''Cavia'' is a genus in the subfamily
Caviinae
Caviinae is a subfamily uniting all living members of the family Caviidae with the exception of the maras, capybaras, and ''Kerodon''. The subfamily traditionally contained the guinea pig or cavy-like forms along with the cursorially adapted ( ...
that contains the rodents commonly known as guinea pigs or cavies.
The best-known species in this genus is the domestic guinea pig, ''
Cavia porcellus
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...
'', a meat animal in South America and a common household pet outside of that continent.
Former taxonomic controversy
''Cavia'' is classified in order Rodentia, although there was once a minority belief in the scientific community that evidence from
mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA or mDNA) is the DNA located in mitochondria, cellular organelles within eukaryotic cells that convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial D ...
and proteins suggested the
Hystricognathi
The Hystricognathi are an infraorder of rodents, distinguished from other rodents by the bone structure of their skull
The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, fa ...
might belong to a different
evolution
Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
ary offshoot, and therefore a different order. If this had been so, it would have been an example of
convergent evolution
Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...
. However, this uncertainty is largely of historical interest, as abundant molecular genetic evidence now conclusively supports classification of ''Cavia'' as rodents. This evidence includes draft genome sequences of ''
Cavia porcellus
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...
'' and several other rodents.
Species
Historically, there has been little consensus in regard to the number of Cavia forms and their taxonomic affiliations. Morphological characters differentiating between Cavia species are limited and levels of inter and intra specific morphologic variation have not been well documented, thus, interpretations have varied and resulted in very different taxonomic conclusions. Three scientists disagreed on the number of species, Tate(1935) recognized 11 species, while Cabrera(1961) recognized 7, and Huckinghaus(1961) recognized only 3. Recent scientific compilations have generally followed either Cabrera or Huckinghaus.
[Dunnum,Jonathan L, Salazar-Bravo, Jorge (21 January 2010), "Molecular systematics,taxonomy, and biogeography of the genus Cavia (Rodentia:Caviidae) Page 1]
![Guinea pig eating grass leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Guinea_pig_eating_grass_leaves.jpeg)
At least five wild species of guinea pig are recognised, in addition to the domestic form:
*''
Cavia aperea'' – Brazilian guinea pig, widespread east of the Andes
*''
Cavia fulgida'' – shiny guinea pig, eastern
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
*''
Cavia intermedia
Santa Catarina's guinea pig (''Cavia intermedia'') or Moleques do Sul cavy is a rare guinea pig species of southeastern South America.
Distribution
The small mammal is endemic to the small coastal island of Moleques do Sul Archipelago, located i ...
'' – intermediate guinea pig, Moleques do Sul islands,
Santa Catarina, Brazil, first described in 1999
*''
Cavia magna
The greater guinea pig (''Cavia magna'') is a species of rodent found in the coastal strip of Brazil and Uruguay, where it lives in moist grassland and marshes.
Description
A large rodent, the greater guinea pig grows to a total length of and w ...
'' – greater guinea pig,
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, southeast Brazil
*''
Cavia porcellus
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...
'' – domestic guinea pig, wild ancestor is likely:
*''
Cavia tschudii'' – montane guinea pig,
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
south to northern
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and northwest
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
Some authors also recognise the following additional species:
*''
Cavia anolaimae
''Cavia anolaimae'' is a guinea pig species from South America. It is found in Colombia near Bogotá. It is believed to be a feral offshoot of the domestic guinea pig
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known ...
'' (often considered a synonym of ''C. porcellus'' or a subspecies of ''C. aparea'') –
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
*''
Cavia guianae
''Cavia guianae'' is a guinea pig species from South America. It is found in southern Venezuela, Guyana, and portions of northern Brazil. Some biologists believe it to be a feral offshoot of the domestic guinea pig
The guinea pig or domest ...
'' (often considered a synonym of ''C. porcellus'' or a subspecies of ''C. aparea'') –
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
,
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
, Brazil
*''
Cavia patzelti
''Cavia patzelti'', commonly known as the Sacha guinea pig, is a species of '' Cavia'' native to Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ec ...
''
(often considered a synonym of ''C. aparea'') -
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
In addition, four fossil species have been identified:
*†''Cavia cabrerai'' - early
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58[Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...](_blank)
Brazil
*†''Cavia vates'' - late Pleistocene Brazil
References
External links
{{-
*
Cavies
Rodents of South America
Mammals of the Andes
Pleistocene rodents
Quaternary mammals of South America
Middle Pleistocene
Extant Pleistocene first appearances
Rodent genera
Taxa named by Peter Simon Pallas