What is the name of a water-dwelling rat? - briefly
The semi‑aquatic rodent known as nutria (Myocastor coypus) is commonly referred to as a water rat. It is also called a coypu.
What is the name of a water-dwelling rat? - in detail
The semi‑aquatic rodent commonly referred to as the water‑dwelling rat is the nutria, also known as the coypu (scientific name Myocastor coypus). It belongs to the family Myocastoridae and is the sole living species of its genus.
Nutria are native to South America, inhabiting riverbanks, marshes, lakes, and coastal wetlands. Their dense, waterproof fur, webbed hind feet, and laterally flattened tail provide efficient swimming ability. They construct burrows in soft riverbanks and create lodges from vegetation, emerging at night to feed on aquatic plants, grasses, and occasionally small invertebrates.
Key characteristics:
- Body length: 40–60 cm; tail adds another 30–40 cm.
- Weight: 5–9 kg for adults, with males typically larger.
- Reproductive rate: up to three litters per year, each containing 2–13 young.
- Diet: primarily herbivorous; consumes cattails, reeds, and submerged vegetation.
- Impact: introduced populations in Europe, North America, and Asia cause extensive damage to wetlands, undermine levees, and compete with native species.
Control measures focus on trapping, regulated hunting, and habitat modification to reduce suitable burrowing sites. Conservation agencies monitor populations to balance ecological harm against the species’ role in wetland ecosystems, where it can aid in vegetation turnover and provide prey for predators such as otters and birds of prey.