Hydrochoerus

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Hydrochoerus
Temporal range:
Ma
↓
H. hydrochaeris with a cattle tyrant on its back
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Caviidae
Subfamily: Hydrochoerinae
Genus: Hydrochoerus
Brisson, 1762
Type species
Sus hydrochaeris[1]
, 1766
Species

† H. ballesterensis

† H. gaylordi

† H. hesperotiganites

H. hydrochaeris

H. isthmius

Ranges of capybara (green) and lesser capybara (red)

The genus Hydrochoerus contains two living and three extinct species of rodents from

Greek
ὕδωρ (hýdor) 'water' plus χοίρος (choíros) 'pig'.

Characteristics

Capybaras are

gestation period
is 130–150 days, with two to eight (most commonly four) young born to females.

Behavior

Capybaras are highly social, living in groups of up to 100 and communicating through a variety of vocalizations.[2] Breeding is polygynous, with males forming harems.

Phylogeny and taxonomy

Molecular results have consistently suggested Hydrochoerus is most closely related to Kerodon (the rock cavies), and the two evolved from within the Caviidae.[2] This led Woods and Kilpatrick to unite the two into the subfamily Hydrochoerinae within the Caviidae.[1] Based on use of a molecular clock approach, Hydrochoerus appears to have diverged from Kerodon in the late Middle Miocene (about 12 million years ago).[3]

The extinct North American species formerly recognized as

Hydrochoerus holmesi is now assigned to Neochoerus.[4]

Species

Extant Species

Genus Hydrochoerus – Brisson, 1762 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
(Linnaeus
, 1766) 		South America
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 



Lesser capybara

Hydrochoerus isthmius
Goldman
, 1912 		eastern Panama, northwestern Colombia, and western Venezuela.
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 DD 



Fossils

Distribution

Presently, capybaras live in northern South America and adjacent southern Central America (lesser capybara) and in the tropical to subtropical regions of South America (capybara). The fossil species inhabited Buenos Aires Province in Argentina (H. ballesterensis) and the Caribbean island of Grenada (H. gaylordi). One species, H. hesperotiganites even ranged as far north as California.[8] Fossils of unspecified Hydrochoerus have been found in Late Pleistocene to Holocene sediments of Curití, Santander, at an altitude of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. Fauna found at the same site included the South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris), Cryptotis sp., collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), and Mazama sp.[9][10]

References

  1. ^
    OCLC 62265494
    .
  2. ^ a b Rowe and Honeycutt, 2002
  3. PMID 16085429
    .
  4. ^ "Neochoerus aesopi Leidy 1853 (caviomorph)". Fossilworks. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  5. ^ Hydrochoerus ballesterensis at Fossilworks.org
  6. S2CID 53542296
    .
  7. ^ Hydrochoerus gaylordi at Fossilworks.org
  8. ^
    S2CID 247352090
    .
  9. ^ Curití, Santander at Fossilworks.org
  10. ^ Hoffstetter, 1971, p.54

Bibliography

Further reading
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