- Cavia
Taxobox
name = Cavia
fossil_range = MiddlePleistocene - Recent
image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Cavia aperea "
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Mammal ia
ordo =Rodent ia
familia =Caviidae
subfamilia =Caviinae
genus = "Cavia"
genus_authority = Pallas, 1766
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Cavia aperea "
"Cavia tschudii "
"Cavia guianae "
"Cavia anolaimae "
"Cavia nana "
"Cavia porcellus "
"Cavia fulgida "
"Cavia magna "
"Cavia intermedia ""Cavia" is a genus in the
Caviinae subfamily that contains the rodents commonly known as guinea pigs. The most well-known species in this genus is the domestic guinea pig, "Cavia porcellus ", an important meat animal in South America and a common household pet in the West.Taxonomic controversy
"Cavia" are classified in order Rodentia, although there is a minority belief in the scientific community that evidence from
mitochondrial DNA and proteins indicates that theHystricognathi may belong to a differentevolution ary offshoot and therefore a different order. [ cite web | last = Stiefel | first = Chana Freeiman | title = Family feud - genetic evidence seems to show that guinea pigs are not rodents | publisher = Science World | year = 1996 | url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_n3_v53/ai_18773108 | accessdate = 2007-11-15 ] If so, this would be an example ofconvergent evolution . Other scientists are critical of this hypothesis. [ [http://mbe.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/4/593 "Molecular Biology and Evolution," Vol 11, 593-604] ]pecies
*"
Cavia anolaimae " (often considered a synonym of "C. porcellus") -Colombia
*"Cavia aperea " – Brazilian Guinea Pig: widespread east of the Andes
*"Cavia fulgida " – Shiny Guinea Pig: easternBrazil
*"Cavia guianae " (often considered a synonym of "C. porcellus) -Venezuela ,Guyana ,Brazil
*"Cavia intermedia " – Intermediate Guinea Pig:Moleques do Sul islands, Santa Catarina,Brazil , first described in 1999
*"Cavia magna " – Greater Guinea Pig:Uruguay , south-eastBrazil
*"Cavia nana " (often considered a synonym of "C. tschudii")
*"Cavia porcellus " – Domestic Guinea Pig: wild ancestor unknown
*"Cavia tschudii " – Montane Guinea Pig:Peru south to northernChile and north-westArgentina References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.