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Description

Tuskrat
Scientific name: Pachyrattus denticus
Other Names: Tusked Ratpig
Ancestor: Brown Rat
Diet: Roots, tubers, fungus, leaves
Habitat and range: North American plains, marshes, and deciduous forests
One of the larger herbivorous rodents, the Tuskrat, or Tusked Ratpig has really one feature worth discussing; those shovel-like lower incisors. Tuskrats use these specialized teeth as trowels, digging in the dirt and leaves for roots, fungus, and other subterranean goodies. Their rough molars are capable of shredding even the toughest and most resilient roots, to get at the wonderful stuff within. Like most North American herbivores, Tuskrats fear the Running Chriops and the Caped Wolfrat, and while their shovel incisors make for a deadly defense, even the largest bulls are felled by the crushing bite of the Wolfrat and the slashing swipes of the Chriops.

Description

Tuskrat
Scientific name: Pachyrattus denticus
Other Names: Tusked Ratpig
Ancestor: Brown Rat
Diet: Roots, tubers, fungus, leaves
Habitat and range: North American plains, marshes, and deciduous forests
One of the larger herbivorous rodents, the Tuskrat, or Tusked Ratpig has really one feature worth discussing; those shovel-like lower incisors. Tuskrats use these specialized teeth as trowels, digging in the dirt and leaves for roots, fungus, and other subterranean goodies. Their rough molars are capable of shredding even the toughest and most resilient roots, to get at the wonderful stuff within. Like most North American herbivores, Tuskrats fear the Running Chriops and the Caped Wolfrat, and while their shovel incisors make for a deadly defense, even the largest bulls are felled by the crushing bite of the Wolfrat and the slashing swipes of the Chriops.