Rabbits and hares
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Leporidae is the family of
rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...
s and
hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...
s, containing over 60 species of extant
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s in all. The Latin word ''Leporidae'' means "those that resemble ''lepus''" (hare). Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
ian
order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...
Lagomorpha. Leporidae differ from pikas in that they have short, furry tails and elongated ears and hind legs. The
common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
"rabbit" usually applies to all genera in the family except '' Lepus'', while members of ''Lepus'' (almost half the species) usually are called hares. Like most common names, however, the distinction does not match current taxonomy completely; jackrabbits are members of ''Lepus'', and members of the genera ''
Pronolagus The red rock hares are the four species in the genus ''Pronolagus''. They are African lagomorphs of the family Leporidae. Taxonomic history Species in this genus had previously been classified in the genus ''Lepus'', as done by J. E. Gray, or in ...
'' and '' Caprolagus'' sometimes are called hares. Various countries across all continents except Antarctica and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
have indigenous species of Leporidae. Furthermore, rabbits, most significantly the European rabbit, ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'', also have been introduced to most of Oceania and to many other islands, where they pose serious ecological and commercial threats.


Characteristics

Leporids are small to moderately sized mammals, adapted for rapid movement. They have long hind legs, with four toes on each foot, and shorter fore legs, with five toes each. The soles of their feet are hairy, to improve grip while running, and they have strong claws on all of their toes. Leporids also have distinctive, elongated and mobile ears, and they have an excellent sense of hearing. Their eyes are large, and their night vision is good, reflecting their primarily
nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...
or
crepuscular In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal, vespertine, or both. This is distinguished from diurnal and nocturnal behavior, where an animal is active during the hours of daylig ...
mode of living. Leporids are all roughly the same shape and fall within a small range of sizes with short tails, ranging from the 21 cm (8 in) long
Tres Marias cottontail The Tres Marias cottontail or Tres Marias rabbit (''Sylvilagus graysoni'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. Distribution and habitat It is endemic to the Tres Marias Islands, part of the Mexican state of Nayarit. The rabbit is a ...
to the 76 cm (30 in) long
desert hare The desert hare (''Lepus tibetanus'') is a species of hare found in Central Asia, Northwest China, and the western Indian subcontinent. Little is known about this species except that it inhabits grassland and scrub areas of desert and semi-desert ...
. Female leporids are almost always larger than males, which is unusual among terrestrial mammals, in which males are usually the larger sex. Both rabbits and hares are almost exclusively herbivorous (although some ''Lepus'' species are known to eat carrion), feeding primarily on grasses and herbs, although they also eat leaves, fruit, and seeds of various kinds. They are coprophagous, as they pass food through their digestive systems twice, first expelling it as soft green
feces Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...
, called
cecotrope Cecotropes, also called caecotrophs, caecal pellets, or night fecs, are the product of the cecum, a part of the digestive system in mammals of the order Lagomorpha, which includes two families: Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pika ...
s, which they then reingest, eventually producing hard, dark fecal pellets. Like rodents, they have powerful front incisor teeth, but they also have a smaller second pair of incisors to either side of the main teeth in the upper jaw, and the structure is different from that of rodent incisors. Also like rodents, leporids lack any
canine Canine may refer to: Zoology and anatomy * a dog-like Canid animal in the subfamily Caninae ** '' Canis'', a genus including dogs, wolves, coyotes, and jackals ** Dog, the domestic dog * Canine tooth, in mammalian oral anatomy People with the ...
teeth, but they do have more cheek teeth than rodents do. Their jaws also contain a large diastema. The dental formula of most, though not all, leporids is: They have adapted to a remarkable range of habitats, from
desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...
to tundra, forests, mountains, and
swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
land. Rabbits generally dig permanent
burrow An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of sh ...
s for shelter, the exact form of which varies between species. In contrast, hares rarely dig shelters of any kind, and their bodies are more suited to fast running than to burrowing. The
gestation Gestation is the period of development during the carrying of an embryo, and later fetus, inside viviparous animals (the embryo develops within the parent). It is typical for mammals, but also occurs for some non-mammals. Mammals during pregna ...
period in leporids varies from around 28 to 50 days, and is generally longer in the hares. This is in part because young hares, or leverets, are born fully developed, with fur and open eyes, while rabbit kits are naked and blind at birth, having the security of the burrow to protect them. Leporids can have several litters a year, which can cause their population to expand dramatically in a short time when resources are plentiful.


