Octodon
| Octodon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Common degu, Octodon degus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Octodontidae |
| Genus: | Octodon Bennett, 1823 |
| Type species | |
| Octodon cumingii Bennett, 1832 (= Sciurus degus Molina, 1782) | |
| Species | |
|
Octodon bridgesi | |
 | |
| Octodon distribution O. lunatus in red, O. degus in green, O. bridgesii in blue, O. pacificus in purple (in box) | |
Octodon (from Ancient Greek ὀκτώ (oktṓ), meaning "eight", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth") is a genus of octodontid rodents native to South America, in particular in the Chilean Andes. The best-known member is the common degu, O. degus, which is kept as a pet in various countries. Two of the four species of degus are nocturnal.