What is "guinea pig"

Guinea pig \Guin"ea pig`\ [Prob. a mistake for Guiana pig.]

1. (Zo["o]l.) A small Brazilian rodent ( Cavia porcellus or Cavia cobaya), about seven inches in length and usually of a white color, with spots of orange and black. Called also cavy. It is the domesticated form of the wild cavy, often kept as a pet and used commonly as an experimental animal in laboratory research.

2. Hence, [figuratively]: Any animal or person used in an experiment; -- also applied to people who are unwillingly or unknowingly subjected by authorities to policies or procedures which might cause bodily or mental harm.

3. A contemptuous sobriquet. [Obs.]
   --Smollett

1660s, native to South America and perhaps so called either because it was first brought back to Britain aboard Guinea-men, ships that plied the triangle trade between England, Guinea, and South America [Barnhart, Klein]; or from confusion of Guinea (q.v.) with the South American region of Guyana (but OED is against this). In the extended sense of "one subjected to an experiment" it is first recorded 1920, because they were commonly used in vivisection experiments.

n. 1 A tailless rodent of the the family Caviidae and the genus ''Cavia'' genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species ''Cavia porcellus'' is often kept as a pet. 2 A rodent of any of several species within the family Caviidae. 3 (context figuratively English) A living experimental subject. 4 (cx obsolete English) (n-g Term of contempt. English)

1. n. a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation; "the subjects for this investigation were selected randomly"; "the cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities" [syn: subject, case]

2. stout-bodied nearly tailless domesticated cavy; often kept as a pet and widely used in research [syn: Cavia cobaya]

The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also called the cavy or domestic guinea pig, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the Suidae, or pig family, nor do they originate from Guinea. They originated in the Andes, and earlier studies based on biochemistry and hybridization suggest they are domesticated descendants of a closely related species of cavy such as Cavia aperea, C. fulgida, or C. tschudii and, therefore, do not exist naturally in the wild. Recent studies applying molecular markers, in addition to studying the skull and skeletal morphology of current and mummified animals, revealed that the ancestor is most likely Cavia tschudii.

The domestic guinea pig plays an important role in the folk culture of many Indigenous South American groups, especially as a food source, but also in folk medicine and in community religious ceremonies. Since the 1960s, efforts have been made to increase consumption of the animal outside South America.

In Western societies, the domestic guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a household pet since its introduction by European traders in the 16th century. Their docile nature; friendly, even affectionate responsiveness to handling and feeding; and the relative ease of caring for them, continue to make guinea pigs a popular pet. Organizations devoted to competitive breeding of guinea pigs have been formed worldwide, and many specialized breeds of guinea pig, with varying coat colors and compositions, are cultivated by breeders.

Biological experimentation on guinea pigs has been carried out since the 17th century. The animals were frequently used as model organisms in the 19th and 20th centuries, resulting in the epithet "guinea pig" for a test subject, but have since been largely replaced by other rodents such as mice and rats. They are still used in research, primarily as models for human medical conditions such as juvenile diabetes, tuberculosis, scurvy, and pregnancy complications.

The are a series of seven controversial Japanese horror films from the 1980-90s. The series achieved global notoriety mostly for the first two films as the producer needed to prove that nobody was actually hurt or murdered. The producer Hideshi Hino's original concept was to create a film adaptation of his manga work.

The tapes gained notoriety in Japan during the late 1980s and early 1990s when the sixth film of the series (Devil Woman Doctor) was found showcased in the 5,763 videotape collection of Japanese serial killer Tsutomu Miyazaki. It was erroneously reported originally as being the second film of the series. It was widely but mistakenly believed that Miyazaki re-enacted a scene from the second film as a part of his crimes. Because of the initial controversy surrounding the series, the series went out of production in Japan. However, the entire series has since been reissued on DVD in the United States, the Netherlands, the UK, and Austria.

In 1991, the films received additional media attention when film personality Chris Gore met actor Charlie Sheen and gave him a copy. Sheen then watched Flowers of Flesh and Blood and, mistaking it for a genuine snuff film, contacted the FBI to report it. FBI agent Dan Codling informed them that the FBI and the Japanese authorities were already investigating the filmmakers, who were repeatedly interviewed by the Japanese police and eventually summoned to court to prove that the special effects were indeed fake.

The 1989 Japanese splatter film Lucky Sky Diamond is often mis-attributed to the Guinea Pig series as Guinea Pig: Lucky Sky Diamond, but is, in fact, unrelated to the series.

A guinea pig is a domestic rodent.

Guinea pig may also refer to:

• Guinea pig, a slang term for a test subject of any species:
  • Human subject research
  • Animal testing
• The Guinea Pig Club, a group of surgical patients
• 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs, a 1933 book about the pharmaceutical and food industries
• Guinea Pig (film series), a controversial series of Japanese films
• Guinea Pig (TV series), a Discovery Channel series
• The Guinea Pig (film), a 1948 film starring Richard Attenborough
• The Guinea Pig (play), a 1929 comedy by Preston Sturges
• The Guinea Pig EP, the first album released by the band Angry Salad