The nutria (/ ˈ n juː t r i ə /) or coypu (/ ˈ k ɔɪ p uː /) (Myocastor coypus) [1] [2] is a herbivorous, [3] semiaquatic rodent from South America. Classified for a long time as the only member of the family Myocastoridae, [4] Myocastor has since been …

The coypu (Myocastor coypus), otherwise known as nutria or River rat, is a large, semi-aquatic rodent. In spite of being a separate species, the animal is sometimes mistaken for a beaver or otter. These rodents are 'a boon and a bane', in the sense that they are …

Feb 24, 2025 · nutria, (Myocastor coypus), a large amphibious South American rodent with webbed hind feet. The nutria has a robust body, short limbs, small eyes and ears, long whiskers, and a cylindrical, scaly tail. It can weigh up to 17 kg (37.5 pounds), although 5 to 10 kg is usual; the body measures up to 70 cm (27.6 inches) long and the tail up to 45 cm.

This semi-aquatic rodent, the Coypu, which was originally introduced in Louisiana in the 1930's from South America, has spread northward and occurs in western Tennessee. It is more commonly known as the Nutria or "River Rat."

Jul 30, 2020 · The nutria rat (Myocastor coypus), also known as the coypu or swamp rat, is not really a rat but is a large rodent that makes its home close to freshwater. Native to South America, nutria rats are now found across North America, where they were introduced through the fur trade.

Nutria, or coypu, (Myocastor coypus) are a large, stout-bodied animals that can be easily confused with other species. With careful observation, nutria can be positively identified in the field. Adult nutria are large rodents. They are larger than muskrats and smaller than beaver.

The nutria is a robust, semiaquatic rodent with a large head, small ears, small front legs having feet with unwebbed toes, large hind legs having feet with webbing between the first 4 toes, and a round tail. The tail is 12–18 inches in length and is scaly and scantily haired.

May 27, 2024 · The scientific name of the nutria is Myocastor coypus. Nutrias were formerly classified as the only living member of the family Myocastoridae but has now been moved into the spiny-rat family, Echimyidae. Nutria are also called coypu, coipu, swamp beavers, and nutria rat.

The coypu or nutria (Myocastor coypu ) is a species of semi-aquatic, dog-sized rodent in the family Capromyidae. These animals are native to central and southern South America, but they have become widely established elsewhere, mostly as a result of animals that have escaped from fur farms or that have been deliberately released.

Myocastor coypus, colloquially known as coypus, carve their existence amidst a diverse array of wetland ecosystems. Predominantly, these creatures thrive in freshwater marshes, where the juxtaposition of aquatic and terrestrial elements defines their habitat.