Central American agouti pictures and facts

With a little imagination you can guess the Agoutis' kinship: These rodents are relatives of the well-known Guinea pigs. But they are larger, more long-legged and more slender. Several species are known. They don't differ much in size and physique, but in fur colour. The best-known species are the Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata), the Black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa) and the Golden agouti (Dasyprocta leporina). Agoutis are up to 50 cm long and weigh about 3,5 kg. There's something special about their physique; while the front part of their body is quite slender, the rear part is more bulky. This kind of physique is an adaptation to living among the undergrowth and reveals that Agoutis are inhabitants of forests. Many smaller mammals inhabiting forests are of such a physique, e.g. some small ungulates like Duikers (Cephalophinae) and Mouse deer (Tragulidae).