Rock cavy

The rock cavy is a fairly large rodent weighing up to . Like other cavy species, their tails are vestigial or absent. Their backs are grey-brown and their bellies tan to light brown. In appearance and habit, they closely resemble the unrelated African rock hyraxes (an example of convergent evolution). They are herbivorous, feeding on seeds and leaves of the scrubby vegetation that grows in their territories. This vegetation consists of tender leaves and certain species of creeper. == Distribution and habitat ==

Rock cavies are found in dry, rocky areas with low, scrubby vegetation, and they prefer to reside close to stony mountainsides and hills. They are native to eastern Brazil, from eastern Piauí state to Minas Gerais state, and have been introduced to the island of Fernando de Noronha, off the eastern coast of Brazil. == Phylogeny ==

Rock cavies belong to the order Rodentia, suborder Hystricomorpha, based on their porcupine-like jaw muscles. == Behavior ==

Rock cavies usually shelter in crevices. They may be seen resting at all times of day, but are crepuscular – active mostly at dawn and dusk. Studies show that rock cavies have a direct link between their retina and the mediodorsal nucleus in the thalamus, which may provide them with strong visual recognition, emotional learning, and/or enhanced object-reward associative memory. Parental care The young are able to eat solid food at 3 days old, but continue to nurse for up to 7 weeks. The milk produced for these young is very dense in energy. This may be due to the lack of water availability in their environment. Both male and female rock cavies care for their young. When both parents are present, the females spend more time with their young than the males do. When the male is absent, the females spend more time with their young than they do when the male is present. Females that raise young on their own are more aggressive than females that raise the young with a partner. The young raised by single mothers also gain more weight while nursing compared to those raised by both parents. ==Threats and protection==

Rock cavies are endemic to several protected areas, and reproduce quickly, so they are currently listed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List. Their range is also being reduced due to deforestation. Efforts are underway to breed rock cavies in captivity as a potential food source. == Footnotes ==