Reproduction

Leporids are typically
polygynandrous Polygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season. In sexually reproducing diploid animals, different mating strategies are employed by males and females, because the cost of ga ...
, and have highly developed social systems. Their social hierarchies determine which males mate when the females go into estrus, which happens throughout the year.
Gestation Gestation is the period of development during the carrying of an embryo, and later fetus, inside viviparous animals (the embryo develops within the parent). It is typical for mammals, but also occurs for some non-mammals. Mammals during pregna ...
periods are variable, but in general, higher latitudes correspond to shorter gestation periods. Moreover, the gestation time and litter size correspond to predation rates as well. Species nesting below ground tend to have lower predation rates and have larger litters.


Evolution

The oldest known leporid species date from the late Eocene, by which time the family was already present in both North America and Asia. Over the course of their evolution, this group has become increasingly adapted to lives of fast running and leaping. For example, ''
Palaeolagus ''Palaeolagus'' ('ancient hare') is an extinct genus of lagomorpha, lagomorph. ''Palaeolagus'' lived in the Eocene and Oligocene epochs of North America, Taxonomy The fossil remains of rabbits are scanty and those specimens that have been found ...
'', an extinct rabbit from the
Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...
of North America, had shorter hind legs than modern forms (indicating it ran rather than hopped) though it was in most other respects quite rabbit-like. Two as yet unnamed fossil finds—dated ~48 Ma (from
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
) and ~53 Ma ( India)—while primitive, display the characteristic leporid ankle, thus pushing the divergence of Ochotonidae and Leporidae yet further into the past. The cladogram is from Matthee et al., 2004, based on nuclear and mitochondrial gene analysis.


