AnAge entry for Cavia porcellus

Classification (HAGRID: 02858)

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Rodentia
                Family: Caviidae
                    Genus: Cavia
Species
Cavia porcellus
Common name
Guinea pig

Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits

Maximum longevity
12 years (captivity)
Source
J. Veronica Kiklevich, pers. comm.
Sample size
Large
Data quality
High
Observations

One virgin animal reportedly lived 12 years in captivity (Kiklevich, J.V., pers. comm.).

A study comparing rodent species has found that when comparing different rodent species, maximum longevity is associated with smaller rates of protein turnover. Animals of this long-lived species may have evolved towards reducing the energetic cost of continuous protein turnover, which in turn would lessen the quantity and the damage caused by reactive oxygen species produced in this process [1334].

Life history traits (averages)

Female sexual maturity
66 days
Male sexual maturity
76 days
Gestation
68 days
Weaning
Litter size
3.8 (viviparous)
Litters per year
5
Inter-litter interval
96 days
Weight at birth
85 g
Weight at weaning
Adult weight
728 g
Postnatal growth rate
0.0106 days-1 (from Gompertz function)
Maximum longevity residual
89%

Metabolism

Typical body temperature
312ºK or 39.0ºC or 102.2ºF
Basal metabolic rate
2.1300 W
Body mass
639.1 g
Metabolic rate per body mass
0.003333 W/g

References

External Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System
ITIS 584713
Animal Diversity Web
ADW account
Encyclopaedia of Life
Search EOL
NCBI Taxonomy
Taxonomy ID 10141
Entrez
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Ageing Literature
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Images
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Internet
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