Rock Cavy

Taxobox | name = Rock Cavy
status = LR/lc
status_system = iucn2.3

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image_width = 200px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Rodentia
familia = Caviidae
subfamilia = Caviinae
genus = "Kerodon"
species = "K. rupestris"
binomial = "Kerodon rupestris"
binomial_authority = Wied-Neuwied, 1820

The Rock Cavy or Mocó, "Kerodon rupestris", is a cavy species endemic to eastern Brazil, from eastern Piauí state to Minas Gerais state.

Rock cavies are found in dry rocky areas, with low scrubby vegetation, and close to stony mountains and hills, resembling another (only distantly related) creature, the rock hyrax. They usually shelter in crevices and are territorial animals, defending rock piles against other adult males.

It's a fairly large rodent weighing up to 1 kg (2.2 lbs) and, just like other cavy rodents, the tail of a rock cavy is vestigial or absent. The dorsum is grey and the venter light brown.

They feed on seed, leaves of the scrubby vegetation that grows in their territory. They live in groups and give birth to one or two youngs only, but several litters per year are common. The gestation period averages seventy-five days. They can, sometimes, display homosexual behavior with adult males courting juvenile males. Each group has an alpha or dominant male and several females.

Rocky cavies are common animals, even though they are frequently hunted for food by local human populations.

References

*
*John F. Eisenberg and Kent H. Redford, 2000. Mammals of Neotropics: Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil.
*Bruce Bagemihl, 2000. Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity.