Evolution and present situation of the South American Camelidae

Abstract

This paper provides a review of South American camelid evclution, classification and present status. Particular attention is paid to the debate roncerning origins of the domestic alpaca and llama and the contribution of researrh on faunal remains from Andean archaeological sites towards resolving this issue. Changes in incisor morphology during the domestication process suggest that the alpaca may be descended from the vicuiia, while a comparison of fibre production characteristirs in preconquest and extant llama and alpaca breeds indicates that extensive hybridization hetwern the two species is likely to have occurred since European contact. The potential role of hybridization in the formation of extant South American camelid populations has not been studied, and may be the root cause of taxonomic disputes.

Mitochondrial phylogeography and demographic history of the Vicuña: implications for conservation

“…Archaeological excavations have produced a few vicuñ a remains at sites from Tierra del Fuego (Prieto and Canto, 1997), Patagonia (Nami and Menegaz, 1991) and northern Paraguay (Ubilla, 2004), reflecting previous widespread lowland distribution between 13 000 and 10 000 YBP. Nonetheless, the earliest high-elevation occupations in central Peru reflect massive presence of vicuñ a in the centre of the moist puna by 10 000 YBP (Wheeler, 1995), indicating the expansion of this species into this area as documented by the DNA data. The presence of a Dry Diagonal belt between 241 and 291S (Ammann et al, 2001;Kull et al, 2002) delimits the present day distribution of the southern vicuñ a ecotype and it is possible that at the end of the Pleistocene period these dry-adapted vicuñ a populations surviving in refuges within the Dry Diagonal became contained, unable to expand beyond it limits.…”

“…In addition, Andean glaciation is correlated with the amount of available moisture rather than a fall in temperature (Clayton and Clapperton, 1997;Ammann et al, 2001;Kull et al, 2002), leading to palaeolake transgressions and an increase in suitable grassland habitat. Fossil remains of vicuñ a from dates before the Pleistocene/Holocene transition have only been found at palaeontological localities in the lowlands east of the Andes, where vicuñ a apparently evolved from Hemiauchenia approximately 2 million years ago (Wheeler, 1995). Archaeological excavations have produced a few vicuñ a remains at sites from Tierra del Fuego (Prieto and Canto, 1997), Patagonia (Nami and Menegaz, 1991) and northern Paraguay (Ubilla, 2004), reflecting previous widespread lowland distribution between 13 000 and 10 000 YBP.…”

“…Separation of vicuñ a subspecies is currently based upon differences in morphology, including the length of molars (V. v. mensalis 45 mm, V. v. vicugna 57 mm), height of withers (V. v. mensalis 70 cm, V. v. vicugna 90 cm; Thomas 1917;V. v. mensalis 88.5 cm;Wheeler 1995), length of chest hair and pelage color. Most important, the habitat they occupy is fundamentally different.…”

Eimeriid Oocysts From Archaeological Samples in Patagonia, Argentina

“…Species of Hemiauchenia migrated to South America during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (Wheeler, 1995). During the Pleistocene, a descendant of Hemiauchenia, i.e., Paleolama, was found in South America up to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (Miotti and Salemme, 1999 Paleoparasitological results for the Pleistocene transition to middle Holocene can be reasonably interpreted as a parasite response to host replacement.…”

ARBORICULTURA Y SILVOPASTORALISMO EN EL PERÍODO FORMATIVO (1.400 a.C.-500 d.C.) DE LA CUENCA DEL SALAR DE ATACAMA

“…Así las prácticas de pastoreo en los oasis se han descartado por varias razones (Agüero 2005;Núñez 1986Núñez -1987Núñez , 1995, posiblemente reforzadas por las actividades actuales, que reflejan una larga historia de colonización y sustitución de las prácticas indígenas. Sin embargo, numerosos autores han documentado que los camélidos tienen una buena adaptación a altitudes bajas (Cadwallader et al 2012;Finucane et al 2006;Guillet 1987;Shimada y Shimada 1985;Wheeler 1995). A nivel local, Tulán 85 es un ejemplo de pastoreo en bajas altitudes, y en Tulor 1 existe una fuerte evidencia de la explotación y mantención de camélidos (Barón 1986;Llagostera et al 1984).…”