Classification

Family Leporidae:
rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...
s and
hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...
s * Genus '' Pentalagus'' ** Amami rabbit, ''Pentalagus furnessi'' * Genus '' Bunolagus'' **
Riverine rabbit The riverine rabbit (''Bunolagus monticularis''), also known as the bushman rabbit or bushman hare, is a rabbit with an extremely limited distribution area, found only in the central and southern regions of the Karoo Desert of South Africa's No ...
, ''Bunolagus monticularis'' * Genus ''
Nesolagus ''Nesolagus'' is a genus of rabbits containing three species of striped rabbit: the Annamite striped rabbit, the Sumatran striped rabbit, and the extinct species ''N. sinensis''. Overall there is very little known about the genus as a whole, mo ...
'' ** Sumatran striped rabbit, ''Nesolagus netscheri'' ** Annamite striped rabbit, ''Nesolagus timminsi'' * Genus '' Romerolagus'' ** Volcano rabbit, ''Romerolagus diazi'' * Genus '' Brachylagus'' **
Pygmy rabbit The pygmy rabbit (''Brachylagus idahoensis'') is a rabbit species native to the United States. It is also the only native rabbit species in North America to dig its own burrow. The pygmy rabbit differs significantly from species within either the ...
, ''Brachylagus idahoensis'' * Genus '' Sylvilagus'' ** Subgenus ''
Tapeti The common tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasiliensis''), also known as the Brazilian cottontail, forest cottontail, or (formerly) simply tapeti is a species of cottontail rabbit. It is small to medium-sized with a small, dark tail, short hind feet, and s ...
'' ***
Swamp rabbit The swamp rabbit (''Sylvilagus aquaticus''), also called the cane-cutter, is a large cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the southern United States. The species has a strong preference for wet areas, and it will take to the wate ...
, ''Sylvilagus aquaticus'' ***
Andean tapetí The Andean tapeti (''Sylvilagus andinus'') or Andean cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit native to Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasiliensis''). Livin ...
, ''Sylvilagus andinus'' *** Bogota tapetí, ''Sylvilagus apollinaris'' ***
Ecuadorian tapetí Ecuadorians ( es, ecuatorianos) are people identified with the South American country of Ecuador. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Ecuadorians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collect ...
, ''Sylvilagus daulensis'' ***
Common tapetí The common tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasiliensis''), also known as the Brazilian cottontail, forest cottontail, or (formerly) simply tapeti is a species of cottontail rabbit. It is small to medium-sized with a small, dark tail, short hind feet, and s ...
, ''Sylvilagus brasiliensis'' ***
Fulvous tapetí Fulvous is a colour, sometimes described as dull orange, brownish-yellow or tawny; it can also be likened to a variation of buff, beige or butterscotch. As an adjective it is used in the names of many species of birds, and occasionally other a ...
, ''Sylvilagus fulvescens'' *** Dice's cottontail, ''Sylvilagus dicei'' ***
Central American tapetí Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
, ''Sylvilagus gabbi'' ***
Northern tapetí Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...
, ''Sylvilagus incitatus'' *** Omilteme cottontail, ''Sylvilagus insonus'' *** Nicefor's tapetí, ''Sylvilagus nicefori'' ***
Marsh rabbit The marsh rabbit (''Sylvilagus palustris'') is a small cottontail rabbit found in marshes and swamps of coastal regions of the Eastern and Southern United States. It is a strong swimmer and found only near regions of water. It is similar in app ...
, ''Sylvilagus palustris'' ***
Suriname tapetí The Suriname tapeti (''Sylvilagus parentum'') or Suriname lowland forest cottontail is a South American species of cottontail rabbit described in 2017. It is known from the lowlands of western Suriname, and was described from specimens collected ...
, ''Sylvilagus parentum'' ***
Colombian tapetí Colombian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Colombia * Colombians, persons from Colombia, or of Colombian descent **For more information about the Colombian people, see: *** Demographics of Colombia *** Indigenous ...
, ''Sylvilagus salentus'' ***
Santa Marta tapetí Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...
, ''Sylvilagus sanctaemartae'' ***
Western tapetí Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
, ''Sylvilagus surdaster'' ***
Coastal tapetí The coastal tapeti (''Sylvilagus tapetillus''), also known as the Rio de Janeiro dwarf cottontail or dwarf tapeti, is a species of cottontail rabbit native to Brazil. Known from only three specimens, captured in the late nineteenth century in the ...
, ''Sylvilagus tapetillus'' *** Venezuelan lowland rabbit, ''Sylvilagus varynaensis'' ** Subgenus '' Sylvilagus'' *** Desert cottontail, ''Sylvilagus audubonii'' ***
Mexican cottontail The Mexican cottontail (''Sylvilagus cunicularius'') is a species of cottontail rabbit in the family Leporidae. It is endemic to Mexico where its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry forests and pastureland. Taxono ...
, ''Sylvilagus cunicularis'' *** Eastern cottontail, ''Sylvilagus floridanus'' ***
Tres Marias cottontail The Tres Marias cottontail or Tres Marias rabbit (''Sylvilagus graysoni'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. Distribution and habitat It is endemic to the Tres Marias Islands, part of the Mexican state of Nayarit. The rabbit is a ...
, ''Sylvilagus graysoni'' ***
Robust cottontail The robust cottontail or Holzner's cottontail (''Sylvilagus holzneri'') is a species of cottontail rabbit native to high-altitude regions of the southwestern United States and western Mexico. Taxonomy This species and the subspecies comprising i ...
, ''Sylvilagus holzneri'' ***
Mountain cottontail The mountain cottontail or Nuttall's cottontail (''Sylvilagus nuttallii'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in Canada and the United States. Description The mountain cottontail is a small rabbit but its size is rel ...
, ''Sylvilagus nuttallii'' *** Appalachian cottontail, ''Sylvilagus obscurus'' ***
New England cottontail The New England cottontail (''Sylvilagus transitionalis''), also called the gray rabbit, brush rabbit, wood hare, wood rabbit, or cooney, is a species of cottontail rabbit represented by fragmented populations in areas of New England, specificall ...
, ''Sylvilagus transitionalis'' ** Subgenus ''Microlagus'' ***
Brush rabbit The brush rabbit (''Sylvilagus bachmani''), or western brush rabbit, or Californian brush rabbit, is a species of cottontail rabbit found in western coastal regions of North America, from the Columbia River in Oregon to the southern tip of the ...
, ''Sylvilagus bachmani'' * Genus ''
Oryctolagus ''Oryctolagus'' is a genus of lagomorph that today contains the European rabbit and its descendant, the domestic rabbit, as well as several fossil species. The generic name derives from Ancient Greek ὀρυκτός (''oryktos'', “dug up”) ...
'' ** European rabbit, ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' * Genus ''
Poelagus The Bunyoro rabbit or Central African rabbit (''Poelagus marjorita'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Poelagus''.ITIS: Poelagus', listing only one species. Accessed 2012-10-26. It is found in c ...
'' **
Bunyoro rabbit The Bunyoro rabbit or Central African rabbit (''Poelagus marjorita'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Poelagus''.ITIS: Poelagus', listing only one species. Accessed 2012-10-26. It is found in ce ...
, ''Poelagus marjorita'' * Genus ''
Pronolagus The red rock hares are the four species in the genus ''Pronolagus''. They are African lagomorphs of the family Leporidae. Taxonomic history Species in this genus had previously been classified in the genus ''Lepus'', as done by J. E. Gray, or in ...
'' **
Natal red rock hare The Natal red rock hare or greater red rock hare (''Pronolagus crassicaudatus'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae (rabbits and hares). It has a slightly grizzled, grayish brown head and reddish brown upperparts. The dense fur ...
, ''Pronolagus crassicaudatus'' **
Jameson's red rock hare Jameson's red rock hare (''Pronolagus randensis'') is a leporid found only on the continent of Africa, mostly in the southern portion of the continent. Zimbabwe and Namibia are thought to have the largest populations of the red rock hare and it i ...
, ''Pronolagus randensis'' **
Smith's red rock hare Smith's red rockhare, Smith's red rock hare or Smith's red rock rabbit (''Pronolagus rupestris'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae (rabbits and hares), and is the smallest member of the genus ''Pronolagus''. The upperparts and gular ...
, ''Pronolagus rupestris'' **
Hewitt's red rock hare The Hewitt's red rock hare (''Pronolagus saundersiae'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It had previously been classified as a subspecies of ''Pronolagus rupestris'', but is now regarded as its own species due to differences in m ...
, ''Pronolagus saundersiae'' * Genus '' Caprolagus'' **
Hispid hare The hispid hare (''Caprolagus hispidus''), also called Assam rabbit and bristly rabbit, is a leporid native to South Asia, whose historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today, its habitat is highly fragmented with an ...
, ''Caprolagus hispidus'' * Genus '' Lepus'' ** Subgenus ''Macrotolagus'' ***
Antelope jackrabbit The antelope jackrabbit (''Lepus alleni'') is a species of North American hare found in southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico that occupies dry desert areas. Behaviour It is most active during twilight ( crepuscular) and during the night ( no ...
, ''Lepus alleni'' ** Subgenus ''Poecilolagus'' *** Snowshoe hare, ''Lepus americanus'' ** Subgenus ''Lepus'' *** Arctic hare, ''Lepus arcticus'' *** Alaskan hare, ''Lepus othus'' ***
Mountain hare The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. Evolution The mountai ...
, ''Lepus timidus'' ** Subgenus ''Proeulagus'' *** Black jackrabbit, ''Lepus insularis'' ***
Desert hare The desert hare (''Lepus tibetanus'') is a species of hare found in Central Asia, Northwest China, and the western Indian subcontinent. Little is known about this species except that it inhabits grassland and scrub areas of desert and semi-desert ...
, ''Lepus tibetanus'' ***
Tolai hare The tolai hare (''Lepus tolai'') is a species of hare native to Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northern and Central China. It inhabits semi-desert, steppes, rocky habitats, and forest meadows. It is relatively common, even in areas with heavy hu ...
, ''Lepus tolai'' ** Subgenus ''Eulagos'' ***
Broom hare The broom hare (''Lepus castroviejoi'') is a species of hare endemic (ecology), endemic to northern Spain. Distribution and habitat It is restricted to the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain between the Serra dos Ancares and the Sierra de P ...
, ''Lepus castroviejoi'' ***
Yunnan hare The Yunnan hare (''Lepus comus'') is a medium-sized species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, flat, and long dorsal Fur, pelage which is grayish brown or dark gray in color, and whitish ventral pelage. It was considered endemic to ...
