The Alia Camel of Jordan: a genetically distinct dromedary breed

The Dromedary camel has a remarkable history amongst cultures across Asia and northern Africa, serving multiple purposes ranging from providing milk, textiles, racing, and acting as pack animals. Recent genetic studies have revealed that many dromedaries are genetically homogenous, indicating that they do not represent different breeds, advocating for camel "type" over camel "breed." In this study, we leveraged whole genome sequencing (WGS) to sequence 15 Jordanian Alia camels for the first time, alongside 9 Jordanian mixed camels from diverse locations within the country. Additionally, we analyzed 48 publicly available whole genomes of dromedary camels from the Arabian Peninsula for comparison. We demonstrate that the Alia camel is a distinct breed of camel, carefully bred in Jordan for racing and milk production. Compared with other dromedary camels, the Alia is genetically distinct and a unique breed that should be conserved. Our data further suggest that WGS of different camel populations may identify additional breeds and inform approaches to optimize traits and preserve genetic diversity.