Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), which is suggested as domesticated descendants of a closely related species of cavy, is a kind of rodent that do not exist naturally in the wild. It is one of the earliest species that have been applied in the field of research and investigation for more than 200 years. While, since the genetic research of guinea pig has fallen behind during the early 20th century, it becomes less popular than mice and rats in a variety of researches. But guinea pig is still an ideal source to generate antibodies for extreme allergic reactions or anaphylaxis researches, and also be treated as an important model for the study of various infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and diphtheria.

Source: http://www.creative-biolabs.com/Guinea-Pig-Hybridoma-Production.htm