Abstract

PUIG, Silvia et al. First records of albine guanacos in the mountains of southern Andean Precordillera (Mendoza, Argentina). Multequina [online]. 2017, vol.26, n.2, pp.77-86. ISSN 1852-7329.

Hypopigmentation, expressed as complete albinism, leucism, xantism, or piebaldism, has been recorded in a great variety of vertebrates, generally with low frequency. This note documents the first records of guanacos with hypopigmentation in a wild population of the Southern Andean Precordillera. These records were obtained between 2013 and 2017, in the frame of scientific investigations and tasks of control and surveillance carried out in the Villavicencio protected area. The findings corresponded to a leucistic adult and an albino young, integrated to a bachelor group and a familial group, respectively. Both showed normal movements and active social interaction, evidences that allow to discard difficulties in growing, obtaining food or intraspecific integration. The described findings, together with those previously documented for the guanaco in northern Argentina and Chile, are not far from the rates of natural occurence of hypopigmentation mentioned in bibliography. However, the increase of human activities in the region highlights the relevance of monitoring their effects on the guanaco population. If such activities generate environmental fragmentation or contamination, the guanaco could present environmental stress and endogamy, with potential incidence on the albinism rate.

Keywords : Camelidae; Hypopigmentation; Lama guanicoe; Andean Precordillera.

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