Dolichotis Patagonum

CLAUDIA MONICA CAMPOS; TOGNELLI, MARCELO; OJEDA, RICARDO ALBERTO

Mammalian Species

Lugar: Northampton, MA; Año: 2001 p. 1 - 5

Dolichotis patagonum is distinguished from other cavids by its long ears, short tail, longer limbs, and radius longer than humerus. Anal glands are between the anus and the base of the tail in Dolichotis whereas they are anterior to the anus in other cavids. GENERAL CHARACTERS. Dolichotis patagonum (Fig. 1) is the largest cavid. It resembles the jackrabbit (Lepus; Mares and Ojeda, 1982; Smythe, 1970). Dorsal pelage is agouti gray and the rump exhibits a striking white patch separated from the dorsal fur by a contrasting black area (Genest and Dubost, 1974; Redford and Eisenberg,1992). Underparts are white; flanks and chin are orangish. The short tail of the mara is depressed and almost hairless (Cabrera, 1953). General form is modified for cursorial life. Hindlimbs are longer and more muscular than forelimbs. Feet are compressed and hooflike. Forefeet have four digits, whereas hindfeet have three digits (Ellerman, 1940). Mean and range of external measurements (in mm) of adult maras from Argentina are: total length, 707.2, 610--810, n = 10; length of hindfoot, 140.5, 130--160, n = 7; length of ear, 97, 90--103, n = 7 (Redford and Eisenberg, 1992). Mean weight for 8 males captured in southern Argentina was 7.73 kg (SD = 0.62), and for 15 females was 8.33 kg (SD = 0.74---Taber, 1987). Mean and range of selected measurements (in mm) for adult females are: length of head and body, 730, 707--760, n = 4; length of hindfoot, 133.3, 100--165, n = 3; length of ear, 101, 95--107, n = 3; condylobasal length, 121.2, 118.8--123.6, n = 4; least interorbital breadth, 41.3, 38.7--43.3, n = 4; zygomatic breadth, 66.5, 63.5--69.2, n = 4; greatest length of skull, 130, 125.8--133.8, n = 4; length of maxillary toothrow, 27.3, 26.3--26.9, n = 4; length of mandibular toothrow, 27.5, 26.5--28.8, n = 4.