Moon-toothed Degu
Encyclopedia
The Moon-toothed degu is a species of rodent
in the family Octodontidae
. It is endemic to Chile
, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country.
light than other octodontids
, most likely as a result of its nocturnal habits.
The moon-toothed degu has deep molar indentations but lacks a fold on the inside of the last molar.
than the common degu and inhabits dense scrubland near the coast. Habitat ranges from sea level to 1,200 m in the Andes.
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
in the family Octodontidae
Octodontidae
The Octodontidae are a family of rodents, restricted to south-western South America. Thirteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in nine genera. The best known species is the Degu, Octodon degus....
. It is endemic to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country.
Biology and physiology
Unlike its close relative the common degu, the moon-toothed degu is nocturnal (active at night). The ventral fur of this species has been found to be much less reflective of UVUltraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
light than other octodontids
Octodontidae
The Octodontidae are a family of rodents, restricted to south-western South America. Thirteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in nine genera. The best known species is the Degu, Octodon degus....
, most likely as a result of its nocturnal habits.
The moon-toothed degu has deep molar indentations but lacks a fold on the inside of the last molar.
Habitat
The species is less widely distributed in ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
than the common degu and inhabits dense scrubland near the coast. Habitat ranges from sea level to 1,200 m in the Andes.