Octodontidae

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Octodontids
Temporal range: Late Miocene–Recent
Common degu, Octodon degus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
Infraorder: Hystricognathi
Parvorder: Caviomorpha
Superfamily:
Octodontoidea
Family: Octodontidae
Waterhouse, 1839
Type genus
Octodon
Bennett, 1823
Genera

 Octodon
 

Octodontomys

 
Spalacopus

 
Octomys

 Aconaemys
 
Pipanacoctomys

 Tympanoctomys

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 12 to 20 cm (4.7 to 7.9 in) 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.[1]

Some authors have suggested that the octodontids should be reclassified in the

red viscacha rat, Tympanoctomys barrerae, has been proposed to be a tetraploid, with 102 chromosomes.[3][4] However, subsequent studies have shown that the increased genome size is due to expansions of repetitive DNA elements.[5][6]

Members of the genus

Spalacopus, S. cyanus, is called the coruro
. Members of the other genera are called viscacha rats.

List of species

Genus Aconaemys Ameghino, 1891 (Andean rock rats).

Genus

Spalacopus (Wagler
, 1832).

Genus Octodon Bennett, 1832 (typical degus).

  • Species
    Octodon bridgesii
     Waterhouse, 1844 (Bridges's degu). Western Chile
  • Species
    Octodon degus
     (Molina, 1782) (Common degu). Western Chile.
  • Species
    Octodon lunatus
     Osgood, 1943 (Moon-toothed degu). Western Chile.
  • Species
    Octodon pacificus
     Hutterer, 1994 (Isla Mocha degu). Isla Mocha, off western Chile.
  • Species
    Octodon ricardojeda
     D'Elía, Teta, Verzi, Cadenilla, & Patton, 2020 (Ricardo Ojeda's degu). Andes of Chile and Argentina.

Genus

Octodontomys
Palmer, 1903.

Genus

Octomys Thomas
, 1920.

  • Species
    Octomys mimax
     Thomas, 1920 (Mountain viscacha rat). Andes of Argentina.

Genus

Pipanacoctomys
Mares et al., 2000.

  • Species
    Pipanacoctomys aureus
     Mares et al., 2000 (Golden viscacha rat). Catamarca Prov., Argentina.

Genus Tympanoctomys Yepes, 1942.

References

  1. ISBN 0-87196-871-1
    .
  2. PMID 16085429
    .
  3. doi:10.1038/43815
    .
  4. doi:10.1016/j.ygeno.2006.02.010
    .
  5. PMID 15780745
    .
  6. PMC 3204295
    .
  • Gallardo, M. H. et al.. (2004). Whole-genome duplications in South American desert rodents (Octodontidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 82, 443–451.

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Octodontidae&oldid=1217089554"