Leporidae
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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 differ from pikas in that they have short, furry tails and elongated ears and hind legs. The common name "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'' and '' Caprolagus'' sometimes are called hares. Various countries across all continents except Antarctica and Australia 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, ...
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Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also includes the hares), which is in the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). They are familiar throughout the world as a small herbivore, a prey animal, a domesticated form of livestock, and a pet, having a widespread effect on ecologies and cultures. The most widespread rabbit genera are '' Oryctolagus'' and '' Sylvilagus''. The former, ''Oryctolagus'', includes the European rabbit, ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'', which is the ancestor of the hundreds of breeds of domestic rabbit and has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica. The latter, ''Sylvilagus'', includes over 13 wild rabbit species, among them the cottontails and tapetis. Wild rabbits not included in ''Oryctolagus'' and ''Sylvilagus'' include several species of limited distribution, including the pygmy rabbit, volcano rabbit, and Sumatran striped rabbit. Rabbits are a paraphyletic grouping, and do not constitute a clade, as ha ...
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Pronolagus
The red rock hares are the four species of rabbit in the genus ''Pronolagus''. They are lagomorphs of the family Leporidae living in rocky habitats across Africa. Three species are restricted to Southern Africa, while one— Smith's red rock hare (''P. rupestris'')—is found as far north as Kenya. The red rock hares are rufous, dark brown, or reddish-brown-tailed rabbits that vary in size, with some shared physical characteristics being short ears and a lack of an interpareital bone. They have 42 chromosomes and are active during the night, feeding only on plants. Breeding results in litters of one to two altricial young. The red rock hares have a varied taxonomic history. Initially described as members of the genus ''Lepus'' or ''Oryctolagus'', the genus ''Pronolagus'' was proposed in 1904 to describe a skeleton of '' Pronolagus crassicaudatus'', which was at that time labeled under the genus ''Lepus''. This would become the type species of the red rock hare genus. Since the ...
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Poelagus
The Bunyoro rabbit or Uganda grass hare (''Poelagus marjorita'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is the monotypic, only member of the genus ''Poelagus''. It is a medium-sized ( long), greyish-brown furred, Nocturnality, nocturnal, plant-eating rabbit found in central Africa. Its typical habitat is damp savanna, savannah, often with rocky outcrops, but it also appears in forests and in rocky areas alongside rock hyraxes. First described by British mammalogist Jane St. Leger in 1929 as a member of the hares, the Bunyoro rabbit was placed within its own genus in 1932 after specimens were examined in detail with relation to other leporids. Two subspecies from what is now South Sudan were described in the following decades, but neither is recognized today. The Bunyoro rabbit's genetic relationships have been variously described; most place it as closely related to the red rock hares (''Pronolagus'') and the Nesolagus, striped rabbits (''Nesolagus''), but at least o ...
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Lagomorpha
The lagomorphs () are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae (rabbits and hares) and the Ochotonidae ( pikas). There are 110 recent species of lagomorph, of which 109 species in twelve genera are extant, including ten genera of rabbits (42 species); one genus of hare (33 species) and one genus of pika (34 species). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek (, "hare") + (, "form"). Taxonomy and evolutionary history Other names used for this order, now considered synonymous, include: ''Duplicidentata'' (Illiger, 1811); ''Leporida'' (Averianov, 1999); ''Neolagomorpha'' (Averianov, 1999); ''Ochotonida'' (Averianov, 1999); and ''Palarodentia'' (Haeckel, 1895; Lilian, 2016). The evolutionary history of the lagomorphs is still not well understood. In the late 20th century, it was generally agreed that '' Eurymylus'', which lived in eastern Asia and dates back to the late Paleocene or early Eocene, was a ...
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Bunolagus
The riverine rabbit (''Bunolagus monticularis''), also known as the bushman rabbit or bushman hare, is a species of rabbit that lives among patches of thick vegetation in the Karoo of South Africa's Western and Northern Cape provinces. It is the only member of the genus ''Bunolagus''. It is classified a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); the most recent estimates of the species' population range from 157 to 207 mature individuals, and 224 to 380 total. First identified in 1903 as a member of the hares, the riverine rabbit is a medium-sized rabbit, about long. Its fur has a unique dark brown stripe from the edge of its mouth to the base of its ears, and a white to grey ring around each eye. It is nocturnal and herbivorous, and its diet consists of grasses, flowers and leaves, most of which are dicotyledons. The riverine rabbit digs burrows in the soft alluvial soils of its habitat near seasonal rivers for protection f ...
