''Dolichotis'' is a genus of the
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 tho ...
family of rodents.
These large relatives of
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'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the ...
s are common in the
Patagonia
Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...
n steppes of
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, but also live in
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
and elsewhere in
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
. It contains a single extant species, the
Patagonian mara
The Patagonian mara (''Dolichotis patagonum'') is a relatively large rodent in the mara genus ''Dolichotis''. It is also known as the Patagonian cavy, Patagonian hare, or dillaby. This herbivorous, somewhat rabbit-like animal is found in open and ...
, which is the one of the largest
rodents in the world after the two species each of
capybaras and
beavers, and the large species of
porcupines, reaching about in height.
The
Chacoan mara has and sometimes still is also considered a member of this genus. However, a 2020 study by the
American Society of Mammalogists found significant difference between the two mara species to warrant placing it in the genus ''
Pediolagus''.
Etymology
''Dolichotis'' means "long-eared" (from "long" and "ear") in Ancient Greek.
Species
One extant and two extinct species of in this genus are recognized:
;Fossil species
* †''D. intermedia''
* †''D. platycephala''
Fossils are known from Argentina:
*
Montehermosan
**
Andalhuala Formation
*
Huayquerian The Huayquerian ( es, Huayqueriense) age is a period of geologic time (9.0–6.8 Ma) within the Late Miocene epoch of the Neogene, used more specifically within the SALMA classification. It follows the Mayoan The Mayoan ( es, Mayoense) age is ...
**
Chiquimil Formation
*
Chapadmalalan
**
Barranca de los Lobos Formation
**
San Andrés Formation
*
Ensenadan
**
Vorohué Formation
**
Yupoí Formation
*
Lujanian
The Lujanian age is a South American land mammal age within the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs of the Neogene, from 0.8–0.011 Ma or 800–11 tya. It follows the Ensenadan.
The age is usually divided into the middle Pleistocene Bonaerian stag ...
**
Luján Formation
Gallery
File:Patagonian Cavy.jpg, Patagonian mara at the Wildlife Ranch in San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_t ...
, Texas
File:Patagonian Cavies, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne.jpg, A pair of Patagonian maras at the Melbourne Zoo
File:Dolichotis patagonum closeup.jpg, Close-up of a Patagonian mara
File:A mara at tropical wings.JPG, Mara at Tropical Wings
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q838738
Cavies
Extant Miocene first appearances
Articles containing video clips
Rodent genera
Taxa named by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest
Mammal genera with one living species