Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Taxa

Castor

Mammal Genera

Castor is a genus of beavers, family Castoridae, in the rodent suborder Castorimorpha, comprising two living species, the North American beaver and the Eurasian beaver. Beavers are large semiaquatic rodents, the second-largest living rodents after capybaras, weighing up to 50 kilograms and distinguished by long chisel-like incisors, webbed back feet and flat, scaly tails; the two species differ in skull shape, tail form and fur color. The North American species ranges through most of the United States and Canada and northern Mexico, with introduced populations in Finland, Russia and Patagonia, while the Eurasian species occurs across western, central and eastern Europe and western Russia and the Scandinavian Peninsula, with small populations in Mongolia and northwestern China.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Genus 1
Scientific Name
Castor Linnaeus (1758) 1
Member Species/Taxa Count
2 1
Geographic Distribution
Northern Hemisphere 1
Defining Characteristics
Stout bodies with large heads, long chisel-like incisors, brown or gray fur, hand-like front feet, webbed back feet, and flat scaly tails 1
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Second-largest living rodents after capybaras, weighing up to 50 kg (110 lb) 1
Sources
1. Castor (genus) - Wikipedia
  • Scientific classification infobox, Genus row
    Genus: Castor Linnaeus (1758)
  • Scientific classification infobox, Genus row, authority citation
    Genus: Castor Linnaeus (1758)
  • Lead paragraph
    There are two extant species: the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) and the Eurasian beaver (C. fiber).
  • Distribution and status section
    Beavers (genus Castor) are large semiaquatic rodents of the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Characteristics section, body description
    They have stout bodies with large heads, long chisel-like incisors, brown or gray fur, hand-like front feet, webbed back feet, and tails that are flat and scaly.
  • Characteristics section, size sentence
    Beavers are the second-largest living rodents, after capybaras, weighing up to 50 kg (110 lb).
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.