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Hutias are moderately large cavy-like rodents of the family Capromyidae that inhabit the Caribbean Islands. Most species have a head-and-body length that ranges from and weigh less than , but Desmarest's hutia has a head-and-body length of and weigh .〔Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World. Vol. 2. 6th edition. pp. 1703-1710. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9〕 Twenty species of hutia have been identified, and at least a third are extinct. (Their larger relatives the giant hutias, of the family Heptaxodontidae, are entirely extinct.) They resemble the nutria in some respects. Tails are present, varying from vestiges to prehensile. They have stout bodies and large heads. Most species are herbivorous, though some consume small animals. Instead of burrowing underground, they nest in trees or rock crevices. Only Desmarest's hutia and the prehensile-tailed hutia remain common and widespread; all other extant species are considered threatened by the IUCN. They are hunted for food in Cuba, where they are often cooked in a large pot with wild nuts and honey. At the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base however, there is an over population due to the lack of natural predators and an abundant food source. Desmarest's hutias are referred to by those stationed at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base as ''banana rats''. Banana rats are not named for their dietary preference, but because their feces look like small versions of the fruit. They are known to come out at night. == Species == Those known to be extinct are marked with a dagger. :Order Rodentia ::Suborder Hystricognathi :::Family Capromyidae ::::Subfamily Capromyinae :::::''Capromys'' ::::::Desmarest's hutia (''Capromys pilorides'') :::::''Geocapromys'' ::::::Bahamian hutia (''Geocapromys ingrahami'') ::::::Jamaican hutia (''Geocapromys brownii'') ::::::Little Swan Island hutia (†''Geocapromys thoracatus'') :::::''Mesocapromys'' ::::::Cabrera's hutia (''Mesocapromys angelcabrerai'') ::::::Dwarf hutia (''Mesocapromys nanus'') ::::::Eared hutia (''Mesocapromys auritus'') ::::::San Felipe hutia (''Mesocapromys sanfelipensis'') :::::''Mysateles'' ::::::Black-tailed hutia (''Mysateles melanurus'') ::::::Garrido's hutia (''Mysateles garridoi'') ::::::Gundlach's hutia (''Mysateles gundlachi'') ::::::Prehensile-tailed hutia (''Mysateles prehensilis'') ::::::Southern hutia (''Mysateles meridionalis'') ::::Subfamily †Hexolobodontinae :::::†''Hexolobodon'' ::::::Imposter hutia (†''Hexolobodon phenax'') ::::Subfamily Isolobodontinae :::::†''Isolobodon'' ::::::Montane hutia (†''Isolobodon montanus'') ::::::Puerto Rican hutia (†''Isolobodon portoricensis'') ::::Subfamily Plagiodontinae :::::''Plagiodontia'' ::::::Hispaniolan hutia (''Plagiodontia aedium'') ::::::Samana hutia (†''Plagiodontia ipnaeum'') ::::::San Rafael hutia (†''Plagiodontia araeum'') :::::†''Rhizoplagiodontia'' ::::::Lemke's hutia (†''Rhizoplagiodontia lemkei'') Image:Capromys prehensilis (Harvard University).JPG|Prehensile-tailed hutia (''Mysateles prehensilis'') 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hutia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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