See text Dasyproctidae is a family of large South American rodents, comprising the agoutis and acouchis.

[2] Dasyproctids exist in Central and South America, which are the tropical parts of the New World.

The fossil record of this family can be traced back to the Late Oligocene (Deseadan in the SALMA classification).

As with all rodents, members of this family have incisors, pre-molars, and molars, but no canines.

[4] The pacas (genus Cuniculus) are placed by some authorities[3][5] in Dasyproctidae, but molecular studies have demonstrated they do not form a monophyletic group.