Nutria

For the color, see Nutria (color).
"Coypu" redirects here. For the boat, see Coypu (dinghy).

Nutria
Temporal range: Late Pliocene – Recent
↓
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Echimyidae
Subfamily: Echimyinae
Tribe: Myocastorini
Genus: Myocastor
Species:
M. coypus
Binomial name
Myocastor coypus
(Molina, 1782)
The range of the Nutria
Regions
  Extant (resident)
  Extant & Introduced (resident)
Countries
  Extant & Introduced (resident)
  Extant (resident)
  Extant & Introduced

The nutria (/ˈnjuːtriə/) or coypu (/ˈkɔɪpuː/) (Myocastor coypus)[1][2] is a herbivorous,[3] semiaquatic rodent from South America. Classified for a long time as the only member of the family Myocastoridae,[4] Myocastor has since been included within Echimyidae, the family of the spiny rats.[5][6][7] The nutria lives in burrows alongside stretches of water and feeds on river plant stems.[8] Originally native to subtropical and temperate South America, it was introduced to North America, Europe and Asia, primarily by fur farmers.[9] Although it is still hunted and trapped for its fur in some regions, its destructive burrowing and feeding habits often bring it into conflict with humans, and it is considered an invasive species in the United States.[10] Nutria also transmit various diseases to humans and animals, mainly through water contamination.[11]

  1. ^ a b Ojeda, R.; Bidau, C.; Emmons, L. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Myocastor coypus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T14085A121734257. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Myocastor coypus". ITIS. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Myocastor coypus (coypu)". Animal Diversity Web, Museum of Zoology. University of Michigan. 1999. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  4. ^ Woods, C. A. (1982). "The history and classification of South American Hystricognath rodents: reflections on the far away and long ago". In Mares, M. A.; Genoways, H. H. (eds.). Mammalian Biology in South America. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. pp. 377–392.
  5. ^ Galewski, Thomas; Mauffrey, Jean-François; Leite, Yuri L. R.; Patton, James L.; Douzery, Emmanuel J. P. (2005). "Ecomorphological diversification among South American spiny rats (Rodentia; Echimyidae): a phylogenetic and chronological approach". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 34 (3): 601–615. Bibcode:2005MolPE..34..601G. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.015. PMID 15683932.
  6. ^ Upham, Nathan S.; Patterson, Bruce D. (2012). "Diversification and biogeography of the Neotropical caviomorph lineage Octodontoidea (Rodentia: Hystricognathi)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 63 (2): 417–429. Bibcode:2012MolPE..63..417U. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.01.020. PMID 22327013.
  7. ^ Fabre, Pierre-Henri; Upham, Nathan S.; Emmons, Louise H.; Justy, Fabienne; Leite, Yuri L. R.; Loss, Ana Carolina; Orlando, Ludovic; Tilak, Marie-Ka; Patterson, Bruce D.; Douzery, Emmanuel J. P. (1 March 2017). "Mitogenomic Phylogeny, Diversification, and Biogeography of South American Spiny Rats". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 34 (3): 613–633. doi:10.1093/molbev/msw261. ISSN 0737-4038. PMID 28025278. Free access icon
  8. ^ Taylor, K.; Grace, J.; Marx, B. (May 1997). "The effects of herbivory on neighbor interactions along a coastal marsh gradient". American Journal of Botany. 84 (5): 709. doi:10.2307/2445907. ISSN 0002-9122. JSTOR 2445907. PMID 21708623. Free access icon
  9. ^ LeBlanc, Dwight J. (1994). "Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage – Nutria" (PDF). Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2007.
  10. ^ "Living with Wildlife - Nutria". Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  11. ^ Ca.Gov, Department of Fish and Wildlife. "California's Invaders:Nutria". Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.