Local animals in this group:
hystricognath rodents
Hystricomorpha
Hystricognath rodents are a large group of rodents, with more than 230 species. Species in this group are found in North and South America and in Africa and Asia, although the vast majority of species are found in South America. This groups includes some of the largest rodents, including capybaras and American and Old World porcupines. This group also includes some of the most unusual species of rodents, such as naked mole rats, and some of the most familiar, such as porcupines, guinea pigs, and chinchillas. All species in this group are herbivorous, mainly eating plant leaves. Many species in this group are widely eaten by humans, including capybaras, spiny rats, guinea pigs, pacas, and agoutis.
Contributors
Tanya Dewey (author), Animal Diversity Web.
BioKIDS home | Questions? | Animal Diversity Web
Dewey, T. . "Hystricomorpha" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed May 20, 2024 at http://localhost:2015/accounts/Hystricomorpha/BioKIDS is sponsored in part by the Interagency
Education Research Initiative. It is a partnership of the University of Michigan School
of Education, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, and the Detroit
Public Schools. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science
Foundation under Grant DRL-0628151.
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