What is Viscacha?
{{Taxobox | name = Viscacha | image = Viscacha.jpg | image_width = 250px | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Rodent]]ia | familia = '''Chinchillidae''' | familia_authority = [[Edward Turner Bennett|Bennett]], 1833 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = &nbsp;''[[Lagidium]]''<br> &nbsp;''[[Lagostomus]]'' }} '''Viscachas''' or '''vizcachas''' are [[rodent]]s. Together with the [[chinchilla]] they make up the family ''Chinchillidae''. [[Image:Northern vizcacha2.jpg|thumb|350px|left|A Northern viscacha in the Andes of Northern Peru.]] <!-- [[Image:FHM-002.jpg|thumb]] --> There are two [[genus|genera]] and four species of viscacha. * ''Plains viscacha'' (''Lagostomus maximus''): Lives in the [[Pampa]]s of [[Argentina]] and [[Chile]] . It can be easily differentiated from other viscachas because it has black and gray moustache-like facial markings. This species makes colonies. It lives in [[burrow|warrens]] of ten to over one hundred. It is very vocal and emits alarm calls. The plains viscacha can strip grassland used to graze livestock; this caused ranchers to consider the rodent a [[pest]] species. * ''Northern viscacha'' (''Lagidum peruanum''): Native to the [[Peru]]vian [[Andes]] at those elevations between the [[tree-line|timber line]] and the [[snow line]]. It is [[dorsal]]ly gray or brown in color. It has a bushy tail and long, furry ears. This species lives in large colonies. The colonies are separated into individual family units, like an apartment complex. It eats a wide range of plants. It lives in a harsh, rocky environment. Therefore, it is not too picky about the food. * ''Mountain viscacha'' (''Lagidum viscacia''): Also called '''southern viscacha''', this species is similar to the northern viscacha, but its [[fur]] is more red in color. It lives in similar habitat in the Andes. * ''Wolffsohn's viscacha'' (''Lagidum wolffsohni''): Little is known about this species, as it is rarer than the other three viscachas. [[Category:Rodents]] [