Cavia patzelti, commonly known as the Sacha guinea pig or Sacha cuy, is a species of rodent in the family Caviidae, native to Ecuador.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
The species was originally described by Harald Schliemann in 1982 as a subspecies of Cavia aperea under the name Cavia aperea patzelti. The holotype (ZMH 7593) is an adult female collected by Erwin Patzelt in August 1978 from the high cordillera of Alao, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome b sequence data, Dunnum and Salazar-Bravo (2010) elevated the taxon to full species status. The specific epithet honors the collector, Erwin Patzelt.
Description
Cavia patzelti is a medium-sized cavy with dark reddish-brown fur. The guard hairs are long (25–30 mm), with bicolored hairs having a gray base and dark reddish tip. The ventral region is pale orange with stronger tones on the chest. Ears are small and covered with yellowish hairs. The hind foot is long with short ungual tufts reaching halfway to the claws. Four plantar pads are present, with a well-developed thenar pad covering approximately 41.6% of the plantar width. Body length (head-body) ranges from approximately 245 to 290 mm, with weights between 480 and 571 g.
Distribution and Habitat
Cavia patzelti is endemic to Ecuador. Its known distribution extends along the eastern Andes (Cordillera Oriental) in the provinces of Chimborazo, Morona Santiago, Azuay, and Zamora Chinchipe, at elevations between 2,800 and 3,800 m above sea level. The species inhabits high-altitude paramo grasslands, humid ravines, and montane forest edges. Dominant vegetation in its habitat includes Stipa bunchgrass, shrubs of the families Asteraceae (Chuquiragua sp.), Ericaceae, Hypericaceae, and Polylepis forest.
Conservation Status
The IUCN Red List assesses Cavia patzelti as Data Deficient (DD). The species is considered rare, and little is known about its population size or trends. It is listed as Not Evaluated by the ASM Mammal Diversity Database.
Ecology and Behavior
Field observations indicate that Cavia patzelti forages on bunchgrass (Stipa sp.) and Paspalum humboldtianum grass. It occasionally approaches apple (Malus domestica) crops to feed on bark. In some areas, local residents capture individuals from burrows to keep as pets, though the meat is reportedly unpalatable. In the Cisnián-Atillo area, it is hunted with some frequency.
References
- Schliemann, H. 1982. Nachweis wilder Meerschweinchen für Ecuador und Beschreibung von Cavia aperea patzelti subsp. nov. Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde 47(2): 79–90.
- Dunnum, J.L. & Salazar-Bravo, J. 2010. Molecular systematics, taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Cavia (Rodentia: Caviidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 48(4): 376–388.
- Brito, J. & Fernández de Córdova, J. 2016. Nuevas localidades y ampliación de la distribución del cuy silvestre de Patzelt Cavia patzelti (Rodentia: Caviidae) en Ecuador. Mastozoología Neotropical 23(1): 157–163.
- ITIS Report. Cavia patzelti Schliemann, 1982. Taxonomic Serial No.: 1221714.
