Plural of agouti: small, fast rodents from Central and South America that look like large guinea pigs with long hind legs.
From Tupi (Brazilian indigenous language) 'acuti,' the original name given by native peoples who knew these animals. The word entered English through Portuguese traders in the 16th century.
Agoutis appear in rainforest food webs so important that some scientists think jaguars specifically hunt them to control their numbers—these 'fancy rats' are actually keystone species that shape entire ecosystems.
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