Aplodontia Rufa (Noun)
Meaning
Bulky nocturnal burrowing rodent of uplands of the Pacific coast of North America; the most primitive living rodent.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Aplodontia rufa, the mountain beaver, is a large rodent that can be found in the Pacific coastal regions of North America.
- This species is primarily a nocturnal animal, meaning it spends most of its time underground in the safety of its tunnel system, only emerging at night to forage for food.
- Mountain beavers are among the most primitive members of the rodent order and can be an important part of their ecosystems as both a food source and as a engineer that shapes the landscape through its tunnelling activities.
- The aplodontia rufa's size is typically around 60-80 cm in length and 1-2 kg in weight, with dark brown fur that grows longer in winter than in summer to conserve heat.
- The mountain beaver (aplodontia rufa) is listed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, as it has a relatively stable population size with no serious threats.