Dasyprocta leporina (Linnaeus 1758)

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Dasyproctidae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 1556-1559 : 1557

Dasyprocta leporina (Linnaeus 1758)

[Mus] leporinus Linnaeus 1758 , Syst. Nat., 10th ed., Vol. 1: 59 .

Type Locality: Suriname, Peninka, Peninka Creek and Cennewijne River.

Vernacular Names: Red-rumped Agouti.

Subspecies: :

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. leporina Linnaeus 1758

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. albida Gray 1842

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. cayana Lacépède 1802

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. croconota Wagler 1831

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. fulvus Kerr 1792

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. lunaris Thomas 1917

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. maraxica Thomas 1923

Subspecies Dasyprocta leporina subsp. noblei Allen 1914

Distribution: Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Guianas, Amazonian and E Brazil, introduced into the Virgin Isls.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc). Common.

Discussion: Although the name aguti has been traditionally used, Husson (1978:462-463) explained why Mus leporinus has priority and Husson (1978) and Voss et al. (2001) explained why aguti should by synonymized. Recognized as D. aguti cayana by Cabrera (1961:585-586); may also include cristata . Includes albida, antillensis, and noblei; see Varona (1974:75), who included these forms in aguti . Several subspecies have been recognized by Cabrera (1961) and Ojasti (1972), but a comprehensive review of geographic variation is needed. The West Indian agoutis are descendents of forms introduced to the islands. The pattern appears to be D. leporina (from Brazil) to the Virgin Islands; D. l. albida on St. Vincent and Granada; D. l. fulvus on Martinique and St. Lucia; and D. l. noblei on Guadeloupe, St. Kitts, Dominica, and Montserrat. Karyotype has 2n=64 and FN=124 ( Fredga, 1966).