It climbs and lives in trees where it eats only leaves, and it is threatened by habitat loss.

In turn, these four genera belong to the tribe Capromyini, and are the sister group to Plagiodontia.

Trinomys (Atlantic spiny rats) Clyomys Euryzygomatomys (guiaras) Carterodon (Owl's spiny rat) Plagiodontia Geocapromys Capromys (Desmarest's hutia) Mesocapromys Mysateles Several other hutia species such as Garrido's hutia (Capromys garridoi) and the black-tailed hutia (Mesocapromys melanurus) were formerly classified in Mysateles, but phylogenetic evidence found them to belong in different genera, leaving only M. prehensilis in Mysateles.

[9] M. p. meridionalis was also previously considered a separate species, but was found to be a subspecies by phylogenetic studies.

Although locally common in some areas, it is in decline and is threatened by deforestation and habitat fragmentation.