About Cuniculus paca (Linnaeus, 1766)
The lowland paca (Cuniculus paca) has coarse fur with no underfur. Its upper body ranges from dark brown to black, while its underbelly is white or yellowish. It typically has three to five rows of white spots along its sides, set against a dark grey background. It has thick, strong legs: forefeet have four digits, and hind feet have five digits, where the first and fifth digits are reduced. Its nails function like hooves. The lowland paca's tail is short and hairless. Its zygomatic arch is expanded both laterally and dorsally, and is used as a resonating chamber; this is a unique feature among mammals. Adult lowland pacas weigh between 6 and 12 kilograms, or 13 and 26 pounds. Each litter produces one young lowland paca, and occasionally two. They usually produce one to three young per year, with a gestation period of around 115 to 120 days. Pacas reach sexual maturity at about 1 year of age, and typically live up to 13 years. The lowland paca can carry leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis.
