Pacific degu
The Pacific degu (Octodon pacificus), also known as the Mocha Island degu, is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Mocha Island in Chile. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was classified in 1994 by Dr. Rainer Hutterer.[2]
| Pacific degu | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Octodontidae |
| Genus: | Octodon |
| Species: | O. pacificus |
| Binomial name | |
| Octodon pacificus R. Hutterer, 1994 | |
Like its close relative the common degu, the Mocha Island degu is diurnal (active during the day).[3] This species is said to have relatively primitive octodontid features,[2] including long fur and a tail lacking a substantial tuft,[2] a feature common amongst other octodons.
References
- Lessa, E.; Ojeda, R. & Bidau, C. (2008). "Octodon pacificus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2009.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hutterer, R. (1994), "Island rodents: A new species of Octodon from Isla Mocha, Chile (Mammalia: Octodontidae)", Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 59: 27–41.
- Ocampo-Garcés, A.; Mena, W.; Hernández, F.; Cortés, N.; Palacios, A.G. (2006), "Circadian chronotypes among wild-captured west Andean octodontids", Biol. Res., 39: 209–220., doi:10.4067/s0716-97602006000200003
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