lamini

File:Hemiauchenia macrocephala FLMNH.jpg, one of the most widespread and successful prehistoric lamines]]

Lamines originated during the Miocene in North America,{{Cite journal |last1=Lynch |first1=Sinéad |last2=Sánchez-Villagra |first2=Marcelo R. |last3=Balcarcel |first3=Ana |date=December 2020 |title=Description of a fossil camelid from the Pleistocene of Argentina, and a cladistic analysis of the Camelinae |journal=Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |volume=139 |issue=1 |page=5 |doi=10.1186/s13358-020-00208-6 |issn=1664-2376 |pmc=7590954 |pmid=33133011 |doi-access=free }} and migrated into South America during the Pliocene and Pleistocene as part of the Great American Interchange.{{Cite journal |last1=Gasparini |first1=Germán Mariano |last2=De los Reyes |first2=Martín |last3=Francia |first3=Analía |last4=Scherer |first4=Carolina Saldanha |last5=Poiré |first5=Daniel Gustavo |date=March 2017 |title=The oldest record of Hemiauchenia Gervais and Ameghino (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla) in South America: Comments about its paleobiogeographic and stratigraphic implications |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0016699516300675 |journal=Geobios |language=en |volume=50 |issue=2 |pages=141–153 |doi=10.1016/j.geobios.2016.12.003|hdl=11336/48701 |hdl-access=free }} Most species of lamines, including the genera Hemiauchenia and Palaeolama and all North American species, became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene around 12,000 years ago as part of the Quaternary extinction event along with most other large mammals in the Americas.

The llama (Lama glama) is the largest of the extant laminoids and weighs {{convert|130|–|150|kg|lb}} with a height of {{convert|109|–|119|cm|in|abbr=on}} at the shoulder. Llamas are not a natural species; rather, they were domesticated by the Peruvians and Bolivians of the highlands.{{cite journal| volume = 61| issue = 1| page = 5| last = Furlong| first = Charles Wellington|title = Hunting the Guanaco| journal = The Outing Magazine| date = October 1912 – March 1913}} Commercial trade led to the llama's current abundance in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and northeast Argentina. There are bands of llamas in the United States, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand.

The color and length of the llama's wool is variable, depending on the race. The diameter of llama wool's fiber varies between 20 and 80 micrometers, depending on whether the llamas were raised for its wool or as a pack animal.

The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is a wild camelid, standing at {{convert|100|–|120|cm|in|abbr=on}} at the shoulder and {{convert|150|–|160|cm|in|abbr=on}} at the head. It can weigh up to {{convert|140|kg|lb}}.{{cite web| publisher = World Association of Zoos and Aquariums| title = Guanaco: Lama guanicoe| accessdate = 10 December 2012| url = http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/camels/lama-guanicoe| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114914/http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/camels/lama-guanicoe| archive-date = 4 March 2016| url-status = dead}} Its pelage is longer than vicuña wool but shorter than that of the alpaca; it is considered to be of excellent quality and has a light brown, reddish, or brown-yellow color. The diameter of its fleece's fibers varies between 16 and 18 micrometers.

90% of the world's guanacos are in Argentina,{{cite web| title = San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Guanaco| accessdate = 10 December 2012| url = http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-guanaco.html|publisher=Zoological Society of San Diego }} distributed from the islands of the Beagle Channel and the southern extremity of Patagonia to the Puna grassland in northwestern Argentina. Guanacos can also be found in Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru.{{cite iucn |author=Baldi, R.B. |author2=Acebes, P. |author3=Cuéllar, E. |author4=Funes, M. |author5=Hoces, D. |author6=Puig, S. |author7=Franklin, W.L. |year=2016 |title=Lama guanicoe |volume=2016 |page=e.T11186A18540211 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T11186A18540211.en |access-date=17 March 2024}}

The alpaca (Lama pacos), a domestic camelid, weighs between {{convert|50|and|65|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, while its height at the shoulder is {{convert|94|–|104|cm|in|abbr=on}}. It is slightly larger than the vicuña. Normally, the alpaca is found in the Andes in Peru and Bolivia, though it also inhabits northern Chile and northwestern Argentina.{{cite book| publisher = Springer| isbn = 9780387752280| pages = 121–130| editor1-first = Helaine|editor1-last= Silverman| editor2-last = Isbell| editor2-first = William| first = Peter W.|last=Stahl| title = Handbook of South American Archaeology| chapter = Animal Domestication in South America| date = 4 April 2008}} There are about 3.5 million alpacas in the world. In the 1980s, alpacas started being exported to other countries for farming purposes: they can be found in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, though the vast majority still reside in South America.{{cite web| last = Castillo-Ruiz| first = Alexandra| title = Lama pacos: alpaca| work = Animal Diversity Web| accessdate = 10 December 2012| url = http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lama_pacos.html|publisher=University of Michigan}}

The alpaca is mainly raised for its wool. Out of the domestic camelids, the alpaca produces wool with longer and finer fiber than the llama, with a strand diameter of 18–25 micrometers.{{cite journal|last=Quiggle|first=Charlotte|title=Alpaca: An Ancient Luxury|journal=Interweave Knits|date=Fall 2000|pages=74–76}}

The vicuña (Lama vicugna) is the smallest camelid, with a shoulder height of {{convert|75|–|100|cm|in|abbr=on}} and a weight of {{convert|40|–|60|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. Its coat is mainly beige in color and is said to make "the best wool in the world", with the average fiber diameter between 11 and 14 micrometers.{{cite web| publisher = Discovery Communications, LLC| title = Mammal Guide: Vicuña| work = Animal Planet| accessdate = 11 December 2012| url = http://animal.discovery.com/guides/mammals/habitat/tempgrassland/vicuna.html

}} Like rodents, the vicuña has continuously-growing incisors. It lives only in areas of high altitude – {{convert|3200|m|ft|abbr=on}} or greater – in the highlands of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador.

• Ruminant
• Ungulate

{{Reflist}}

{{Camelids}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q867207}}

Category:Camelids

Category:Mammals of South America

Category:Mammal tribes