The term (common) agouti designates several rodent species of the gemus Dasyprocta natice to Central and South America. They are related guinea pigs and look quite similar, but are larger and have longer legs. The species vary considerably in color, being brown, reddish, dull orange, grayish or blackish, but typically with lighter underparts. Their bodies are covered with coarse hair which is raised when alarmed. They weigh 5.3–13 lb and have short, hairless tails.

The individual species are:
Azara's agouti, Dasyprocta azarae
Coiban agouti, Dasyprocta coibae
Crested agouti, Dasyprocta cristata
Black agouti, Dasyprocta fuliginosa
Orinoco agouti, Dasyprocta guamara
Kalinowski's agouti, Dasyprocta kalinowskii
Red-rumped agouti, Dasyprocta leporina
Mexican agouti, Dasyprocta mexicana
Black-rumped agouti, Dasyprocta prymnolopha
Central American agouti, Dasyprocta punctata
Ruatan Island agouti, Dasyprocta ruatanica

Central American agoutis from the main part of their range weigh 6.6–9.3 lb and are typically reddish, orange or yellowish grizzled with black. In northern Colombia, western Venezuela, and on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica and Panama the foreparts are brownish or blackish grizzled, the mid-body is orange, and the rump is black or cream.

These were photographed at Bosque de la Paz.

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