Octodon
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Octodon
''Octodon'' is a genus of octodontid rodents native to South America, in particular in the Chilean Andes. The best-known member is the common degu, ''O. degus'', which is kept as a pet in various countries. Two of the four species of degus are nocturnal.University of Michigan


Classification

This genus was first described in 1832 by the British zoologist Edward Turner Bennett.


Taxonomy

The genus name ''Octodon'' comes from the Latin ''octo'', eight, with reference to their teeth, molars and premolars having the shape of the number 8. The full list of species is: ...
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Common Degu
The common degu (''Octodon degus''; ), or, historically, the degu, is a small hystricomorpha rodent endemic to the Chilean matorral ecoregion of central Chile. The name ''degu'' on its own indicates either the entire genus ''Octodon'' or, more commonly, just the common degu. Common degus belong to the parvorder Caviomorpha of the infraorder Hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and guinea pig. The word ''degu'' comes from the indigenous language of Chile, Mapudungun, and the word ''dewü'', meaning 'mouse' or 'rat'. The animal may be kept as a pocket pet, though there are prohibitions on their ownership in some territories. As a pet, the animal is larger than a golden hamster but smaller than a fancy rat. Description The common degu is a small animal with a body length of and a weight of . It has yellow-brown fur above and creamy-yellow below, with yellow around the eyes and a paler band around the neck. It has a long, thin tail with a tufted, black tip, dark spar ...
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Octodon Degus
The common degu (''Octodon degus''; ), or, historically, the degu, is a small hystricomorpha rodent endemic to the Chilean matorral ecoregion of central Chile. The name ''degu'' on its own indicates either the entire genus '' Octodon'' or, more commonly, just the common degu. Common degus belong to the parvorder Caviomorpha of the infraorder Hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and guinea pig. The word ''degu'' comes from the indigenous language of Chile, Mapudungun, and the word ''dewü'', meaning 'mouse' or 'rat'. The animal may be kept as a pocket pet, though there are prohibitions on their ownership in some territories. As a pet, the animal is larger than a golden hamster but smaller than a fancy rat. Description The common degu is a small animal with a body length of and a weight of . It has yellow-brown fur above and creamy-yellow below, with yellow around the eyes and a paler band around the neck. It has a long, thin tail with a tufted, black tip, dark spar ...
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Common Degu
The common degu (''Octodon degus''; ), or, historically, the degu, is a small hystricomorpha rodent endemic to the Chilean matorral ecoregion of central Chile. The name ''degu'' on its own indicates either the entire genus ''Octodon'' or, more commonly, just the common degu. Common degus belong to the parvorder Caviomorpha of the infraorder Hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and guinea pig. The word ''degu'' comes from the indigenous language of Chile, Mapudungun, and the word ''dewü'', meaning 'mouse' or 'rat'. The animal may be kept as a pocket pet, though there are prohibitions on their ownership in some territories. As a pet, the animal is larger than a golden hamster but smaller than a fancy rat. Description The common degu is a small animal with a body length of and a weight of . It has yellow-brown fur above and creamy-yellow below, with yellow around the eyes and a paler band around the neck. It has a long, thin tail with a tufted, black tip, dark spar ...
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Octodontidae
Octodontidae is a family of rodents, restricted to southwestern South America. Fourteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in seven genera. The best known species is the common degu, ''Octodon degus''. Octodontids are medium-sized rodents, ranging from in body length. They have long, silky, fur, which is typically brownish in color, and often paler on the underside. The name 'octodont' derives from the wear pattern of their teeth, which resembles a figure 8. Most are nocturnal, social, burrowing animals, though the degu is largely diurnal. They are herbivorous, eating tubers, bulbs, and cactuses. Some authors have suggested that the octodontids should be reclassified in the order Lagomorpha, but this has not been supported by further analyses. Older literature includes the tuco-tucos in the family, as the subfamily Ctenomyinae, but these animals are normally now treated as a separate family, Ctenomyidae. There is some evidence that evolution within the family may ...
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Octodontid
Octodontidae is a family of rodents, restricted to southwestern South America. Fourteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in seven genera. The best known species is the common degu, ''Octodon degus''. Octodontids are medium-sized rodents, ranging from in body length. They have long, silky, fur, which is typically brownish in color, and often paler on the underside. The name 'octodont' derives from the wear pattern of their teeth, which resembles a figure 8. Most are nocturnal, social, burrowing animals, though the degu is largely diurnal. They are herbivorous, eating tubers, bulbs, and cactuses. Some authors have suggested that the octodontids should be reclassified in the order Lagomorpha, but this has not been supported by further analyses. Older literature includes the tuco-tucos in the family, as the subfamily Ctenomyinae, but these animals are normally now treated as a separate family, Ctenomyidae. There is some evidence that evolution within the family m ...
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Bridges's Degu
