Paka - Paka (English spelling) paca

It is a member of the mammalian class, rodent order, and family Pacasidae. It is found in southern Mexico, southern Brazil, and Paraguay, and has also been introduced to Cuba. It lives on wooded riverbanks and around lakes and marshes. Its head and body length is 60-80 cm, its tail length is 2-3 cm, and it weighs 6-10 kg. It has a sturdy body and short limbs. It has four toes on its front feet and five on its hind feet. It has small ears, a large head, and the cheekbone arches of its skull are stretched out widely to the sides, forming a resonating chamber. Its body color ranges from brown to black, and its sides are lined with four rows of oval white spots. It is nocturnal, digging burrows on slopes near water, and feeding on plant stems, leaves, roots, and fruits. It has a gestation period of 118 days, and gives birth to two babies in early spring. The babies weigh 700 grams and live for more than 16 years.

[Tsuchiya Kimiyuki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱齧歯(げっし)目パカ科の動物。メキシコ南部から、ブラジル南部やパラグアイにかけて分布し、キューバにも導入されている。樹木の茂った川岸や湖沼の周辺に生息する。頭胴長60～80センチメートル、尾長2～3センチメートル、体重6～10キログラム。身体は頑丈で、四肢は短い。前足に4指、後足に5指がある。耳は小さく、頭は大きく頭骨の頬骨(きょうこつ)弓は横に大きく張り、共鳴室を形成している。体色は褐色から黒色で、体側には楕円(だえん)形の白色斑(はん)が4列並ぶ。夜行性で、水辺の斜面に巣穴を掘り、植物の茎葉、根、果実などを食べる。妊娠期間は118日で、早春に2子を産む。生まれた子は700グラムもあり、寿命は16年以上である。

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