Huarizo | |
---|---|
Domesticated
| |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Camelidae |
Subfamily: | Camelinae |
Tribe: | Lamini |
Hybrid: | Lama glama♂ × Vicugna pacos♀ |
A huarizo, also known as a llapaca, is a hybrid cross between a male llama and a female alpaca. Misti is a similar hybrid; it is a cross between a male alpaca and a female llama. The most common hybrid between South American camelids,[1] huarizo tend to be much smaller than llamas, with their fibre being longer.[2] Huarizo are sterile, but recent genetic research conducted at the University of Minnesota Rochester suggests that it may be possible to preserve fertility with minimal genetic modification.[citation needed]
However, many owners have reported that their Huarizos and Mistis are fertile.[citation needed]