Bridges's degu (''Octodon bridgesii'') is a species of rodent in the family ''Octodontidae''. It is found in southern Chile. The species was named after Thomas Bridges. Taxonomy Ricardo Ojeda's degu (''O. ricardojedai''), which is found in Argentina and Chile, was formerly considered a population of ''O. bridgesii'', but was described as a distinct species in 2020. Biology and physiology Unlike its close relative, the common degu, Bridges' degu is nocturnal. Bridges's degu has deep molar indentations and has a deep fold on the inside of the last molar. Habitat The species is less widely distributed in Chile than the common degu and inhabits rocky, forested areas and some open farmland, although it is far less well adapted for digging but does have some climbing ability. Deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest la ...
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Octodon Bridgesi
Bridges's degu (''Octodon bridgesii'') is a species of rodent in the family ''Octodontidae''. It is found in southern Chile. The species was named after Thomas Bridges. Taxonomy Ricardo Ojeda's degu (''O. ricardojedai''), which is found in Argentina and Chile, was formerly considered a population of ''O. bridgesii'', but was described as a distinct species in 2020. Biology and physiology Unlike its close relative, the common degu, Bridges' degu is nocturnal. Bridges's degu has deep molar indentations and has a deep fold on the inside of the last molar. Habitat The species is less widely distributed in Chile than the common degu and inhabits rocky, forested areas and some open farmland, although it is far less well adapted for digging but does have some climbing ability. Deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest la ...
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Octodon Lunatus
The moon-toothed degu (''Octodon lunatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Chile, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country. Biology and physiology Unlike its close relative the common degu, the moon-toothed degu is nocturnal (active at night). The ventral fur of this species has been found to be much less reflective of UV light than other octodontids, most likely as a result of its nocturnal habits. The moon-toothed degu has deep molar indentations but lacks a fold on the inside of the last molar. Habitat The species is less widely distributed in Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ... than the common degu and inhabits dense scrubland near the coast. Habitat ranges from sea l ...
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Moon-toothed Degu
The moon-toothed degu (''Octodon lunatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Chile, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country. Biology and physiology Unlike its close relative the common degu, the moon-toothed degu is nocturnal (active at night). The ventral fur of this species has been found to be much less reflective of UV light than other octodontids, most likely as a result of its nocturnal habits. The moon-toothed degu has deep molar indentations but lacks a fold on the inside of the last molar. Habitat The species is less widely distributed in Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ... than the common degu and inhabits dense scrubland near the coast. Habitat ranges from sea l ...
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Octodon Ricardojeda
Ricardo Ojeda's degu (''Octodon ricardojeda'') is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is found in a small portion of eastern Chile and western Argentina, being the only degu found outside of Chile. It was named after Argentine mammalogist Ricardo Ojeda. It was formerly thought to be a population of Bridge's degu (''O. bridgesii)'' but in 2020, a genomic study found it to be a distinct species. Phylogenetic evidence supports it being the sister species to the Pacific degu (''R. pacificus''), from which it diverged during the early Pleistocene, about 1.97 million years ago. Fossil records of this species are known from Holocene archaeological sites in Neuquén and Río Negro, Argentina; this indicates that the species had a slightly wider distribution in prehistoric times. In Argentina it inhabits semiopen areas in southern beech forests, such as those found in Lanín National Park, as well as sandy hillocks within patches of '' Chusquea'' bamboo. Although it i ...
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Ricardo Ojeda's Degu
Ricardo Ojeda's degu (''Octodon ricardojeda'') is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is found in a small portion of eastern Chile and western Argentina, being the only degu found outside of Chile. It was named after Argentine mammalogist Ricardo Ojeda. It was formerly thought to be a population of Bridge's degu (''O. bridgesii)'' but in 2020, a genomic study found it to be a distinct species. Phylogenetic evidence supports it being the sister species to the Pacific degu (''R. pacificus''), from which it diverged during the early Pleistocene, about 1.97 million years ago. Fossil records of this species are known from Holocene archaeological sites in Neuquén and Río Negro, Argentina; this indicates that the species had a slightly wider distribution in prehistoric times. In Argentina it inhabits semiopen areas in southern beech forests, such as those found in Lanín National Park, as well as sandy hillocks within patches of '' Chusquea'' bamboo. Although it i ...
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Rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are native to all major land masses except for New Zealand, Antarctica, and several oceanic islands, though they have subsequently been introduced to most of these land masses by human activity. Rodents are extremely diverse in their ecology and lifestyles and can be found in almost every terrestrial habitat, including human-made environments. Species can be arboreal, fossorial (burrowing), saltatorial/richochetal (leaping on their hind legs), or semiaquatic. However, all rodents share several morphological features, including having only a single upper and lower pair of ever-growing incisors. Well-known rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rabbits, hares, and pikas, wh ...
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