Molecular evolution of the family Camelidae: a mitochondrial DNA study

1994/04/22 by Helen F. Stanley, Miranda Kadwell, Jane C. Wheeler · 7 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Animal Diversity and Health Studies #Genetic diversity and population structure #Identification and Quantification in Food

paper · doi:10.1098/rspb.1994.0041

openalex publication_date 1994/04/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

We report the first molecular evolutionary analysis of the family Camelidae by analysing the full DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Estimates for the time of divergence of the Old World (Camelini) and New World (Lamini) tribes obtained from sequence data are in agreement with those derived from the fossil record. The DNA sequence data were also used to test current hypotheses concerning the ancestors of the domesticated llama and alpaca. The results show that hybridization has occurred in the ancestry of both domesticated camelids, obscuring the origin of the domestic species.

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