New Insights into the Color Phenotypes and Genotypes of Huacaya Alpaca and Their Fiber’s Economic and Commercial Value

This topic highlights color phenotypes and recent genetic findings related to pigmentation in Huacaya alpacas. The wide color diversity is the result of human selection based on fiber color. Main phenotypes of dark colors were grouped by lightness and chromaticity values: true black and dilute black (1), dark brown (2), and light brown (3). Pigmented fibers with the lowest lightness and chromaticity values tend to be true black, dilute black, or dark brown. Recent advances in molecular genetic analysis and genomic assembly (VicPac4) have identified two genes that control fiber pigmentation: (agouti signaling protein), which is located on chromosome 19, and (melanocortin 1 receptor), which is located on chromosome 21. There is a strong correlation between standard CIE L*a*b* fiber measurements (lightness and chromaticity values) and alpaca genotypes. Variation in dark-colored alpaca fleece is due to specific alleles at the and genes. Selecting black and dark brown Huacaya alpacas based on these alleles and genotypes improves uniform fleece production for the global textile industry. The aa/E-, aa/E-, aa/E-, and aa/E- genotypes should be selected primarily. Fiber colorimetry combined with genotyping can improve breeding decisions and support its use as an inexpensive tool for breeders. The segregation of true black fleece can be explained by epistatic interactions between and alleles. However, the effects of other genes and the ascendance lines used are not well understood in alpaca breeding. These insights have significant economic and commercial implications because the market value of dark-colored fiber is currently low. Breeding strategies and processing fibers of natural colors are important. Improving the predictability of uniform colors through colorimetry and genotyping in selective breeding could enhance product quality, diversify textile applications, and increase the price and profitability of colored fiber for Peruvian alpaca breeders.