Pediolagus salinicola
SUBFAMILY
Dolichotinae
TAXONOMY
Pediolagus salinicola (Burmeister, 1876), southwest Catamarca Province, Argentina.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
Spanish: Mara chico.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Head and body length averages 17.1–17.7 in (435–450 mm), tail averages 0.9 in (24 mm), and the weight is 4.6–5.9 lb (2.1–2.7 kg). Basic body form is similar to the mara. The pelage is thick, with the dorsal region being agouti, sides lighter, and the under parts white. Has a distinct band of either white or yellow extending around the flank region to the stomach. Sides of the face are tan colored, and white patches appear behind the eyes. Highly adapted for cursorial locomotion.
DISTRIBUTION
Overlaps with the larger mara, occurring in the southern portion of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and the Chaco of Paraguay.
HABITAT
Prefers low, arid or semiarid flats characterized by thorn scrub and woody vegetation. Also occurs in temperate steppe regions.
BEHAVIOR
Diurnal and digs burrows. Forms social groups consisting of an adult pair and young. Animals scent mark and reveal play activity characterized by frisky hops and rolling in sand where scent marking has occurred. Females tend to nurse their young while sitting in open areas, and males tend to show little evidence of extended parental care. Vocalizations are warning calls consisting of a whine. Relationship among individuals is a linear male dominance hierarchy, and alpha males dominate subordinates with aggressive encounters. Females are less aggressive toward each other.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Herbivorous, with dietary preferences that vary seasonally. In the Chaco region, the diet consists of over 28 species of forbs, 26 species of shrubs, and eight species of grasses. The most popular food items were plant species not preferred by livestock. Grasses preferred during the rainy season, and succulent vegetation during the dry season. Generally forage on lower leaves of bushes, but also stand upright and feed on higher vegetation by grasping with front paws. They have been observed to climb during foraging.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Gestation period averages 77 days in the wild and approximately 75 days in captive populations. Two offspring are born per litter, and young are weaned around four weeks of age.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
| Common name / Scientific name | Physical characteristics | Habitat and behavior | Distribution | Diet | Conservation status |
| Shiny guinea pig Cavia fulgida | Coarse, long pelage, crest of hair on neck. Color is grayish or brownish. Short legs, and short, unfurred ears. Head and body length 7.8–15.7 in (20–40 cm), weight 17.6–52.9 oz (500–1,500 g). | Open grasslands, forest edge, swamps, and rocky areas, sometimes at elevations up to 13,800 ft (4,200 m). Live in small groups, usually five to 10 individuals. | Southeastern Brazil. | Many of kinds of vegetation. | Not threatened |
| Domestic guinea pig Cavia porcellus | Stocky body with short legs. Color varies from white, black, red, cream, lilac, to brown or a combination of these colors. Length, texture depends on breed. Head and body length 7.8–19.7 in (20– 50 cm). | In the wild, they can be found in temperate forest and rainforest, temperate grassland. Very social, live in groups of five to 10 individuals. Breed continuously throughout the year. | Northwestern Venezuela to central Chile. | Commercial pellets, fruits, and vegetables. | Not threatened |
| Yellow-toothed cavy Galea flavidens | Upperparts are agouti-colored, under-parts are grayish white. No external tail. Head and body length 6–10 in (15–25 cm), weight 10.6–21.2 oz (300–600 g). | Grasslands at high or low elevations, as well as rocky and brushy areas. Live in groups, female hierarchy weaker than male hierarchy. Breed throughout the year. | Brazil. | Grasses, forbs, and other kinds of vegetation. | Not threatened |
| Rock cavy Kerodon rupestris | Tail is absent. Upperparts are grayish with white and black mottling, throat is white, underparts are yellowish brown. Nails are blunt and sharp. Adult weight 31.7–35.3 oz (900–1,000 grams). | Near stony mountains or hills, seeking shelter under rocks or in the fissures between stones, sometimes making a burrow under the stones. Births occur throughout the year. | Eastern Brazil. | Mainly tender leaves. | Not threatened |
| Andean mountain cavy Microcavia niata | No external tail, upperparts are olive gray agouti, underparts are pale gray. Prominent white ring around eyes. Head and body length 7.9–8.6 in (20–22 cm), weight 7.1–52.9 oz (200–500 g). | In high mountains. Population size varies. Considered a pest. | Southwestern Bolivia in the high Andes. | Leaves and fruits. | Not threatened |
| Greater guinea pig Cavia magna | Coarse, long pelage, crest of hair on neck. Color is grayish or brownish. Short legs, and short, unfurred ears. Head and body length 7.9–15.7 in (20–40 cm), weight 17.6–52.9 oz (500–1,500 g). | Open grasslands, forest edge, swamps, and rocky areas, sometimes at elevations up to 13,800 ft (4,200 m). Live in small groups, usually five to 10 individuals. | Dept. of Rocha, Uruguay, to Estados Rio Grande del Sur and Santa Catarina, Brazil. | Many kinds of vegetation. | Not threatened |
| Montane guinea pig Cavia tschudii | Coarse, long pelage, crest of hair on neck. Color is grayish or brownish. Short legs, and short, unfurred ears. Head and body length 7.9–15.7 in (20– 40 cm), weight 17.6–52.9 oz (500– 1,500 g). | Open grasslands, forest edge, swamps, and rocky areas, sometimes at elevations up to 13,800 ft (4,200 m). Live in small groups, usually five to 10 individuals. | Peru, southern Bolivia, northwestern Argentina, and northern Chile. | Many kinds of vegetation. | Not threatened |
