Paca
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| Paca Conservation status: Lower risk | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image Paka_(Coelogenys_Paca).png Paca | ||||||||||||||
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| Agouti paca (Linnaeus, 1766) |
The Paca (Agouti paca) is a large rodent found in tropical and sub-tropical America, from East-Central Mexico to Paraguay. It is called paca in most of its range, but tepezcuintle in Mexico.
There is much confusion in the nomenclature of this and related species; see agouti. In particular, the popular term agouti or common agouti normally refers to species of the distinct Dasyprocta genus (such as the Brazilian cotia, Dasyprocta punctata). Sometimes the word agouti is also used for the whole family Dasyproctidae, which, besides the Paca and common agoutis, includes also the acouchis (Myoprocta). To avoid misunderstandings, some authors prefer to use Cuniculus instead of Agouti as the Paca's genus.
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Description
The paca has coarse fur without underfur, dark brown to black on the upper body and white or yellowish on the underbelly. It usually has three to five rows of white spots along its sides, against a dark grey background. It has thick strong legs, with four digits in the forefeet and five in the hind feet (the first and fifth are reduced); the nails function as hooves. The tail is short and hairless. The zygomatic arch is expanded laterally and dorsally and is used as a resonating chamber - a unique feature among mammals.
An adult paca weights between 6 and 12 kg, which makes it the second-largest rodent species (after the Capybara). It has two litters per year, each having usually one young, sometimes two; gestation lasts 115–120 days. Pacas are sexually mature at about 1 year.
Habits
Pacas are mostly nocturnal and solitary and do not vocalize very much. They live in forested habitats near water, preferably smaller rivers, and dig simple burrows about 2 m below the surface, usually with more than one exit. Pacas are good swimmers and usually head for the water to escape danger. Their diet includes leaves, stems, roots, seeds, and fruit, especially avocados and mangos. They sometimes store food.
Economical and ecological aspects
Pacas are considered agricultural pests for yam, cassava, sugar cane, corn and other food crops. Their meat has excellent flavor and is highly prized. They are plentiful in protected habitats, and hence not in danger of extinction, but overall their numbers have been much reduced because of hunting and habitat destruction. They are easily bred and raised in farms.
External links
- ITIS database (http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=584738)
- Animal Diversity Web (http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Agouti_paca.html)
- Convenio Andrés Bello (http://www.cab.int.co/cab/biocab/biofauna/especie/agoutipaca/) (in Spanish)
- AmbiCenter (http://ambicenter.com.br/vermelhofauna1006.htm) (in Portuguese)de:Paka