The chilihueque/chiliweke or hueque/weke ( Lama araucana) is an extinct hypothetical species of South America Camelidae. It lived in Central Chile and Zona Sur until the Colonial Chile.
Taxonomy
The chilihueque was first scientifically described by Juan Ignacio Molina in 1782, who named it
camel araucanus.
In 1829, Johann Baptist Fischer reassigned the species to
Lama.
proposed the alternate name
Lama chilihueque in 1841.
There are two main hypotheses for its origin: the first suggests that it was a locally-domesticated
guanaco and the second that it was a
llama or
alpaca introduced from the north.
The former hypothesis is supported by a mitochondrial DNA analysis of bones from
Mocha Island.
Description
According to Molina, Joris van Spilbergen observed the
Mapuche of Mocha Island using chilihueques as
plough animals.
They were also
Animal sacrifice by the Mapuche, as attested by various 16th century Spanish records. White individuals were reserved for dignitaries, while those of other colors were shared with commoners (including for the purpose of
bride price).
Chilihueque populations declined through the 16th and 17th centuries, becoming outnumbered by
sheep and other
livestock brought by Europeans. The exact date of their extinction is uncertain, but it was likely in the late 18th century. At this time, only the
Mapuche in Huequén (near
Angol) and Mariquina still raised the species according to Tomás Guevara.
