Dasyprocta leporina (Linnaeus, 1758)

Size and Sexual Dimorphism

The red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) weighs 3 to 6 kilograms (6.6 to 13.2 lb), and measures 48 to 64 cm (19 to 25 in) in length. Females are larger than males, but the sexes are similar in appearance otherwise.

Body Coloration

The species is brownish with darker spots on the upper body; its fur becomes more orange moving down the midsection of the body.

Limb and Ear Morphology

Its ears are somewhat square-shaped. Front feet have four toes each, while hind feet have three toes each.

Species Distinguishing Features

It can be told apart from other agouti species by its distinct coloring.

Breeding Cycle

It has no set breeding season; females enter breeding condition twice per year, and typically produce between one and four young per litter.

Gestation and Weaning

Gestation lasts 104 to 120 days, and young are weaned on average after 20 weeks.

Social Structure

Red-rumped agoutis live either in pairs, or in family groups made up of parents and their offspring.

Captivity Requirements

They require large areas for feeding, breeding, and territory, which makes keeping this species difficult in captivity.

Lifespan

Individuals live 15 to 20 years in captivity.

Native Distribution

This species is native to northeastern South America, occurring primarily in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and northeastern Brazil, as well as the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Lucia.

Introduced Distribution

It has also been introduced to Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Grenada, and Dominica.

Habitat

It occupies a wide range of forest habitats, including rainforest and secondary forest.