There are certain animal candidates for which researchers have long speculated as having been managed, or possibly domesticated, by indigenous peoples in the pre-Columbian Caribbean, the primary candidate being some members of a group of caviomorph rodents known as hutia (Capromyinae). This study comprises an isotopic and morphological investigation of the potential management of an extinct species endemic to Hispaniola, the Puerto Rican hutia (Isolobodon portoricensis). For comparisons, isotopic analysis was conducted of bone collagen samples examining carbon (∂¹³C_co) and nitrogen (∂¹⁵N) values of I. portoricensis with two other species of endemic hutia, guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), Antillean slider (Trachemys stejnegeri), rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta) and edible rat (Brotomys sp.) from four sites in the Dominican Republic: El Flaco, El Carril, El Cabo and La Entrada. This data was compared to human and dog collagen values available from El Flaco to assess similarities between these groups. Osteometric data was recorded for hutia mandibles, allowing for body mass estimations (n = 230). The findings suggest that some Isolobodon portoricensis specimens possessed carbon (δ¹³C_co) values similar to humans and dogs at El Flaco, possibly associated with the consumption of agriculturally produced maize. This research does not indicate whether domestication or management of this species was occurring, at least not in a systematic way. Concurrence with palaeoenvironmental and zooarchaeological data from the region in which El Flaco and El Carril are located indicate that indigenous agricultural practices may have affected populations of hutia, perhaps by attracting them and supporting them within anthropogenic mosaic landscapes. The data also suggests that some degree of either purposeful feeding or scavenging from human agricultural plots was occurring and supports some degree of commensalism between humans and Puerto Rican hutia at these sites.

长期以来，研究人员一直推测某些动物候选物是由哥伦布前加勒比海地区的土著人民管理或驯化的，主要候选物是一群被称为hutia（Capromyinae）的啮齿类啮齿动物的某些成员。这项研究包括对伊斯帕尼奥拉，波多黎各雨果（Isolobodon portoricensis）特有的一种灭绝物种的潜在管理的同位素和形态学研究。为比较，同位素分析骨胶原样品检查碳（∂的进行¹³ Ç_共）和氮（∂ ¹⁵ N）的值I. portoricensis与其他两种特有硬毛鼠的，豚鼠（豚鼠porcellus），Antillean滑块（Trachemys stejnegeri），犀牛鬣蜥（Cyclura cornuta）和可食用大鼠（Brotomys sp。）来自多米尼加共和国的四个地点：El Flaco，El Carril，El Cabo和La Entrada。将该数据与El Flaco提供的人和狗胶原蛋白值进行比较，以评估这些组之间的相似性。记录了下颌骨下颌骨的骨测量数据，可以估算体重（n = 230）。这一发现表明，一些波多黎各鼠属portoricensis试件具有碳（δ ¹³ C ^_共）的价值类似于El Flaco的人和狗，可能与食用农业生产的玉米有关。这项研究没有表明是否已经对该物种进行了驯化或管理，至少没有系统的方式。同意El Flaco和El Carril所在地区的古环境和动物考古学数据表明，土著农业实践可能已经影响了人类的休养种群，也许是通过吸引它们并在人为镶嵌景观中提供支持。数据还表明，正在发生某种程度的从人类农业用地进行有目的的觅食或清理活动，并支持了这些场所人类与波多黎各休塔人之间的某种程度的共鸣。