Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Cavia (guinea pig)

Mammalia - Rodentia - Caviidae

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1766Cavia Pallas
1811Cavia Illiger p. 93
1825Cavia Gray p. 341
1997Cavia McKenna and Bell
2004Cavia Spotorno et al. p. 244
2006Cavia Salles et al. p. 9

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
subclassSynapsida
—Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
—Mammaliamorpha
RankNameAuthor
—Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
—Cladotheria
—Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
—Eutheria()
—Placentalia
—Boreoeutheria
—EuarchontogliresMurphy et al. 2001
—GliriformesWyss and Meng 1996
—Glires()
—Simplicidentata()
orderRodentiaBowdich 1821
—CtenohystricaHuchon et al. 2000
infraorderHystricognathi(Tullberg 1899)
—Caviomorpha(Wood and Patterson 1955)
superfamilyCavioideaFischer de Waldheim 1817
familyCaviidae
genusCaviaPallas 1766

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. Cavia Pallas 1766 [guinea pig]
show all | hide all
Subg. Cavia (Cavia) Pallas 1766
Cavia aperea Erxleben 1777 [Brazilian guinea pig]
hide
+
Invalid names: Cavia anolaimae Allen 1916 [synonym], Cavia porcellus venezuelae Allen 1911 [synonym]
Cavia aperea nana Thomas 1917
Invalid names: Cavia guianae caripensis Ojasti 1964 [synonym]
Cavia aperea aperea Erxleben 1777
†Cavia cabrerai Candela and Bonini 2017
Cavia fulgida Wagler 1831 [shiny guinea pig]
†Cavia galileoi Verzi and Quintana 2005
Cavia intermedia Cherem et al. 1999 [Santa Catarina's guinea pig]
†Cavia lamingnae Locks and Montenegro 1985
Cavia magna Ximenez 1980 [greater guinea pig]
†Cavia oeningensis Holl 1829
Cavia patzelti Schliemann 1982
Cavia porcellus Linnaeus 1758 [guinea pig]
hide
Invalid names: Cavia cobaya Pallas 1766 [objective synonym]
Cavia tschudii Fitzinger 1867 [montane guinea pig]
hide
Cavia tschudii tschudii Fitzinger 1867
Invalid names: Cavia tschudii pallidior Thomas 1917 [replaced]
Cavia tschudii osgoodi Sandborn 1949
†Cavia vates Winge 1887
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Body mass estimates
estimateequationreference
 390.8 g Mammalia femur diameterGingerich 1990
 481.4 g Mammalia humerus diameterGingerich 1990
 484.6 g Mammalia tibia diameterGingerich 1990
mean: 450.1 g
Measurements
partNmean
femur diameter13.60
humerus diameter13.70
radius diameter11.50
tibia diameter13.60

Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialsubc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: ground dwellingf
Diet: herbivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubc
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-08-26 13:33:05
Source: f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Nowak 1991, Lillegraven 1979, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Ji et al. 2002

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Montehermosan to the top of the Holocene or 5.00000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 3.8 Ma

Collections (28 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Argentina (Belén) Cavia cabrerai (189824)
Montehermosan5.0 - 3.8Argentina (Buenos Aires) Cavia aperea (198863)
Late/Upper Pliocene3.6 - 2.588Argentina (Buenos Aires) Cavia galileoi (123525)
Pleistocene (glacial)2.588 - 0.0117Brazil (Minas Gerais) Cavia vates, Cavia lamingnae (140474)
Pleistocene - Holocene2.588 - 0.0Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul) Cavia sp. (92813)
Pleistocene - Holocene2.588 - 0.0Brazil (Minas Gerais) Cavia sp., Cavia lamingae (211842)
Lujanian (interglacial)0.781 - 0.012Uruguay (Salto) Cavia sp. (140159)
Lujanian0.781 - 0.012Argentina (Entre Ríos) Cavia galileoi (212840)
Lujanian0.781 - 0.012Uruguay Cavia sp. (71274 71325)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012Mexico (Sonora) Cavia tschudii (213027)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Argentina (Tucuman) Cavia sp. (141182)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene0.129 - 0.0Argentina (Tucuman) Cavia tschudii (216696)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Somalia Dugong dugong (168591)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Argentina (Entre Ríos) Cavia aperea (212781)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Brazil (São Paulo) Cavia sp. (148397)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Myanmar Dugong dugong (168592)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Italy (Vicenza) Cavia cobaya (43667)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Brazil (Sao Paulo) Cavia aperea (71269)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) Cavia aperea (211629) Cavia aperea, Cavia magna (211630) Cavia sp. (211634)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Argentina (Buenos Aires) Cavia aperea (63338 63339 63342)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Peru Cavia porcellus (71329) Cavia sp. (71327)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Taiwan Dugong dugong (168593)