Pakarana
| Pakarana | ||||||||||||
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Pakarana ( Dinomys branickii ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Dinomys | ||||||||||||
| Peters , 1873 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Dinomys branickii | ||||||||||||
| Peters , 1873 |
The Pakarana ( Dinomys branickii ) is a large South American rodent species and the only living representative of the Dinomyidae . The name means in the language of the Tupí Indians "false Paka" and alludes to the similarities with the Pakas ( Cuniculus ).
distribution
Pakaranas live in forests in northern South America in the foothills of the Andes . Their distribution area extends from Colombia and Venezuela to Peru and Bolivia .
description
Pakaranas are among the largest living rodents in South America after the capybaras . They have a massive body and a strikingly large and broad head. The ears are small and round, the eyes relatively large. The whiskers are often longer than the head. Their fur is colored black-brown on the upper side, two stripes of white spots run along the back, two shorter stripes can be found on the flanks. The underside is lighter in color. Pakaranas are sole walkers, the feet each end in four toes, which are equipped with large grave claws. The head body length of these animals is between 73 and 80 centimeters, the thick tail reaches around a quarter of this length (around 20 centimeters). They reach a weight of 10 to 15 kilograms.
Way of life
Pakaranas live in rainforests at the foot of the Andes at an altitude of up to 3000 meters. They are primarily ground dwellers, although they can climb well. Despite their grave claws, they are rarely allowed to dig burrows, but prefer natural crevices or elevated positions as resting places. They should generally be nocturnal and live together individually or in pairs. These animals communicate using a variety of sounds, including trampling their feet, chattering teeth, and various hissing and howling sounds. In captivity, they are considered very peaceful animals.
food
Pakaranas mainly consume fruits, leaves and plant stems. To eat, they sit on their back legs and take the food with their front paws.
Reproduction
Little is known about the reproduction of the pakaranas. After a gestation period of 220 to 280 days, the female gives birth to one or two young. It is not known when young animals will be weaned or become sexually mature. Animals in captivity have often reached an age of over 10 years, the highest known age being 13 years.
Pakaranas and people
Pakaranas are shy, withdrawn animals whose way of life is still very little known. It was not until 1873 that the species was scientifically described, and several times it was considered almost extinct. Most likely the populations are declining due to the destruction of their habitat or the hunting of their meat, the IUCN lists the species as endangered. According to other opinions, Pakaranas are more common than feared, because of their secluded way of life they are rarely sighted.
Systematics
Pakaranas are the only living representatives of the Dinomyidae today , but numerous extinct genera have been known from South America since the Oligocene . With Josephoartigasia monesi , Phoberomys pattersoni and Telicomys giganteus , the largest rodents that have ever lived belong to this group.
Web links
- Dinomys branickii in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Baillie, 1996. Retrieved on 9 May, 2006.
- Illustration
- Zoo AG Bielefeld
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .