Agouti

Agouti refers to a number of species of rodents as well as a number of genes affecting coat coloration in several different animals. Agouti fur contains a pattern of pigmentation in which individual hairs have several bands of light and dark pigment with black tips.

• When referring to a rodent, agouti can mean:
  • The common agoutis (genus Dasyprocta), are those popularly called agoutis
  • Acouchies (genus Myoprocta), commonly called tailed agoutis
  • Pacas (genus Cuniculus, which was formerly called Agouti), contains the two species of pacas and is the only genus in the family Cuniculidae
  • Agouti is also a breed of rat and guinea pig.
• The agouti gene is one of the genes involved in fur patterns and shadings in animals
• The agouti signalling peptide is a circulating hormone that acts as an antagonist at melanocortin receptors
• Agouti-related peptide, a neuropeptide produced in the brain by the AgRP/NPY neuron