The Appalachian cottontail (''Sylvilagus obscurus'') is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

cottontail rabbit Cottontail rabbits are in the ''Sylvilagus'' genus, which is in the family Leporidae. They are found in the Americas. Most ''Sylvilagus'' species have stub tails with white undersides that show when they retreat, giving them their characterist ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Leporidae Leporidae () is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 70 species of extant mammals in all. The family name comes from "Lepus", hare in Latin. Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the mammalian order Lagomorpha. Leporidae ...

. It is a rare species found in the upland areas of the eastern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Taxonomy

The species was only recognized as separate from the New England cottontail (''Sylvilagus transitionalis'') in 1992.

Description

''Sylvilagus obscurus'' is a small rabbit inhabiting mostly mountainous regions in the eastern U.S. ranging from Pennsylvania to South Carolina and being most prominent in the Appalachians. ''S. obscurus'' is better adapted to colder climates than its distant relative, ''S. floridanus'', the

eastern cottontail The eastern cottontail (''Sylvilagus floridanus'') is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is the most common rabbit species in North America. Distribution The eastern cottontail can be found in meadows and shrub ...

. ''S. obscurus'' is light-yellow brown, mixed with black on the dorsal side, having a brown and red patch mixed on the neck. The ventral side is mostly white. ''S. obscurus'' is often visually quite similar to the eastern cottontail; a distinguishing factor is a black spot between the ears and a lack of a white spot on the forehead. The Appalachian cottontail and ''S. transitionalis'', the New England cottontail, are not easily distinguished in the field, and are most easily identified geographically. Cottontails found south or west of the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

are considered Appalachian cottontails; those found north and east are considered New England cottontails. The species can otherwise be identified by chromosome number and skull measurements. Female Appalachian cottontails are typically larger than males, with reproductive needs being the most likely cause. The weight of the Appalachian Cottontail can range from as little as , up to as much as . The average length is . The lifespan of ''S. obscurus'' is rather short, less than a year in some cases.

Behavior

''Sylvilagus obscurus'' is typically active around dusk or at dawn. During the day they typically avoid predators by sheltering under logs or in burrows.

Hibernation Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic reduction entered by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It is mos ...

does not play a factor due to the rabbit being active year-round.Joly, Kyle, and Wayne Myers. "Biological Conservation.
Patterns of mammalian species richness and habitat associations in Pennsylvania
99.2 253-260. Print. It is believed that there is a social hierarchy within the species, especially when it comes to mating, in which the males assert their dominance by fighting to gain mating priority.Cook, J. 2011.
Sylvilagus obscurus
(On-line), Animal Diversity Web. 30 October 2012.

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproductive habits of the Appalachian cottontail, but much can be based on knowledge of the genus ''Sylvilagus'' and the reproductive habits of most rabbits. Typically, they are inactive during midwinter, but as the nights shorten and the days lengthen, sexual activity develops strongly amongst ''Sylvilagus''; the reason for this being that day length directly correlates with stimulation of FSH in the female's blood which then in turn stimulates the follicles to develop ova.Litvalis, John, and Walter Jakubas.
New England Cottontail Assessment.
New England Cottontail Assessment. (2004): 1-73. Print. This puts the female in "

heat In thermodynamics, heat is energy in transfer between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings by such mechanisms as thermal conduction, electromagnetic radiation, and friction, which are microscopic in nature, involving sub-atomic, ato ...

" until reproduction occurs, however there is no particular seasonal cycle as the female can remain in this state, deemed pre-estrus, for a while. The breeding season for the Appalachian cottontail has been found to be between February and October. Once fertilization occurs, the gestation period is about 28 days. Before giving birth, the female will begin to dig a nesting depression.Cotton Tail Rabbit: Sylvilagus floridanus.
National Geographic . 2012: n. page. Web. 30 October 2012. She then pulls out her fur from her underbelly and gathers berries and leaves in order to provide a lining for the nest. This hair-pulling also allows for the nipples to be exposed for the offspring to nurse. The offspring, when birthed, will live in the nest with vegetation until they are independent for about 3–4 weeks. Typically, a mother of the genus ''Sylvilagus'' will care for her young and visit the nest twice a day to nurse her offspring. An adult female can breed up to 3-4 times per season and have roughly 3-4 offspring per litter.Hamilton, William, and John Whitaker
Mammals of Eastern United States
New York: 1998. 166-200. Print.

Habitat and diet

Appalachian cottontails are found in mountainous areas, typically from of elevation. The

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

provide for ''S. obscurus'' a habitat with cover and vegetation such as

blackberry BlackBerry is a discontinued brand of handheld devices and related mobile services, originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM, later known as BlackBerry Limited) until 2016. The first BlackBerry device ...

, greenbriar, and mountain laurel.Moseley, Kurtis, W. Mark Ford, John Edwards, and Michael Strager
"USDA." A Multi-Criteria Decisionmaking Approach for Management Indicator Species Selection on the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia
. (2010): 1-26. Print. Often this is what the Appalachian cottontail feeds on as well as bark and twigs of trees such as

red maple ''Acer rubrum'', the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant nati ...

aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species in the Populus sect. Populus, of the ''Populus'' (poplar) genus. Species These species are called aspens: * ''Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China, south of ''P. tremula'') * ''Populus da ...

, and black cherry. Usually its diet will consist of twigs, leaves, and fruits.

Coprophagy Coprophagia ( ) or coprophagy ( ) is the consumption of feces. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek "feces" and "to eat". Coprophagy refers to many kinds of feces-eating, including eating feces of other species (heterospecifics), of o ...

, the eating of its own feces, often occurs as it is useful for it to take up certain vitamins and nutrients that were not digested well in the first pass of digestion. This type of diet is found in most of the genus ''Sylvilagus''.

Communication

The Appalachian cottontail has heightened senses of smell, hearing, and sight, reflecting its role as prey; these allow the rabbit to recognize predators and react quickly to threats.Ford, Mark, Brian Chaman, and Margaret Trani.
Introduction of Mammals to the South.
" Introduction to Mammals of the South. n.d. n. page. Print. Mothers have been observed grunting to alert offspring to predators. The rabbit’s senses are also used to find potential mates, and it has been discovered squealing at times during mating.

Threats

There are several threats that have endangered the survival of ''S. obscurus''. These involve the destruction and maturation of habitat, as well as

habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological proces ...

due to urban development, which exposes the cottontail to increased predatation. Hunting is a common cause of death of Appalachian cottontails; also a lack of knowledge of a secretive species rarely found in the wild.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q139716 Sylvilagus Endemic mammals of the United States Ecology of the Appalachian Mountains Natural history of the Great Smoky Mountains Mammals described in 1992 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot