Black Agouti

Black Agouti
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Dasyproctidae
Genus:	Dasyprocta
Species:	D. fuliginosa
Binomial name
Dasyprocta fuliginosa Wagler, 1832

The Black Agouti, Dasyprocta fuliginosa, is a South American agouti species from the family Dasyproctidae. It is found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. The agouti is the only animal that has sharp enough teeth to crack open the tough shell of a brazil nut, something that similar rodents such as the guinea pig cannot do.

References

1. ^ Catzeflis, F., Patton, J., Percequillo, A., Bonvicino, C. & Weksler, M. (2008). Dasyprocta fuliginosa. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 January 2009.

• John F. Eisenberg and Kent H. Redford, 2000. Mammals of Neotropics: Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil.