Caviidae

Brazilian guinea pig Cavia aperea, photographed by David Blank.

Belongs within: Caviomorpha.

The Caviidae include the cavies (Caviinae) and the maras or Patagonian hares (Dolichotis). The best known species is the guinea pig Cavia porcellus, originally domesticated for food in South America but widely kept around the world as a pet.

Characters (from Nowak 1999): Head and body length 200-750 mm, tail vestigial. Dental formula i1/1 c0/0 p1/1 m3/3; incisors short; tooth rows tending to converge anteriorly; cheek teeth rootless with simple pattern of two prisms having sharp folds and angular projections. Four digits on fore foot, three on hind foot.

Caviidae
    |  i. s.: Microcavia GA90
    |           |--M. australis IT07
    |           |--M. niata GA90
    |           `--M. shiptoni IT07
    |         Kerodon rupestris IT07
    |--Dolichotis [Dolichotinae] B74
    |    |--D. patagona B74
    |    `--D. salinicola IT07
    `--Caviinae B74
         |--Galea B74
         |    |--G. flavidens IT07
         |    |--G. musteloides B74
         |    `--G. spixii IT07
         `--Cavia K92
              |--C. aperea GA90
              |--C. cobaya D37
              |--C. fulgida IT07
              |--C. magna IT07
              |--C. porcellus (Linnaeus 1758) K92
              `--C. tschudii IT07

Inorganic: Cavia porcellus minilorientalis Okamura 1987 O87

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[B74] Bugge, J. 1974. The cephalic arterial system in insectivores, primates, rodents and lagomorphs, with special reference to the systematic classification. Acta Anatomica 87 (Suppl 62): 1-160.

[D37] Dobzhansky, T. 1937. Genetics and the Origin of Species. Columbia University Press: New York.

[GA90] Glanz, W. E., & S. Anderson. 1990. Notes on Bolivian mammals. 7. A new species of Abrocoma (Rodentia) and relationships of the Abrocomidae. American Museum Novitates 2991: 1-32.

[IT07] Isaac, N. J. B., S. T. Turvey, B. Collen, C. Waterman & J. E. M. Baillie. 2007. Mammals on the EDGE: conservation priorities based on threat and phylogeny. PLoS One 2 (3): e296.

[K92] Klompen, J. S. H. 1992. Phylogenetic relationships in the mite family Sarcoptidae (Acari: Astigmata). Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 180: i-vi, 1-154.

Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. JHU Press.

[O87] Okamura, C. 1987. New facts: Homo and all Vertebrata were born simultaneously in the former Paleozoic in Japan. Original Report of the Okamura Fossil Laboratory 15: 347-573.