Moon-toothed degu
Species of rodent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The moon-toothed degu (Octodon lunatus) is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae.[2] It is endemic to Chile, occurring in mountainous areas along the Pacific coast in the central part of the country.[1][3]
| Moon-toothed degu | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Octodontidae |
| Genus: | Octodon |
| Species: | O. lunatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Octodon lunatus Osgood, 1943 | |
 | |
| Octodon lunatus range | |
Biology and physiology
Unlike its close relative the common degu, the moon-toothed degu is nocturnal (active at night).[4] The ventral fur of this species has been found to be much less reflective of UV light than other octodontids,[5] most likely as a result of its nocturnal habits.
The moon-toothed degu has deep molar indentations but lacks a fold on the inside of the last molar.[6]
