NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Pacific Degu
Octodon pacificus Hutterer, 1994
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Pacific degu (Octodon pacificus), also known as the Mocha Island degu, is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is endemic to Mocha Island in Chile. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was classified in 1994 by Dr. Rainer Hutterer.
Like its close relative the common degu, the Mocha Island degu is diurnal (active during the day). This species is said to have relatively primitive octodontid features, including long fur and a tail lacking a substantial tuft, a feature common amongst other octodons.
Wikipedia contributors, Pacific degu; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:20:06.872908+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Octodon pacificus Hutterer, 1994
- Name authority
- Hutterer, 1994
- Common name
- Pacific Degu
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Rodentia
- Family
- Octodontidae
- Genus
- Octodon
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
- suborderHystricomorpha Brandt, 1855
- infraorderHystricognathi Brandt, 1855
- familyOctodontidae Waterhouse, 1840
- genusOctodon Bennett, 1832
- speciesOctodon pacificus Hutterer, 1994
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Octodon. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Common DeguOctodon degus (Molina, 1782) | OctodontidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Coastal DeguOctodon lunatus Osgood, 1943 | OctodontidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bridges's DeguOctodon bridgesii Waterhouse, 1845 | OctodontidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=825334 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:48JVT. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.