Caviidae Author Don E. Wilson Author Thomas E. Lacher, Jr Author Russell A. Mittermeier text 2016 2016-07-31 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I 406 438 book chapter 57852 10.5281/zenodo.6585510 25f0b78d-5046-4f38-b635-04a5a86e575e 978-84-941892-3-4 6585510 4. Sacha Guinea Pig Cavia patzelti French: Cobaye de Patzelt / German: Patzelt-Meerschweinchen / Spanish: Cobaya de Patzelt Taxonomy. Cavia aperea patzelti Schliemann, 1982 , “Hochkordillere von Alao, Provinz Chimborazo, Equador,” Alao, Chimborazo, Ecuador . H. Schliemann noted morphological differences between this species and other Cavia taxa, but assigned it to aperea . J. L. Dunnum and J. Salazar-Bravo in 2010 supported the elevation to species based upon molecular and karyological data. Monotypic. Distribution. Chimborazo Mt, C Ecuador. Observations suggest its presence beyond the type locality. On following pages: 5. Greater Guinea Pig ( Cavia magna ); 6. Santa Catarina’s Guinea Pig ( Cavia intermedia ); 7. Southern Mountain Cavy ( Microcavia australis ); 8. Northern Mountain Cavy ( Microcavia niata ); 9. Shipton's Mountain Cavy ( Microcavia shiptoni ); 10. Spix’s Yellow-toothed Cavy ( Galea spixii ); 11. Eastern Yellow-toothed Cavy ( Galea flavidens ); 12. Highland Yellow-toothed Cavy ( Galea musteloides ); 13. Southern Highland Yellow-toothed Cavy ( Galea comes ); 14. Lowland Yellow-toothed Cavy ( Galea leucoblephara); 15. Greater Capybara ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris); 16. Lesser Capybara (Hydrochoerus isthmius); 17. Rock Cavy (Kerodon rupestris); 18. Acrobatic Cavy ( Kerodon acrobata ); 19. Patagonian Mara ( Dolichotis patagonum ); 20. Chacoan Mara ( Dolichotis salinicola ). Descriptive notes. Head-body 280-290 mm, ear 50 mm, hindfoot 46-50 mm; weight 700-725 g. Greatest lengths of skull are 63-69 mm. Back of the Sacha Guinea Pig is dark reddish drown. Habitat. High-elevation paramo in Ecuador at elevations of 3000-3800 m (type locality). This area has marshy areas and grassy slopes, with some forests of Polylepus ( Rosaceae ). Food and Feeding. The Sacha Guinea Pig is herbivorous and associated with Stipa (Poaceae) . Breeding. There is no information available for this species. Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species. Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species. Status and Conservation. The Sacha Guinea Pig has not yet been classified as a distinct species on The IUCN Red List. At the time of the last [UCN assessment, the Sacha Guinea Pig was included as a form of the Brazilian Guinea Pig (C. aperea ), but it was not named or formally assessed as a subspecies. Bibliography. Dunnum (2015), Dunnum & Salazar-Bravo (2010a), Schliemann (1982).