The agouti (, ) or common agouti is any of several rodent species of the genus Dasyprocta, from Ancient Greek δασύς (dasús), meaning "hair", and πρωκτός (prōktós), meaning "anus". They are native to Central America, northern and central South America, and the southern Lesser Antilles. Some species have also been introduced elsewhere in the West Indies and in west Africa (Bénin).
The related pacas were formerly included in genus Agouti, but these animals were reclassified in 1998 as genus Cuniculus.
The Spanish term is agutí. In Mexico, the agouti is called the '. In Panama, it is known as the ' and in eastern Ecuador, as the '.
thumb|[[Red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina)]]
Etymology
The name "agouti" is derived from either Guarani or Tupi, both South American indigenous languages, in which the name is written as akuti. The Portuguese term for these animals, cutia, is derived from this original naming.
Description
thumb|left|A Central American agouti with food.
Agoutis have five toes on their front feet and three toes on their hind feet; the first toe is very small. The tail is very short or nonexistent and hairless. The molar teeth have cylindrical crowns, with several islands and a single lateral fold of enamel. Agoutis may grow to be up to in length and in weight. Most species are brown on their backs and whitish or buff on their bellies; the fur may have a glossy appearance and then glimmers in an orange colour. Reports differ as to whether they are diurnal or nocturnal animals.
Behaviour and habits
In the wild, they are shy animals and flee from humans, while in captivity they may become trusting. In Trinidad, they are renowned for being very fast runners, able to keep hunting dogs occupied with chasing them for hours.
Agoutis are found in forested and wooded areas in Central and South America. Their habitats include rainforests, savannas, and cultivated fields. They conceal themselves at night in hollow tree trunks or in burrows among roots. Active and graceful in their movements, their pace is either a kind of trot or a series of springs following one another so rapidly as to look like a gallop. They take readily to water, in which they swim well.
When feeding, agoutis sit on their hind legs and hold food between their forepaws. They may gather in groups of up to 100 to feed.