Myoprocta pratti and Myoprocta acouchy were once considered the same species. As a result, out-dated literature may refer to the green acouchy as Myoprocta acouchy, which is now considered a separate species, the red acouchy. In South America, green acouchies are known as "cutiaras," "chacures," "punchanas," and "tintíns."
Despite the prevalence of intraspecific attacks, green acouchies display many cooperative communication behaviors. When individuals notice a potential threat, they rapidly stamp their feet in a timed pattern, using the noise to warn fellow group members. Those who hear the warning, become still and soon begin stamping themselves. Additionally, if exploring new territory, an isolated acouchy may perform “lost-calling” to contact other individuals, though this is more typically performed by juveniles than adults.
Communication Channels: acoustic ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: scent marks
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Myoprocta pratti is classified as a species of "least concern" on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species, as it is abundant and widespread throughout its geographic range. Current threats include hunting and trapping.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known negative effects of Myoprocta pratti on humans.
Green acouchies are hunted throughout their geographic range for their meat. Although rare, individuals may also be kept as household pets.
Positive Impacts: food
Green acouchies are herbivorous. As scatter-hoarders, they aid in the dispersal of many plant species, particularly as nut and seed deposits are deliberately isolated and may easily be forgotten. Common throughout their geographic range, green acouchies are an important prey item for a number of different predatory species.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Green acouchies are herbivorous, with a broad diet that consists of roots, fruits, nuts and seeds. Acouchies clean and prepare their food very carefully before consuming it, a habit assumed to prevent ingestion of toxins present in many vegetable and fruit peels. They also exhibit the unique behavior of scatter-hoarding in which individual food items are deliberately buried in separate locations rather than in a single cache. Not all edible items are cached; green acouchies prefer to cache those that are relatively large and hard. The chosen object is carried in the mouth while a pit is dug. The seed or nut is then deposited, stamped into place, and re-buried with the forefeet. Often, acouchies use a leaf or piece of bark to mark the location of the cache.
Plant Foods: roots and tubers; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Foraging Behavior: stores or caches food
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore , Granivore )
Green acouchies (Myoprocta pratti) are native to South America and their distribution extends from the Andes to the Río Negro, south of the Amazon in Brazil and Peru and north of the Amazon in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Although the range of red acouchies does not typically overlap with that of green acouchies, both species are sympatric in central Colombia and are known to hybridize in this area.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Green acouchies live in arid-land forest and tropical rainforest habitats, making their homes in the dense undergrowth. They dig shallow holes which serve as nests, or otherwise use hollow logs or abandoned burrows. Acouchies prefer habitats near rivers and marshes. Although most populations inhabit lowland forests, the subspecies Myoprocta pratti archidonae lives along the eastern face of the Andes at an elevation of 2,400 ft (731 m).
Range elevation: 0 to 731 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
There is no information available regarding the lifespan of green acouchies.
Green acouchies are small, hystricomorphous rodents weighing from 0.8 to 1.2 kg, with body lengths ranging from 298 to 383 mm. Like other members of the family Dasyproctidae, green acouchies have long, thin legs, short ears, a short tail, and generally cylindrical body shape. On each hind foot are three toes with long hoof-like claws. They have four toes, and a vestigial thumb with claw on each forefoot. Their whiskers are long and black. The dorsum is covered in grizzled, olive-green, fur, and each individual hair has alternating black and yellow bands. Their course pelage is longer over the rump but does not overhang the area as it does in red acouchies. Ventral pelage is pale orange, fading to white on the throat, chest, and mid-ventral region. Typically they have a bright yellow stripe behind the ear, although in the Andean subspecies, this patch is ochraceous orange. Young green acouchies have a similar appearance to adults, with more pronounced orange coloration in their fur.
Range mass: 0.8 to 1.2 kg.
Range length: 298 to 383 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Green acouchies are prey to a large number of rainforest-dwelling species, including humans. Known predators include South American coatis, white-nosed coatis, and jaguars. Their coloration likely helps camouflage them from predators and their burrowing lifestyle helps reduce risk of predation.
Known Predators:
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
Green acouchies form monogamous pair-bonds, and the success and growth rate of offspring is dependent on the maintenance of parental pairs. When preparing to mate, males select a single female with whom they begin courtship. After an introductory approach, males initiate anogenital sniffing, followed by heavy tail-wagging, trembling, and rapid stepping or drumming of the front feet. If the female remains in place, the pair may begin grooming one another; however, foot drumming typically initiates a chase. Females continually walk away from males, pausing periodically to perform a “sex-crouch,” in which the back is lowered, and the rear and tail are raised to encourage pursuit. Males follow and frequently try to spray females with urine. If females continue to wander, males begin to move more rapidly and forcefully chase them with leaps and squeals until they either mount the female or courtship is discontinued.
Mating System: monogamous
Green acouchies reach sexual maturity at 8 to 12 months, with specific timing depending more on body weight than on age. Like most other hystricomorph rodents, female green acouchies have a vaginal closure membrane, which is open during estrus or when birthing young. Estrus lasts approximately 40 days. Breeding takes place year-round, however, peak reproductive activity occurs from January to June, resulting in an elevated summer birthrate. Gestation lasts for an average of 99 days, with young typically born in litters of one or two. Newborn green acouchies are precocial, born with eyes open, and are capable of walking outside the nest within 1 to 2 days after birth. Although newborns can eat solid foods during their first week, they are not truly weaned until 6 to 8 weeks after birth. If they are weaned before two weeks old, acouchies show stunted growth and development.
Breeding interval: Green acouchies breed approximately every 3 to 4 months
Breeding season: Year-round (with peak activity occurring from January to June)
Range number of offspring: 1 to 3.
Range gestation period: 94 to 101 days.
Average gestation period: 99 days.
Range weaning age: 6 to 8 weeks.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 8 to 12 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
In addition to nursing, green acouchy mothers exhibit several types of parent care toward their offspring. Prior to birthing young, females, and sometimes males, construct small nests where they give birth. Once birthed, young are groomed extensively by their mothers, which continues periodically for more than two months after parturition. New born acouchies are capable of self grooming 1 week after birth. For two weeks after parturition, mother acouchies emit a purring sound to encourage nursing. Purring is also though to help young identify their mother from other acouchies. Nursing is only initiated in the nest. If young stray from the nest, mothers grab them in their mouths and carry them back to the nest. If another animal approaches the nest, mothers respond aggressively by attacking the intruder or threatening it with whining and piloerection. Female green acouchies are known to cross-foster (i.e., nurse and care for) the young of other females.
Parental Investment: precocial ; male parental care ; female parental care ; pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female); post-independence association with parents
