2.

Montane Guinea Pig

Cavia tschudii

French: Cobaye de Tschudi / German: Tschudi-Meerschweinchen / Spanish: Cobaya de montana

Taxonomy. Cavia tschudii Fitzinger, 1867,

“in der Umgegend der Stadt Yca,” Ica, Peru.

Cavia tschudii is in need of revision relative to its subspecific taxonomy. A. Cabrera includes the subspecies umbrata as a synonym of festina and they have similar ranges. This is pending further review. Eight subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

C.t.tschudiiFitzinger,1867 —IcaRegion,SPeru.

C.t.atahualpaeOsgood,1913 —Inter-AndeanvalleysofNPeru.

C.t.festinaThomas,1927 —CPeruvianAndes,inJuninDepartment.

C.t.osgoodiSanborn,1949 —NofLakeTiticacaintheAltiplanoofSPeru.

C.t.pallidorThomas,1917 —lowlandsofSPeruandNChileandhighlandsofBolivia.

C.t.sodalisThomas,1926 —highlandsinJujuy,Salta,Tucuman,andCatamarcaprovincesinNArgentina.

C.t.stolidaThomas,1926 —UtcubambaValleyofNWPeru.

C. t. umbrata Thomas, 1917 — Andes in the Junin Region in C Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head-body averages 220-270 mm, ear 20-35 mm, hindfoot 24-49 mm; weight 295-390 g. Greatest lengths of skull are 55-69 mm. The eight subspecies of the Montane Guinea Pig vary; for example, their dorsal color varies from cinnamon to reddish brown to gray-blackish, and ventral color is whitish to gray to buffy, occasionally ocherous. Nevertheless, there is no consistent overall pattern across all subspecies.

Habitat. Highly variable from high-elevation Andean grasslands or brushy habitats in northern Argentina, where cavies use distinct runways, to deserts and riparian habitats in Chile, ranging into humid pampas and areas of cultivation at elevations from sea level to 4500 m.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Montane Guinea Pig is no doubt herbivorous.

Breeding. Gestation of the Montane Guinea Pig is 56-69 days. Mean litter size is 1-9 young (range 1-4). Individuals attain sexual maturity at c.2 months.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but it is reported as crepuscular to nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Montane Guinea Pig is thought to face limited conservation threat because ofits very extensive distribution.

Bibliography. Cabrera (1961), Canevari & Vaccaro (2007), Dunnum (2015), Dunnum & Salazar-Bravo (2010a), Redford & Eisenberg (1992), Woods & Kilpatrick (2005).