Capybara

The capybara is the world's largest rodent.

(Public domain image from Webster's Dictionary 1911 [Full size image])

It can be found in certain areas of Central and South America, near water. The capybara is an excellent swimmer, and even has partially webbed feet. It mates in the water and also uses the water as its defense to hide from predators. It can stay submerged for a few minutes. The capybara is also known to sleep underwater with only its nose exposed.

In the regions along the [Parana river]? in Southern Brazil and Northern Argentina capybaras are frequently captured and kept as pets or occasionally hunted for food. Carpincho is the Spanish name for the capybara.

When the Spanish missionaries? found the capybara in Brazil during the 16th century, they wrote to the Pope to ask - there's an animal here that's scaly but also hairy, spends most of its time in the water but occasionally comes on land; can we classify it as a fish (and thus, the indigenous people could continue to eat it during Lent?)?. Not having a clear description of the animal (and not wanting the petitioners to starve), the Pope agreed and declared it to be a fish, and it is still classified as such.