Body length is between 300-600 mm.
Dorsal side is covered with short spines.
Coloration of dorsal side varies from yellow to black, venter is usually gray. The diet is primarily vegetation, including leaves, tender, stems, fruits, blossoms, and roots. They get at the cambium layer of trees by peeling away the bark. There is no breeding season. Little is known about courtship and mating interactions between the sexes.