, ''Lepus comus'' ***
Korean hare The Korean hare (''Lepus coreanus'') is a species of hare native to the Korean Peninsula and adjoining parts of northeastern China. The Korean hare inhabits diverse habitats within its range, from remote mountain forests to cultivated land. Fur ...
, ''Lepus coreanus'' *** European hare, ''Lepus europaeus'' ***
Manchurian hare The Manchurian hare (''Lepus mandshuricus'') is a species of hare found in northeastern China and Russia, the Amur River basin, and the higher mountains of northern North Korea. It lives in forests and the IUCN has assessed its conservation statu ...
, ''Lepus mandshuricus'' ***
Ethiopian highland hare The Ethiopian highland hare (''Lepus starcki'') or Starck's hare is a medium-sized species of mammal in the rabbit and hare family, Leporidae. Its dorsal pelage is grizzled, buff white and spotted and streaked with black, while its belly fur is ...
, ''Lepus starcki'' ** Subgenus ''Sabanalagus'' *** Ethiopian hare, ''Lepus fagani'' ***
African savanna hare The African savanna hare (''Lepus victoriae'') is a mammal species in the family Leporidae, native to Africa. It is listed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List. Distribution and habitat It is native to diverse regions and habitats of Africa, ...
, ''Lepus victoriae'' ** Subgenus ''Indolagus'' ***
Hainan hare The Hainan hare (''Lepus hainanus'') is a hare endemic to Hainan Island, China. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1870. Description The Hainan hare is small; its body length is less than and weighs only . Its head is small ...
, ''Lepus hainanus'' *** Indian hare, ''Lepus nigricollis'' *** Burmese hare, ''Lepus peguensis'' ** Subgenus ''Sinolagus'' ***
Chinese hare The Chinese hare (''Lepus sinensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Taxonomy The Chinese hare was first described by John Edward Gray in 1832. The Korean hare (''Lepus coreanus'') was ...
, ''Lepus sinensis'' ** Subgenus ''Tarimolagus'' ***
Yarkand hare The Yarkand hare (''Lepus yarkandensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, straight, sandy brown dorsal Fur, pelage which has grayish-black stripes, and completely white ventral pelage. Endemic to China, the Yarkand h ...
, ''Lepus yarkandensis'' ** '' Incertae sedis'' ***
Tamaulipas jackrabbit The Tamaulipas jackrabbit (''Lepus altamirae''), also known as the Tamaulipas white-sided jackrabbit, is a species of hare Endemism, endemic to the Gulf Coast of Mexico, Gulf Coast of Mexico. Taxonomy and evolution It was formerly thought to b ...
, ''Lepus altamirae'' ***
Japanese hare The Japanese hare (''Lepus brachyurus'') is a species of hare endemic to Japan. In Japanese, it is called the ''Nousagi'' (Japanese: 野兎), meaning "field rabbit". Taxonomy Coenraad Jacob Temminck described the Japanese hare in 1845. The specif ...
, ''Lepus brachyurus'' *** Black-tailed jackrabbit, ''Lepus californicus'' ***
White-sided jackrabbit The white-sided jackrabbit (''Lepus callotis''), also known as the Mexican hare, is a jackrabbit found in a limited range in North America, from southern New Mexico to northwestern and central Mexico. The animal is considered threatened in New M ...
, ''Lepus callotis'' *** Cape hare, ''Lepus capensis'' *** Corsican hare, ''Lepus corsicanus'' ***
Tehuantepec jackrabbit The Tehuantepec jackrabbit (''Lepus flavigularis'') is a jackrabbit endemic to Mexico. Description It is easily distinguished from other species by two black stripes that run from the base of the ears to the nape, and by its white flanks. Its un ...
, ''Lepus flavigularis'' ***
Granada hare The Granada hare (''Lepus granatensis''), also known as the Iberian hare, is a hare species that can be found on the Iberian Peninsula and on the island of Majorca. Subspecies Three subspecies of the Granada hare are known, which vary in colour ...
, ''Lepus granatensis'' ***
Abyssinian hare The Abyssinian hare (''Lepus habessinicus'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is almost entirely restricted to the nations of the Horn of Africa, though it extends marginally into eastern Sudan and may also occur in far northern ...
, ''Lepus habessinicus'' *** Woolly hare, ''Lepus oiostolus'' *** Scrub hare, ''Lepus saxatilis'' ***
White-tailed jackrabbit The white-tailed jackrabbit (''Lepus townsendii''), also known as the prairie hare and the white jack, is a species of hare found in western North America. Like all hares and rabbits, it is a member of the family Leporidae of order Lagomorpha ...
, ''Lepus townsendii'' *Genus †''
Serengetilagus ''Serengetilagus'' is a genus of lagomorph in the family Leporidae. It lived in the Pliocene of Kenya and Tanzania and the Late Miocene of Chad. ''Serengetilagus'' is the best-represented taxon from Laetoli Laetoli is a pre-historic site loc ...
'' ** †''Serengetilagus praecapensis'' *Genus †'' Aztlanolagus'' ** †''Aztlanolagus agilis''


Predation

Predators of rabbits and hares include raccoons, snakes,
eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
s, canids,
cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...
, mustelids, owls and
hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...
s. Animals that eat
roadkill Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by drivers of motor vehicles on highways. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how it can be mi ...
rabbits include vultures and buzzards.


See also

* Mara (mammal) * Viscacha


References

{{authority control Leporidae Mammal families Extant Ypresian first appearances Taxa named by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim