The Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata ) is a species of agouti from the family Dasyproctidae. The main portion of its range is from Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula (southern Mexico), through Central America, to northwestern Ecuador, Colombia and far western Venezuela. A highly disjunct population is found in southeastern Peru, far southwestern Brazil, Bolivia, western Paraguay and far northwestern Argentina. The disjunct population has been treated as a separate species, the brown agouti (Dasyprocta variegata ), but a major review of the geographic variation is necessary. The Central American agouti has also been introduced to Cuba and the Cayman Islands.
Though some populations are reduced due to hunting and deforestation, large populations remain and it is not considered threatened.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Central American agouti is a large South American rodent. It is typically reddish, orange, or yellowish grizzled with black. Populations that live in northern Colombia, western Venezuela, and on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica and Panama have brownish or blackish grizzled with tawny or olivaceous foreparts; their mid-body is orange, and the rump is black or cream. In western Colombia and Ecuador, some have tawny foreparts and yellowish to the rump. Agoutis from the disjunct southern population (Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina) are grizzled brown, yellowish, and black, or grizzled black and orange.
Central American agoutis occur from Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula (southern Mexico), through Central America, to northwestern Ecuador, Colombia, and far western Venezuela. A highly disjunct population is found in southeastern Peru, far southwestern Brazil, Bolivia, western Paraguay, and far northwestern Argentina. Central American agoutis live in tropical moist forests and cultivated areas such as plantations and rural gardens.
In the wild, Central American agoutis are shy animals. They live in pairs and are active during the day. Each pair occupies territory with fruiting trees usually near water. Males defend their territory and drive off intruders through fighting, aggressive displays, or vocally emitting dog-like barks. Agoutis conceal themselves at night in hollow tree trunks or in burrows among roots. Active and graceful in their movements, their pace is either a kind of trot or a series of springs following one another so rapidly as to look like a gallop. They also take readily to water, in which they swim well. When feeding, agoutis sit on their hind legs and hold food between their fore paws. They frequently hoard fruits and seeds in small, buried stores for later consumption or when food is scarce. If threatened, they typically stay motionless although they are very fast animals and can move with remarkable speed and agility.
Central American agoutis are herbivores (frugivores, granivores) and mainly feed on fruits and seeds.
Central American agoutis are monogamous and form pairs for life. They may breed throughout the year, but the peak of birth typically occurs between March and July, when the fruit is most plentiful. After the gestation period of 104-120 days, females usually give birth to 2 pups. The young are born in burrows lined with leaves, roots, and hair. They are well developed at birth and may be up and eating within an hour. Although agoutis live in pairs, fathers are barred from the nest while the young are very small. The nursing period usually takes 4-5 months at which point the pups become independent.
The main threats to Central American agoutis include habitat loss due to deforestation and hunting. These animals are heavily hunted for meat and are also a preferred game species.
According to IUCN, the Central American agouti is widespread and common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Central American agoutis are important for the dispersal of seeds, as they regularly bury seeds and fruits in a cache at times when food is plentiful. They are also an important connection in food webs. As a prey species, numbers of agoutis may affect populations of local predators such as eagles and jaguars.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...