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Romerolagus
The volcano rabbit (''Romerolagus diazi'') (), also known as the teporingo or zacatuche, is a small mammal in the family Leporidae that resides on the slopes of volcanoes in Mexico. It is the only species in the genus ''Romerolagus''. It has small rounded ears, short legs, a large forehead, and short, thick fur. Adult rabbits can weigh from . The volcano rabbit lives in groups of 2 to 5 animals in burrows (underground nests) and runways among bunchgrasses. Up to 3 young are produced per litter, born in nests formed from shallow depressions in the ground lined with fur and plant matter. Uniquely among the rabbits, the volcano rabbit emits high-pitched sounds to warn other rabbits of danger, a habit common in the related pikas. It is awake and most active in the evening and early morning. Populations have been estimated as approximately 7,000 adult individuals over their entire range. Human developments surrounding the volcano rabbit's habitat, including overgrazing, hunting, and ...
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Pika
A pika ( , or ) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The large-eared pika of the Himalayas and nearby mountains lives at elevations of more than . The name ''pika'' appears to be derived from the Tungus ''pika'', and the scientific name ''Ochotona'' is derived from the Mongolian word ''ogotno, оготно'', which means pika. It is used for any member of the Ochotonidae (), a family within the order of lagomorphs, the order which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). They are the smallest animal in the lagomorph group. Only one genus, ''Ochotona'' ( or ), is extant within the family, covering 37 species, though many fossil genera are known. Another species, the Sardinian pika, belonging to the separate genus '' Prolagus'', has become extinct within the last 2,000 years owi ...
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Caprolagus
The hispid hare (''Caprolagus hispidus''), also known as the Assam rabbit and bristly rabbit, is a species of rabbit native to South Asia. It is the only species in the genus ''Caprolagus''. Named for its bristly fur coat, the hispid hare is a rabbit with dark-brown fur and a large nose. It has small ears compared to the Indian hare, a lagomorph that occurs in the same regions as the hispid hare. Once thought to be extinct, the hispid hare was rediscovered in Assam in 1971 and has been found in isolated populations across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Its historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas, and a related fossil in the genus ''Caprolagus'' has been found as far away as Indonesia. Today, the species' habitat is much smaller and is highly fragmented. The region it occupies is estimated to be less than , extending over an area of . Populations experienced a continuing decline due to loss of suitable habitat via increasing agriculture, flood con ...
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European Rabbit
The European rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') or coney is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal and Andorra) and southwestern France. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Oryctolagus''. The European rabbit has faced a population decline in its native range due to myxomatosis, rabbit haemorrhagic disease, overhunting and habitat loss. Outside of its native range, it is known as an invasive species, as it has been introduced to countries on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, often with devastating effects on local biodiversity due to a lack of predators. The average adult European rabbit is in length, and can weigh , though size and weight vary with habitat and diet. Its distinctive ears can measure up to from the Occipital bone, occiput. Due to the European rabbit's history of domestication, selective breeding, and introduction to non-native habitats, feral European rabbits across the world display a wide variety of Morpho ...
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Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genus includes the largest Lagomorpha, lagomorphs. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears that dissipate body heat. Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a "leveret". Members of the ''Lepus'' genus are considered true hares, distinguishing them from rabbits which make up the rest of the Leporidae family. However, there are five leporid species with "hare" in their common names which are not considered true hares: the hispid hare (''Caprolagus hispidus''), and four species known as red rock hares (''Pronolagus''). Conversely, several ''Lepus'' species are called "jackrabbits", but classed as hares rather than rabbits. The p ...
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Aztlanolagus
''Aztlanolagus'' is an extinct monotypic genus of rabbit that lived during the Quaternary in what is now the Southern to Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. ''Aztlanolagus agilis'' is currently the only recognized species, though differences among recovered fossils suggest that there may have been other species. The generic name refers to Aztlán, the legendary place of origin of the Nahua peoples as recorded in the mythological accounts of the Aztecs and other Nahua groups. By some traditions, this legendary locale is placed in the border regions of the Southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. Fossils range in age from the Pliocene and Pleistocene (Blancan to Rancholabrean North American land mammal ages). The known distribution is from southeastern Arizona ( Madrean Sky Islands region), to central Texas and from central Colorado to southern Chihuahua. ''Aztlanolagus'' may be distinguished from all other known leporids as follows. Lower incisor te ...
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Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genus includes the largest Lagomorpha, lagomorphs. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears that dissipate body heat. Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a "leveret". Members of the ''Lepus'' genus are considered true hares, distinguishing them from rabbits which make up the rest of the Leporidae family. However, there are five leporid species with "hare" in their common names which are not considered true hares: the hispid hare (''Caprolagus hispidus''), and four species known as red rock hares (''Pronolagus''). Conversely, several ''Lepus'' species are called "jackrabbits", but classed as hares rather than rabbits. The p ...
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