# Dolichotis

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{{Short description|Genus of rodents}}
{{automatic taxobox
| image = Mara 1.jpg
| image_caption = A male [Patagonian mara](/source/Patagonian_mara)
| taxon = Dolichotis
| authority = [Desmarest](/source/Anselme_Ga%C3%ABtan_Desmarest), 1820
| type_species = ''[Cavia patachonica](/source/Dolichotis_patagonum)''
| type_species_authority = [Shaw](/source/George_Shaw_(biologist)), 1801<br />(= ''Cavia patagonum'' [Zimmermann](/source/Eberhard_August_Wilhelm_von_Zimmermann), 1780)
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 
* ''D. patagonum'', [Patagonian mara](/source/Patagonian_mara)
* ''D. salinicola'', [Chacoan mara](/source/Chacoan_mara)
* †''D. intermedia'' {{small|[Ameghino](/source/Florentino_Ameghino) 1889}}
* †''D. platycephala'' {{small|[Ameghino](/source/Florentino_Ameghino) 1889}}
}}

'''''Dolichotis''''' is a genus of the [cavy](/source/caviidae) family of rodents.<ref name = MSW3>{{MSW3 Hystricognathi | id = 13400210 | page = 1555}}</ref> These large relatives of [guinea pig](/source/guinea_pig)s are common in the [Patagonia](/source/Patagonia)n steppes of [Argentina](/source/Argentina), but also live in [Paraguay](/source/Paraguay) and elsewhere in [South America](/source/South_America). It contains a single extant species, the [Patagonian mara](/source/Patagonian_mara), which is one of the largest [rodents](/source/rodents) in the world after the two species each of [capybara](/source/capybara)s and [beaver](/source/beaver)s, and the large species of [porcupine](/source/porcupine)s, reaching about {{Convert|45|cm|in|abbr=on}} in height.

The [Chacoan mara](/source/Chacoan_mara) has and sometimes still is also considered a member of this genus. However, a 2020 study by the [American Society of Mammalogists](/source/American_Society_of_Mammalogists) found significant difference between the two mara species to warrant placing it in the genus ''[Pediolagus](/source/Pediolagus)''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Campo |first1=D.H. |title=Integrative taxonomy of extant maras supports the recognition of the genera Pediolagus and Dolichotis within the Dolichotinae (Rodentia, Caviidae) |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |date=2020 |volume=101 |issue=3 |pages=817–834 |doi=10.1093/jmammal/gyaa038 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/101/3/817/5836015|doi-access=free |url-access=subscription |hdl=11336/134944 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

== Etymology ==
''Dolichotis'' means "long-eared", from Ancient Greek "δολιχός" (dolikhos) meaning "long" and "οὖς" (ous) meaning "ear".<ref>{{OED|Dolichotis}}</ref>

== Species == 
Two extant and two extinct species of in this genus are recognized: 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image !! Scientific name !! Common name !! Distribution
|-
| 120px || ''Dolichotis patagonum'' || [Patagonian mara](/source/Patagonian_mara) ||  Argentina
|-
| 120px || ''Dolichotis salinicola'' || [Chacoan mara](/source/Chacoan_mara) ||  Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia
|}

;Fossil species                                      
* †''D. intermedia'' {{small|[Ameghino](/source/Florentino_Ameghino), 1889}}
* †''D. platycephala'' {{small|Ameghino, 1889}}

Fossils are known from Argentina:<ref name=FWMara>{{Cite web|work=Fossilworks | title= ''Dolichotis'' Desmarest 1820 |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42115|access-date=2022-12-29}}</ref>
* [Montehermosan](/source/Montehermosan)
** [Andalhuala Formation](/source/Andalhuala_Formation)
* [Huayquerian](/source/Huayquerian)
** [Chiquimil Formation](/source/Chiquimil_Formation)
* [Chapadmalalan](/source/Chapadmalalan)
** [Barranca de los Lobos Formation](/source/Barranca_de_los_Lobos_Formation)
** [San Andrés Formation](/source/San_Andr%C3%A9s_Formation%2C_Argentina)
* [Ensenadan](/source/Ensenadan)
** [Vorohué Formation](/source/Vorohu%C3%A9_Formation)
** [Yupoí Formation](/source/Yupo%C3%AD_Formation)
* [Lujanian](/source/Lujanian)
** [Luján Formation](/source/Luj%C3%A1n_Formation)

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Patagonian Cavy.jpg|Patagonian mara at the Wildlife Ranch in [San Antonio](/source/San_Antonio), Texas
File:Patagonian Cavies, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne.jpg|A pair of Patagonian maras at the [Melbourne Zoo](/source/Melbourne_Zoo)
File:Dolichotis patagonum closeup.jpg|Close-up of a Patagonian mara
File:A mara at tropical wings.JPG|Mara at [Tropical Wings](/source/Tropical_Wings)
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Caviidae nav}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q838738}}

Category:Cavies
Category:Extant Miocene first appearances
Category:Articles containing video clips
Category:Rodent genera
Category:Taxa named by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest
Category:Mammal genera with one living species

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dolichotis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolichotis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolichotis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.