Dasyprocta punctata Gray 1842

Dasyprocta punctata Gray 1842, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 1, 10: 264.

Type Locality: Nicaragua, Chinadega, El Realejo.

Vernacular Names: Central American Agouti.

Subspecies::

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. punctata Gray 1842

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. bellula Kellogg 1946

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. boliviae Thomas 1917

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. callida Bang 1901

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. chiapensis Goldman 1913

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. chocoensis Allen 1915

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. columbiana Bangs 1898

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. dariensis Goldman 1913

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. isthmica Alston 1876

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. nuchalis Goldman 1917

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. pallidiventris Bole 1937

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. pandora Thomas 1917

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. richmondi Goldman 1917

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. underwoodi Goldman 1931

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. urucuma Allen 1915

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. variegata Tschudi 1845

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. yucatanica Goldman 1913

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. yungarum Thomas 1910

Subspecies Dasyprocta punctata subsp. zamorae Allen 1915

Distribution: Chiapas and Yucatan Peninsula (S Mexico) to S Bolivia, N Argentina, and SE Brazil. Introduced into W and E Cuba and the Cayman Isls.

Conservation: CITES – Appendix III (Honduras); IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: Includes variegata (Goldman, 1913:11); but also see Handley (1976:56) and Emmons and Feer (1997:227) who listed variegata as a distinct species. Hall (1981) recognized 11 subspecies in Central America and Cabrera (1961) recognaized 8 subspecies in South America, however, a comprehensive evaluation of geographic variation is needed. Karyotype of variegata reported as 2n=64 and FN=124 (George and Weir, 1974).