GUINEA PIG (CAVIA PORCELLUS).

Habitat of the specimen:

• Home

Mode of reproduction:

• sexual/viviparous/internal fertilisation, with parental care

Mode of nutrition:

• holozoic

Method of feeding:

• herbivorous (on cassava, Tridax and sweet potato leaves)

Diet:

• vegetation/grass

Position in the food chain:

• primary consumer

Trophic level:

• second trophic level

Adaptations to the herbivorous mode of feeding

• Sharp incisors for cutting grass
• Diastema allows easy movement of the tongue to handle chewed food easily
• Long intestine,
• A long and large caecum, which harbours bacteria for cellulose digestion

Group of animals:

• rodent/small herbivorous mammal

How to Identify the Sex of the specimen

Female

Reasons:

• Presence of mammary glands and
• Presence of vulva opening

Male:

Reasons

• Presence of scrotum with testicles.
• Presence of penis

Class of the Specimen

Class Mammalia

Reasons

• Presence of Skin covered with fur
• Presence of heterodont dentition
• Presence of pinna
• Presence of mammary glands in females
• Presence of Sweat glands.
• Presence of the diaphragm
• Presence of a well-developed brain
• Reproduction is viviparous

Observable features in the guinea pig

• Long ears
• White/black/brown/a mixture of white, black and brown
• Tapered anterior end
• Blunt posterior end
• Nictitating membrane
• Whiskers/vibrissae: help to move in a dark burrow
• Funnel-like pinna, which can move freely to detect sound from all directions

Observable features that can be inherited by both guinea pigs

• Coat colour
• Coat length
• Size of body
• Colour of eye
• Size/length of pinna

Adaptations of the guinea pig

• Whiskers/vibrissae: help to move in a dark burrow
• Funnel-like pinna, which can move freely to detect sound from all directions
• The head is pear-shaped for easy movement in burrows
• Long, muscular hind limbs for hopping/jumping
• The body is covered with fur for temperature regulation
• Clawed digits for digging a hole
• Sharp incisors for feeding
• The position of the eyes on either side of the head allows a wide range of view

Sensory structures

• Skin
• Whiskers
• Eyes
• Ear
• Nostril
• Tongue

Features of evolutionary significance

• Fur for temperature regulation on land
• Two pairs of legs for movement on land
• Lungs for gaseous exchange on land
• The ear is used to detect the vibration of sound on land
• Pentadactyl limb plan

External Structures to regulate body temperature:

• Skin,
• Fur

Structures for osmoregulation:

• kidney

Structures for homeostasis:

• skin,
• fur,
• kidney

Structures to escape danger:

• legs,
• ears,
• eyes

Organs for excretion:

• skin(external),
• lungs,
• kidneys,
• liver

Respiratory structure:

• lungs,
• nostrils

Functions of fur in mammals

• Temperature regulation
• Protection against mechanical injury
• Colour for cryptic

Economic importance of the Guinea pig

• Household pets
• Scientific Research
• Source of income
• Source of food.

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