Microcavia | |
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Southern mountain cavy (Microcavia australis) | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Caviidae |
Subfamily: | Caviinae |
Genus: | Microcavia Gervais & Ameghino, 1880 |
Type species | |
Microcavia typus † |
Microcavia (mountain cavies) is a genus of rodents in the family Caviidae. They are unique within their family in that their premolar teeth do not grow and replace the original deciduous cheek teeth until after the animal is born; in other genera this occurs in the womb.[1]
It contains six extant species:[2]
Four fossil species are traditionally recognized, including the type species of this genus:
At least nine other fossil species have also been named, dating back to the mid Pliocene, although it is unclear how many of these are truly valid.[1]