What did the short tailed chinchilla evolve from?

The short-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) is a domesticated descendant of the long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla). They are both members of the Chinchillidae family, which belongs to the Rodentia order.

While the exact evolutionary lineage leading to chinchillas is still being studied, it is generally accepted that they evolved from primitive rodents that lived in South America millions of years ago. These early ancestors likely had similar characteristics to modern chinchillas, such as a dense, soft fur and a specialized dentition for grinding tough plant matter.

Key Points:

* Short-tailed chinchillas are domesticated descendants of long-tailed chinchillas.

* Both species evolved from ancient rodent ancestors in South America.

* The exact evolutionary lineage is still being researched.

It's important to note that there's ongoing research on the evolution of chinchillas, and new discoveries might refine our understanding of their ancestry.