Tschudi guinea pigs
| Tschudi guinea pigs | ||||||||||||
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| Cavia tschudii | ||||||||||||
| Fitzinger , 1867 |
The Tschudi guinea pig ( Cavia tschudii ) is a species from the genus of the real guinea pigs ( Cavia ). They got their name after the Swiss South American researcher Johann Jakob von Tschudi . The animals live in the South American Andes in Peru and southwards across parts of Chile and Bolivia to the north of Argentina .
features
The Tschudi guinea pigs correspond in their physique to other guinea pigs and are very variable in their size and also in their coat color. The head-trunk length of the holotype is approximately 31.3 centimeters in representatives of Cavia tschudii stolida , while it is only 21.8 centimeters in Cavia tschudii sodalis . The coat color varies depending on the subspecies from grayish-cinnamon to dark reddish-brown or olive-brown to grayish-black.
distribution
The Tschudi guinea pig is distributed in the South American Andes in Peru and southwards over parts of northeast Chile and Bolivia to the north of Argentina . It lives at altitudes of around 3000 to 4300 meters. It is not found in the Yungas or the Bolivian plains.
Way of life
The Tschudi guinea pig usually lives in damp and rocky habitats in the area of rivers and also in swamp areas. In Peru, the animals live in dense grasslands, as well as in bushes of grass and gallery forests in which they create walking paths. They occur both in undisturbed as well as in secondary habitats . You live in buildings with several entrances.
Little is known about reproduction. The gestation period in captivity is about 63 days, after which the females give birth to a litter of one to four young animals. The young animals can reproduce after two months.
Systematics
The Tschudi guinea pig is classified as an independent species within the genus Cavia . The first scientific description comes from Leopold Joseph Fitzinger from 1867, who described the species using individuals from Ica , the capital of the Ica region in Peru. It was originally assigned to the common guinea pig ( Cavia aperea ), but is now considered a valid species.
Within the species, six to eight subspecies are described together with the nominate form . The following illustration follows Dunnum 2015 with eight subspecies, although a revision is still pending according to the author.
- Cavia tschudii tschudii : nominate form, in the Ica region of Peru; Body color grayish cinnamon
- Cavia tschudii atahualpae : In the valley regions of the Andes in northern Peru. The shape is large and dark grayish-cinnamon to black in color. The sides of the body are lighter than the back.
- Cavia tschudii festina : In the Andean region of central Peru, in the Junín region . Body color greyish-cinnamon
- Cavia tschudii osgoodi : In the south of Peru in the Altiplano north of Lake Titicaca . Body color dark reddish brown
- Cavia tschudii pallidior : In the lowlands of northern Chile and southern Peru up to the high altitudes of Bolivia .
- Cavia tschudii sodalis : In the high elevations of the provinces of Tucumán and Jujuy in northern Argentina, formerly also in the province of Salta . The animals are pale brown in color.
- Cavia tschudii stolida : In the Utcubamba Valley in northwestern Peru. Body color dark olive-brown
- Cavia tschudii umbrata : In the Andean region of central Peru, in the Junín region . Body color grayish black
Wilson & Reeder 2005 distinguishes only six subspecies. Cavia tschudii atahualpae , Cavia tschudii pallidior and Cavia tschudii umbrata are not considered there ; according to Dunnum 2015 , the subspecies Cavia tschudii arequipae is regarded as a synonym for Cavia tschudii pallidior . Cavia stolida is sometimes viewed as a separate species.
Hazard and protection
The species is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified with the relatively large distribution area and the assumed large and stable stocks. There are no known risks to the existence of this species.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e Jonathan L. Dunnum: Cavua tschudii Fitzinger, 1867 In: James L. Patton, Ulyses FJ Pardinas, Guillermo D'Elía (eds.): Mammals of South America, Volume 2 - Rodents. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 2015; Pp. 701 ff. ISBN 978-0-226-16957-6 .
- ↑ a b c d Cavia tschudii in the IUCN 2015-4 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: J. Dunnum, B. Patterson, H. Zeballos, P. Teta, 2008. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ↑ a b c d e Cavia tschudii ( Memento of the original from February 14, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
- ↑ Leopold Joseph Fitzinger : Attempt at a natural arrangement of rodents (Rodentia). 2 parts. In: Session reports of the mathematical and natural science class of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Department 1: Biology, Mineralogy, Geography. Vol. 55, 1867, ISSN 0371-4810 , pp. 453-515 , Vol. 56, 1867, pp. 57-168 .
literature
- Jonathan L. Dunnum: Cavua tschudii Fitzinger, 1867 In: James L. Patton, Ulyses FJ Pardinas, Guillermo D'Elía (Eds.): Mammals of South America, Volume 2 - Rodents. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 2015; Pp. 701 ff. ISBN 978-0-226-16957-6 .
Web links
- Cavia tschudii inthe IUCN 2015-4 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: J. Dunnum, B. Patterson, H. Zeballos, P. Teta, 2008. Retrieved February 14, 2016.