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Cavy
Caviidae, the cavy family, is composed of rodents native to South America and includes the domestic guinea pig, wild cavies, and the largest living rodent, the capybara. They are found across South America in open areas from moist savanna to thorn forests or scrub desert. This family of rodents has fewer members than most other rodent families, with 19 species in seven genera in three subfamilies. Characteristics With the exception of the maras, which have a more rabbit-like appearance, caviids have short, heavy bodies and large heads. Most have no visible tails. They range in size from the smaller cavies at 22 cm in body length, and 300 grams in weight, up to the capybara, the largest of all rodents at 106 to 134 cm in length, and body weights of 35 to 66 kilograms. Even larger forms existed in the Pliocene, such as '' Phugatherium'', which was about the size of a tapir. They are herbivores, eating tough grasses or softer leaves, depending on species. The d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Domestic Guinea Pig
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy ( ), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus ''Cavia'', family Caviidae. Animal fancy, Breeders tend to use the name "cavy" for the animal, but "guinea pig" is more commonly used in scientific and laboratory contexts. Despite their name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea (region), Guinea, nor are they closely related to suidae, pigs. Instead, they originated in the Andes region of South America, where wild guinea pigs can still be found today. Studies based on biochemistry and DNA Hybrid (biology), hybridization suggest they are domestication, domesticated animals that do not exist naturally in the wild, but are descendants of a closely related cavy species such as ''Montane guinea pig, C. tschudii''. Originally, they were domesticated as livestock (source of meat) in the Andean region and are still consumed in some parts of the world. In Western society, the guin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cavy (1)
Caviidae, the cavy family, is composed of rodents native to South America and includes the domestic guinea pig, wild cavies, and the largest living rodent, the capybara. They are found across South America in open areas from moist savanna to thorn forests or scrub desert. This family of rodents has fewer members than most other rodent families, with 19 species in seven genera in three subfamilies. Characteristics With the exception of the maras, which have a more rabbit-like appearance, caviids have short, heavy bodies and large heads. Most have no visible tails. They range in size from the smaller cavies at 22 cm in body length, and 300 grams in weight, up to the capybara, the largest of all rodents at 106 to 134 cm in length, and body weights of 35 to 66 kilograms. Even larger forms existed in the Pliocene, such as '' Phugatherium'', which was about the size of a tapir. They are herbivores, eating tough grasses or softer leaves, depending on species. The d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mara (mammal)
Maras, subfamily Dolichotinae, are a group of rodents in the family Caviidae. These large relatives of guinea pigs are common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina, but also live in Paraguay and elsewhere in South America. There are two extant species, the Patagonian mara of the genus '' Dolichotis'' and the Chacoan mara of the genus '' Pediolagus''. Traditionally this species was also thought to belong to ''Dolichotis''; however, a 2020 study by the American Society of Mammalogists found significant difference between the two mara species to warrant resurrecting the genus ''Pediolagus'' for it. Several extinct genera are also known. Description Maras have stocky bodies, three sharp-clawed digits on the hind feet, and four digits of the fore feet. Maras have been described as resembling long-legged rabbits; while standing, they can also resemble a small ungulate. Patagonian maras can run at speeds up to . The Patagonian species can weigh over in adulthood. The average weig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cavia
''Cavia'' is a genus in the subfamily Caviinae that contains the rodents commonly known as the guinea pigs or cavies. The best-known species in this genus is the domestic guinea pig, ''Cavia porcellus'', a meat animal in South America and a common household pet outside that continent. Characteristics General characteristics The true guinea pigs are medium-sized rodents. They reach a head-body length of 20 to 35 centimeters (8 to 14 inches) and a weight of 500 to a maximum of 1,000 grams. The largest species of the genus is the greater guinea pig (''Cavia magna''). The species are very similar in habit and appearance, the long and relatively rough fur is usually grayish or brown to reddish-brown in color. The coloring can be variable, especially in species with a large distribution area and several subspecies. The head is relatively large in relation to the body, the eyes are large and the ears are small. The legs are short and strong, the front feet have four toes and the h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dolichotinae
Maras, subfamily Dolichotinae, are a group of rodents in the family Caviidae. These large relatives of guinea pigs are common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina, but also live in Paraguay and elsewhere in South America. There are two extant species, the Patagonian mara of the genus '' Dolichotis'' and the Chacoan mara of the genus '' Pediolagus''. Traditionally this species was also thought to belong to ''Dolichotis''; however, a 2020 study by the American Society of Mammalogists found significant difference between the two mara species to warrant resurrecting the genus ''Pediolagus'' for it. Several extinct genera are also known. Description Maras have stocky bodies, three sharp-clawed digits on the hind feet, and four digits of the fore feet. Maras have been described as resembling long-legged rabbits; while standing, they can also resemble a small ungulate. Patagonian maras can run at speeds up to . The Patagonian species can weigh over in adulthood. The average weig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caviinae
