp like the capybaras are polygynous with males forming harems They are very vocal creatures and make many different whistles chirps and squeaks 4 Males claim one or several rock piles as their own and defend their territory Each male has a few female mates and a hierarchy exists within each group They are most often active late in the day citation needed Classification EditTraditionally the genus Kerodon has been considered a member of the subfamily Caviinae along with the guinea pigs and other cavies Molecular results have consistently suggested Kerodon is most closely related to the capybara and the two evolved from within the Caviidae 5 This led Woods and Kilpatrick 2005 to unite the two into the subfamily Hydrochoerinae within the Caviidae Using a molecular clock approach Opazo 6 suggested Kerodon diverged from Hydrochoerus the capybara in the late Middle Miocene Species EditKerodon acrobata Moojen Locks amp Langguth 1997 climbing cavy Kerodon rupestris Wied Neuwied 1820 rock cavyReferences Edit Murray Wrobel 2007 Elsevier s dictionary of mammals in Latin English German French and Italian Elsevier Woods C A Kilpatrick C W 2005 Infraorder Hystricognathi In Wilson D E Reeder D M eds Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed Johns Hopkins University Press pp 1538 1600 ISBN 978 0 8018 8221 0 OCLC 62265494 a b White Alex Kerodon rupestris Animal Diversity Web Retrieved 30 September 2013 a b Rock Cavy Central Park Zoo Retrieved 30 September 2013 a b Rowe D L and R L Honeycutt 2002 Phylogenetic relationships ecological correlates and molecular evolution within the Cavioidea Mammalia Rodentia Molecular Biology and Evolution 19 263 277 Opazo J C 2005 A molecular timescale for Caviomorph rodents Mammalia Hystricognathi Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 37 932 937 Further reading EditNowak Ronald M 1999 Walker s Mammals of the World 6th edition Johns Hopkins University Press 1936 pp ISBN 0 8018 5789 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kerodon amp oldid 1105187488, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
