Lowland paca

Lowland paca
CITES Appendix III 
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cuniculidae
Genus: Cuniculus
Species:
C. paca
Binomial name
Cuniculus paca
Lowland paca range
Synonyms

Mus paca Linnaeus, 1766

The lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), also known as the spotted paca, is a species of rodent. It has coarse dark brown to black fur, a pale underbelly, and typically 3–5 rows of white spots along its sides. Adults weigh 6 to 12 kilograms (13 to 26 lb). Its zygomatic arch is expanded laterally and dorsally to form a resonating chamber, a feature unique among mammals.

Lowland pacas are primarily nocturnal and solitary. They inhabit forested areas near water, live in burrows, and are strong swimmers that commonly enter the water to escape danger. Their diet consists mainly of plant material, including fruit, seeds, nuts, roots, and tubers, and they act as seed distributors.

Lowland pacas are hunted for their meat and can be agricultural pests, feeding on crops, including yam, cassava, sugar cane, and maize. Their numbers have been reduced by hunting and habitat destruction, although they remain plentiful in protected habitats.

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