Santa Catarina's guinea pig | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Caviidae |
Genus: | Cavia |
Species: | C. intermedia |
Binomial name | |
Cavia intermedia Cherem et al., 1999 |
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Santa Catarina's guinea pig or Moleques do Sul cavy, Cavia intermedia, is a rare guinea pig species of southeastern South America.
The rodent is endemic to the small coastal island of Ilha Moleques do Sul, located in the state of Santa Catarina in south Brazil.
The island has a total surface area of only 10.5 hectares (26 acres). The guinea pig's geographical distribution of only 4 hectares (9.9 acres) is one of the world's smallest for a mammal.