acouchi
Sign in to saveThe acouchis (genus Myoprocta) are rodents belonging to the family Dasyproctidae from the Amazon basin. They are generally smaller than agoutis and have very short tails (5 to 7 cm), while agoutis lack tails. For this reason the acouchis are also called tailed agoutis.
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- Dasyproctidae
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- Myoprocta pratti.jpg
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The acouchis (genus Myoprocta) are rodents belonging to the family Dasyproctidae from the Amazon basin. They are generally smaller than agoutis and have very short tails (5 to 7 cm), while agoutis lack tails. For this reason the acouchis are also called tailed agoutis.
The two species – the red acouchi (M. acouchy) in the Guianas of Amazonia and nearby parts of Brazil, and the green acouchi (M. pratti) in western Amazonia - differ in coloration and other characteristics. The taxonomy of the genus has historically been confused, with some authors applying the name M. acouchy to the green acouchi, in which case the red acouchi is called M. exilis. Although this issue has now been resolved, other problems remain; in particular, the green acouchi may include more than one species.