The Coypu (Myocastor coypus) or Nutria is a large, Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight. ...crepuscular, semiaquatic Families Many, see text The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ...rodent native to South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...South America, but now also present in World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...Europe, World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ...Asia, and World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ...North America. In most regions the coypu is considered a A pest is an animal which has characteristics which people regard as injurious or unwanted. ...pest. However in eastern Europe and Central Asia it is still valued for its For alternative meanings, see Fur (disambiguation). ...fur. It is the only In biology, a species is a kind of organism. ...species in the See genus (mathematics) for the use of the term in mathematics. ...genus Myocastor, and sometimes given its own Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ...family: Myocastoridae. The coypu has been introduced from South America to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Africa is the only continent where the introduced coypu never became fully established. They are adapted to subtropical to mild temperate climate.

The coypu somewhat resembles a very large This is an article about wild rats; for pet rats, see Fancy rat Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ...rat in appearance. Adults are typically 5 to 9 kg weight, and 40-60 cm in body length, with a 30-45 cm tail. They can also be identified by their bright orange-yellow Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. ...incisor teeth (unlike This is an article about wild rats; for pet rats, see Fancy rat Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ...rats, which have brownish yellow incisors). The nipples of female coypu are on their back. This allows their young to feed while the female is in the water.

Coypu can also be mistaken for another widely dispersed semi-aquatic rodent that occupies the same wetland habitats, the Binomial name Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Muskrat or Musquash (Ondatra zibethicus), the only species in genus Ondatra, is a large aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe. ...muskrat. However, the muskrat is smaller, more tolerant of cold climates, and has a dorso/ventrally flattened tail that it uses to assist in swimming. The tail of a coypu is round.

Download high resolution version (1049x678, 114 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Download high resolution version (1049x678, 114 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

albino coypu

They were imported to many parts of the world due to their once highly desired For alternative meanings, see Fur (disambiguation). ...fur, known in the fur trade as nutria. As demand for nutria fur declined, they have since become pests in many areas, destroying aquatic vegetation, Irrigating cotton fields Irrigation in the Heart of the Sahara Irrigation (in agriculture) is the replacement or supplementation of rainfall with water from another source in order to grow crops. ...irrigation systems, eroding river banks and displacing native animals. Nutria damage in Louisiana is a southern state of the United States of America. ...Louisiana is so severe that a bounty program (http://nutria.com/control_program) is in effect to aid in controlling the animal. A relatively new market for nurtria has emerged in Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ...Japan, where Nutria is eaten as a delicacy.

In addition to direct environmental damage, coypu are the host for a Classes Adenophora    Subclass Enoplia    Subclass Chromadoria Secernentea    Subclass Rhabditia    Subclass Spiruria    Subclass Diplogasteria The roundworms (Phylum Nematoda) are one of the most common phyla of animals, with over 20,000 different described species. ...nematode A parasite is an organism that lives in or on the living tissue of a host organism at the expense of it. ...parasite (Strongyloides myopotami) that can infect the skin of humans. When this happens the condition is called "nutria itch".

There are two common names used in the English language literature for Myocastor coypus. The Amerindian word "coypu" is generally used in Europe and Latin America. This use is probably meant to avoid confusion with, the term "nutria," which is Spanish for carnivores commonly called "otters" (Lutra sp.) in British and American English. In North America and Asia, the term "nutria" is the more commonly used one for Myocastor coypus.

There are several subspecies of coypu in their native range which includes parts of Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ...Argentina, The Republic of Bolivia is a landlocked country in central South America. ...Bolivia, The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ...Brazil, The Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked republic in South America. ...Paraguay and The Republic Eastern of the Uruguay (Spanish: República Oriental del Uruguay), is a Spanish speaking country located in southern South America. ...Uruguay. While as many as six different subspecies have been named generally there are only four recognized. They are: Myocastor coypus coypus, M. coypus bonarieusis, M. coypus melanups, and M. coypus santacruzae. Most literature indicates the coypu subspecies introduced around the world was M. coypus bonariensis. This subspecies is from the more northern (subtropical) part of their range. Local extinction in their native range due to overharvest led to the development of coypu fur farms in the late 1800s and early 1900s, The first farms were in Argentina and then later in World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...Europe, World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ...North America, and World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ...Asia. In general, these farms have generally not been successful long term investments and farmed coypu often are released or escape as operations become unprofitable.

The distribution of coypu tends to expand and contract with successive cold or mild winters. During cold winters coypu often suffer frost bite on their tails leading to infection or death. Populations of coypu under these circumstances often contract and even become locally or regionally extinct (as in the Scandinavian countries during the 1980s). During mild winters their ranges tend to expand northward.

External links

• Mammals of Texas - Nutria (http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/myoccoyp.htm)
• History of coypu introductions worldwide and links to other nutria sites (http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/special/nutria/index.htm)
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries coypu web site. (http://www.nutria.com/site.php)