nutria

nutria

nutria or coypu , aquatic rodent , Myocastor coypus, of South America, introduced in the S United States for its fur, which is similar to that of beaver but not as thick or durable. The nutria resembles a small beaver with a ratlike tail. It is up to 25 in. (64 cm) long, excluding the 15-in. (38-cm) sparsely haired, round tail; it has large reddish incisor teeth and partially webbed hind feet. The outer fur is long, coarse, and brown; it is the soft, gray undercoat that is valued commercially. Descendants of nutrias escaped from fur farms are now found in much of the United States, especially in swampy regions. They build burrows in banks, with the entrances above water level, and feed on aquatic vegetation, competing with the native muskrat for food. They have seriously damaged marshland ecosystems in southern Louisiana and, to a lesser degree, around the Chesapeake Bay. Nutrias have also established themselves successfully in Europe. They are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Rodentia, family Capromyidae.

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nutria

nu·tri·a / ˈn(y)oōtrēə/ • n. a large semiaquatic beaverlike rodent (Myocastor coypus, family Myocastoridae) native to South America. It is kept in captivity for its fur and has become naturalized in many other areas. ∎  the pelt of this animal.

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"nutria." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"nutria." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-nutria.html

"nutria." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-nutria.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Nutria (myocastor coypus) in big bend national park; a non-native species in...
Magazine article from: The Texas Journal of Science; 8/1/2010
NOCTURNAL NUTRIA MAKE NASTY NEIGHBORS.(Environment)
Newspaper article from: The Register Guard (Eugene, OR); 3/23/2007
First invasive nutria population since 2002 confirmed in Delaware.
News Wire article from: M2 Presswire; 1/20/2012

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nutria images
nutria. (Image by J. Patrick Fischer, CC)