Caviidae Author Don E. Wilson Author Thomas E. Lacher, Jr Author Russell A. Mittermeier text 2016 2016-07-31 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I 406 438 book chapter 57852 10.5281/zenodo.6585510 25f0b78d-5046-4f38-b635-04a5a86e575e 978-84-941892-3-4 6585510 20. Chacoan Mara Dolichotis salinicola French: Mara du Chaco / German: Kleiner Pampashase / Spanish: Mara del Chaco Other common names: Dwarf Mara , Dwarf Patagonian Cavy , Dwarf Patagonian Hare Taxonomy. Dolichotis salinicola Burmeister, 1876 , “Central Argentine Railway... near the stations Totoralejo and Recreo, about lat. 29° S and 65° W,” Catamarca, Argentina . This species is monotypic. Distribution. Chaco ecoregion in extreme SE Bolivia, W Paraguay, and NW Argentina (S to Cordoba). Descriptive notes. Head-body 420-485 mm, tail 19-20 mm, ear 58-64 mm, hindfoot 91-101 mm; weight 1.8-2.3 kg. The Chacoan Mara is very similar in external morphology to the Patagonian Mara ( D. patagonum ), although smaller. Legs of the Chacoan Mara are long, and toes end on more hoof-like nails than claws. Dorsum is brownish gray to gray, and flanks, neck, and venter are white. Head and ears are large, contributing to a hare-like appearance. Habitat. Chacoan dry forests and scrublands. Chacoan Maras dig burrows or use abandoned burrows of viscachas ( Chinchillidae ). Food and Feeding. The Chacoan Mara is herbivorous and eats grasses and green parts of shrubs and forbs. Breeding. Gestation of the Chacoan Mara is ¢.2 months (up to 77 days reported), and litter sizes are 2-5 young. Females have two pairs of mammae. Activity patterns. Chacoan Maras are diurnal and highly social. They are particularly active in early morning and late afternoon. Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information available for this species, but Chacoan Maras are frequently observed in pairs, suggesting that they are monogamous like Patagonian Maras. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Chacoan Mara occurs in a number of protected areas, including Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area in Bolivia and Defensores del Chaco National Park in Paraguay. Bibliography. Dunnum (2015), Mares, Ojeda & Barquez (1989), Mares, Ojeda & Kosco (1981), Redford & Eisenberg (1992), Woods & Kilpatrick (2005).