Agoutis: Dasyproctidae

Agoutis are medium sized rodents, about the size of a rabbit, with long, thin legs and a squirrel-like face. Their bodies are slender in the front and bulkier in the rear. There are two genera (JEN-uh-rah; plural of genus, a group of related animals): Dasyprocta and Myoprocta. Agoutis have a head and body length of 12.6 to 25.2 inches (32 to 64 centimeters) and weigh 1.3 to 8.8 pounds (0.6 to four kilograms). They have a large head, plump body, and glossy fur. Their faces have prominent noses with whiskers, large eyes, and small ears positioned high on their head.

The tail on Dasyprocta species is a barely visible nub, while the tail on Myoprocta species is longer and readily visible. There is a wide range of colors within agoutis. In most species, the fur on their lower bodies is usually white, yellow, or buff. Their upper body fur ranges from pale orange, several shades of brown, to black. Several species have faint stripes. Their hind legs have three toes and are longer than their front legs, which have four toes. All toes have sharp, hoof-like claws.