Which animals were domesticated by Mesoamerican Indian peoples?

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In Mesoamerica, the domestication of animals played a relatively minor role compared to the development of agriculture. The principal animals domesticated by Mesoamerican Indian peoples were the dog, the turkey, and the Muscovy duck.12

  • Dog: The dog was the earliest animal domesticated in the region, with evidence of its presence in archaeological sites well before 1500 BCE.13
  • Turkey: The domestication of the common turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) was likely initiated by the indigenous peoples of pre-Columbian Mexico.4
  • Muscovy Duck: While the domestication of the Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) also occurred among Indigenous peoples in South America, it is recognized as one of the primary domesticated animals within the broader Mesoamerican context.52