Taxonomic and biogeographical status of guanaco Lama guanicoe (Artiodactyla, Camelidae)

Abstract

1. We review the status of the four currently recognized guanaco Lama guanicoe subspecies, and provide information about their taxonomy and distribution. The success of guanaco in inhabiting open habitats of South America is based mainly on the flexibility of their social behaviour and ecophysiological adaptations to harsh environments. 2. Lönnberg described the first subspecies, L. g. cacsilensis , at the beginning of the 20th century. Forty years later Krumbiegel described L. g. voglii , based on skull measurements and pelage colouration. The other two subspecies, L. g. huanacus and L. g. guanicoe , were classified as subspecies by Krumbiegel based on pelage colouration and body size, while maintaining the original Latin names and descriptors. 3. Further guanaco populations have been incorporated into each of these subspecies, based on their proximity to the type locality but without attention to the homogeneity of phenotype or habitat and only limited consideration of Bergmann's rule based on scarce skulls. Two alternative geographical ranges were proposed in the middle and towards the end of the 20th century. Discrepancies occur in the geographical range of each subspecies. 4. Molecular studies based on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequences recognized only two subspecies: the Peruvian L. guanicoe cacsilensis and the rest of the populations grouped in the clade recognized as L. g. guanicoe . We conclude that the evolutionary biology of L. guanicoe requires a significant revision with respect to biogeography. Phylogeographical data hold particular value in developing conservation strategies, particularly for some of the reduced and marginal populations and/or subspecies and will support IUCN (The World Conservation Union) Red List classification.

Sistemática, taxonomía y domesticación de alpacas y llamas: nueva evidencia cromosómica y molecular

“…Cuatro subespecies se reconocen en L. guanicoe caracterizadas por sutiles diferencias morfológicas distribuidas a uno y otro lado de los Andes (Wheeler 1995, González et al 2006, desde la Reserva Nacional de Calipuy (8 o S), en el centro-norte del Perú, hasta la isla Navarino en el extremo sur de Chile (55º S). De ellos, el taxón más septentrional, L. g. cacsilensis (Lönnberg 1913) habita el centro y sur del Perú y norte de Chile entre 8 y 20 o S; más al sur, L. g. huanacus (Molina 1782) se distribuye en la zona centro norte de Chile entre 22 o y 28 o S. Sobre el flanco oriental de la cordillera de los Andes, L. g. voglii (Krumbiegel 1944) ocurre en el norte de Argentina y el Chaco de Bolivia y Paraguay entre 21 o y 32 o S. Finalmente la forma más austral, L. g. guanicoe (Müller 1776) habita en el rango desde los 32 o S hacia el sur, cubriendo gran parte de la Patagonia de Argentina y Chile, e islas de Tierra del Fuego y Navarino (Krumbiegel 1944, Franklin 1982, Wheeler 1995.…”

Reporte de la presencia de guanacos (Lama guanicoe cacsilensis) en las lomas de Marcona y alrededores (Ica-Perú) durante la estación seca

“…Es una especie poligínica y monomórfica, característica de zonas áridas o semiáridas (González et al, 2006;González et al, 2013), y considerada migratoria facultativa (Ortega & Franklin 1995;Puig et al, 2008;Iranzo, 2011). En el Perú sólo se reporta la presencia de la subespecie Lama guanicoe cacsilensis, la cual se distribuye en las vertientes occidentales de los Andes (Franklin, 1975;Hoces, 1992) desde La Libertad en el norte, hasta Puno y Tacna en el sur (CONACS, 1997).…”

Molecular identification of Nematodirus spathiger (Nematoda: Molineidae) in Lama guanicoe from Patagonia, Argentina

“…The guanaco population extends from Peru at 8 ºS to the Isla Navarino (archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, Chile) at 55 ºS (Wheeler, 1995). Nowadays, guanacos occupy a 40 % of the original area that they inhabited at pre-Hispanic times (Franklin et al, 1997), with about 840,000 individuals in all (González et al, 2006), from which 400,000 inhabit in Patagonia (Amaya et al, 2001). Parasites act as density-dependent factors regulating host population sizes (Anderson & May, 1979), particularly the wild species population (Tompkins & Begon, 1999).…”