Caviinae is a subfamily uniting all living members of the family Caviidae with the exception of the maras, capybaras, and '' Kerodon''. The subfamily traditionally contained the guinea pig or cavy-like forms along with the cursorially adapted (running) ''Kerodon''. Molecular results suggest the Caviinae as so defined would be paraphyletic and ''Kerodon'' is more closely related to maras and capybaras than to other caviines.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. This led Woods and Kilpatrick (2005) to unite ''Kerodon'' and capybaras into the subfamily Hydrochoerinae within the Caviidae. These studies also suggest '' Microcavia'' and ''Cavia'' are more closely related to one another than either is to '' Galea''. Genera and species *Subfamily Caviinae **†'' Cardiomys'' **†'' Allocavia'' **†'' Palaeocavia'' **†' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern marine invertebrates than the Pliocene has. The Miocene followed the Oligocene and preceded the Pliocene. As Earth went from the Oligocene through the Miocene and into the Pliocene, the climate slowly cooled towards a series of ice ages. The Miocene boundaries are not marked by distinct global events but by regionally defined transitions from the warmer Oligocene to the cooler Pliocene Epoch. During the Early Miocene, Afro-Arabia collided with Eurasia, severing the connection between the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans, and allowing the interchange of fauna between Eurasia and Africa, including the dispersal of proboscideans and Ape, hominoids into Eurasia. During the late Miocene, the conn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dasyproctidae
Dasyproctidae is a family of large South American rodents, comprising the agoutis and acouchis. Their fur is a reddish or dark colour above, with a paler underside. They are herbivore, 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. 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 South American land mammal age, SALMA classification). As with all rodents, members of this family have incisors, pre-molars, and molars, but no canines. The cheek teeth are hypsodonty, hypsodont and flat-crowned. Classification Fossil taxa follow McKenna and Bell, with modifications following Kramarz. * Family Dasyproctidae ** Genus †''Alloiomys'' ** Genus †''Australoprocta'' ** Genus †''Branisamys'' ** Genus †''Incamys'' ** Genus †''Neoreomys'' ** G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch (geology), epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.33 to 2.58See the 2014 version of the ICS geologic time scale million years ago (Ma). It is the second and most recent epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic, Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch. Prior to the 2009 revision of the geologic time scale, which placed the four most recent major glaciations entirely within the Pleistocene, the Pliocene also included the Gelasian Stage, which lasted from 2.59 to 1.81 Ma, and is now included in the Pleistocene. As with other older geologic periods, the Stratum, geological strata that define the start and end are well-identified but the exact dates of the start a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crèche (zoology)
In zoology, a crèche (from a French term for childcare) is an animal behaviour where offspring are cared for as a group by multiple females. Many species such as common eiders, lions, and penguins form crèches and exhibit group behaviours. Crèches can serve different functions and purposes depending on the species and the environment. For example, some crèches may aid in defence while other crèches may aid in feeding and protection from harsh weather conditions. This form of group living has evolved to become advantageous to the species. Studies have shown that by participating in group living, species will increase their inclusive fitness since their young will be in a better condition to reproduce and carry on the line of descendants in the species. Behaviour in eider ducks In the common eider population, after giving birth to their eggs, the mother will incubate them until they hatch. The mothers will hear a signal from the juveniles that will cause her to move awa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monogamy In Animals
Some animal species have a monogamous mating system, in which pairs bond to raise offspring. This is associated, usually implicitly, with sexual monogamy. Monogamous mating Monogamy is defined as a pair bond between two adult animals of the same species. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for some duration of time, and in some cases may copulate and reproduce with only each other. Monogamy may either be short-term, lasting one to a few seasons or long-term, lasting many seasons and in extreme cases, life-long. Monogamy can be partitioned into two categories, social monogamy and genetic monogamy which may occur together in some combination, or completely independently of one another.Ophir, Alexander G., Phelps, Steven M., Sorin, Anna Bess & O. Wolff, J. (2008)Social but not genetic monogamy is associated with greater breeding success in prairie voles/ref> As an example, in the cichlid species '' Variabilichromis moorii'', a monogamous pair will care for eggs and y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
