Aperea (Noun)
Meaning
South American cavy; possibly ancestral to the domestic guinea pig.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The aperea, also known as the Brazilian cavy or grasscutter, is a rodent species native to South America.
- The domestic guinea pig may have originated from the aperea due to similarities in physical characteristics.
- Historically, aperea populations declined drastically in South America as the demand for their fur increased.
- Capybaras are larger relatives of the aperea, which belong to the same family of large rodents.
- A few research institutions study the aperea for the insights they may provide on the origins of the domestic guinea pig.