Mara (mammal)

For other uses, see Mara (disambiguation).

Dolichotinae
Temporal range: Montehermosan-Recent
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Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Caviidae
Subfamily: Dolichotinae
Genera

See text

Approximate range of the extant maras

Maras, subfamily Dolichotinae, are a group of rodents in the family Caviidae. These large relatives of guinea pigs are common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina, but also live in Paraguay and elsewhere in South America. There are two extant species, the Patagonian mara and the Chacoan mara. Traditionally this species was also thought to belong to Dolichotis; however, a 2020 study by the American Society of Mammalogists found significant difference between the two mara species to warrant resurrecting the genus Pediolagus for it. Several extinct genera are also known.

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