Order Rodentia - Family Dasyproctidae
Author
Wilson, Don E.
Author
Reeder, DeeAnn
text
2005
The Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2
1556
1559
book chapter
0-8018-8221-4
10.5281/zenodo.7316535
Dasyprocta leporina
(Linnaeus 1758)
[Mus] leporinus
Linnaeus 1758
,
Syst. Nat., 10th ed., Vol. 1: 59
.
Type Locality:
Suriname
, Peninka, Peninka Creek and Cennewijne River.
Vernacular Names:
Red-rumped Agouti
.
Subspecies:
:
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
leporina
Linnaeus 1758
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
albida
Gray 1842
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
cayana
Lacépède 1802
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
croconota
Wagler 1831
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
fulvus
Kerr 1792
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
lunaris
Thomas 1917
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
maraxica
Thomas 1923
Subspecies
Dasyprocta leporina
subsp.
noblei
Allen 1914
Distribution:
Lesser Antilles,
Venezuela
, Guianas, Amazonian and E
Brazil
, introduced into the Virgin Isls.
Conservation:
IUCN
– Lower Risk (lc). Common.
Discussion:
Although the name
aguti
has been traditionally used,
Husson (1978:462-463)
explained why
Mus leporinus
has priority and
Husson (1978)
and Voss et al. (2001) explained why
aguti
should by synonymized. Recognized as
D. aguti cayana
by Cabrera (1961:585-586); may also include
cristata
. Includes
albida
,
antillensis
, and
noblei
; see
Varona (1974:75)
, who included these forms in
aguti
. Several subspecies have been recognized by Cabrera (1961) and
Ojasti (1972)
, but a comprehensive review of geographic variation is needed. The West Indian agoutis are descendents of forms introduced to the islands. The pattern appears to be
D. leporina
(from
Brazil
) to the
Virgin Islands
;
D. l. albida
on
St. Vincent
and
Granada
;
D. l. fulvus
on
Martinique
and
St. Lucia
; and
D. l. noblei
on
Guadeloupe
,
St. Kitts
,
Dominica
, and
Montserrat
. Karyotype has 2n=64 and FN=124 (
Fredga, 1966
).