Paca, a large, tailless rodent of Central and South America. It is closely related to the agouti. The lowland paca, which lives in lowland forests and feeds on fruits and nuts, reaches about 24 inches (60 cm) in length. Massive, bony cheek plates give its head a heavy appearance. The coat is brownish with lengthwise rows of white spots. The paca is hunted for food, and the skin is used for leather. The mountain paca, a smaller form, is found in the northern Andes.
The paca is a large, tailless rodent of Central and South America.The false paca, or pacarana, of the eastern Andes resembles the lowland paca but has a six-inch (15-cm) tail.
The lowland paca is Cuniculus paca; mountain. C. taczanowskii. Pacas belong to the family Dasy-proctidae. The false paca is Dinomys branickii of the family Dinomyidae.
