Southern Mountain Cavy

About the Southern Mountain Cavy

The southern mountain cavy (Microcavia australis) is a species of South American rodent in the family Caviidae. Southern mountain cavies are tailless rodents with short, speckled, greyish-yellow fur, fading to pale grey on the underparts. Adults measure around 20 cm (7.9 in) in total length and weigh between 200 and 326 g (7.1 and 11.5 oz). They have large eyes surrounded by a prominent white ring, and small rounded ears. Females have four teats.

Southern mountain cavies are largely restricted to Argentina, but may also be found in some neighbouring regions of Chile and Bolivia. They are found across almost the whole of western and southern Argentina, where they inhabit arid and semiarid lowlands, often close to rivers or in areas dominated by thorn bushes. Three subspecies are currently recognised:

M. a. australis - central western to southern Argentina, from San Juan to Santa Cruz, and parts of southeastern Chile M. a. maenas - northwest Argentina, from Jujuy to La Rioja, and extreme southern Bolivia M. a. salinia - western Argentina, from Catamarca and Santiago del Estero to Córdoba

Southern mountain cavies... Wikipedia →