Leporidae () is 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 ...

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 ...

s and

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 ...

s, containing over 70 species of extant

mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

s in all. The family name comes from "Lepus", hare in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

. Together with the

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. ...

s, the Leporidae constitute the

ian

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood ...

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 t ...

. 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 con ...

"rabbit" usually applies to all genera in the family except ''

Lepus 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 genu ...

'', 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;

jackrabbit 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 genu ...

s are members of ''Lepus'', and members of the genera ''

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 har ...

'' and ''

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 ...

'' sometimes are called hares. Various countries across all continents except

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

have indigenous species of Leporidae. Furthermore, rabbits, most significantly the

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 rab ...

, ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'', also have been introduced to most of

Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...

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 a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

crepuscular In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal (active during dawn), vespertine (biology), vespertine/vespertinal (active during dusk), or both. This is distinguished from diurnalit ...

mode of living. Leporids are all roughly the same shape and fall within a small range of sizes with short tails, ranging in overall length from the long Tres Marias cottontail to the 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-deser ...

. Female leporids are almost always larger than males, which is unusual among terrestrial mammals. It has been noted that the

humerus The humerus (; : humeri) is a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius (bone), radius and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extrem ...

bones of all leporids are extremely similar. Both rabbits and hares are almost exclusively

herbivorous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat n ...

(although some ''Lepus'' species are known to eat carrion), feeding primarily on

grass Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family (biology), family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and spe ...

es and herbs, although they also eat leaves, fruit, and seeds of various kinds. Easily digestible food is processed in the gastrointestinal tract and expelled as regular feces. But in order to get nutrients out of hard to digest fiber, leporids ferment fiber in the cecum (in the GI tract) and then expel the contents as

cecotrope Cecotropes (also caecotropes, cecotrophs, caecotrophs, cecal pellets, soft feces, or night feces) are a nutrient-filled package created in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that is expelled and eaten by many animals (such as rabbits, guinea pigs, ...

s, which are reingested (cecotrophy). The cecotropes are then absorbed in the small intestine to utilize the nutrients. The

dental formula Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiology ...

of leporids is: = 28. Many leporids are classified by the characteristics of their teeth; for instance, the

Amami rabbit The Amami rabbit (''Pentalagus furnessi''), also known as the Ryukyu rabbit, is a dark-furred species of rabbit which is found only on Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima, two small islands between southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Japan. Often calle ...

's generic name, ''Pentalagus'', is derived from the fact that it is often found without its third upper molar, thus having 5 (''penta''-) total molars. They have adapted to a remarkable range of habitats, from

desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...

tundra In physical geography, a tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: #Arctic, Arctic, Alpine tundra, Alpine, and #Antarctic ...

forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

s, 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. Some rabbits dig

burrow file:Chipmunk-burrow (exits).jpg, 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 Animal lo ...

s for shelter, the exact form of which varies between species. Other rabbits do not dig burrows but use forms, usually under a bush. Hares rarely dig shelters of any kind, instead using forms, and their bodies are more suited to fast running than to burrowing.

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 gam ...

, and some have highly developed social systems. Their social hierarchies determine which males mate. Rabbits are induced ovulators (ovulate during mating). Species nesting below ground tend to have lower predation rates and have larger litters. 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 pregn ...

period in leporids varies from around 28 to 50 days, and is generally longer in the hares. This is in part because young hares (called leverets) are born precocial (eyes and ears open, fully furred), while young rabbits (called kits) are born altricial (eyes and ears closed, no fur). Higher latitudes correspond to shorter gestation periods. Leporids can have several litters a year, which can cause their population to expand dramatically in a short time when resources are plentiful. Gestation period and litter size correspond to predation rates as well.

Evolution

The oldest known leporid species date from the late

Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...

, 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'', an extinct rabbit from the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...

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. The last common ancestor of the leporids likely had features not present in the last common ancestor of the lagomorphs, according to a 2022 study of the extant and extinct known lagomorphs—an intercranial joint and a facial tilt, specifically. Two as yet unnamed fossil finds—dated ~ ago (from

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

) and ~ ago (

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

)—while primitive, display the characteristic leporid ankle, thus pushing the divergence of

Ochotonidae 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. ...

and Leporidae yet further into the past. The

cladogram A cladogram (from Greek language, Greek ''clados'' "branch" and ''gramma'' "character") is a diagram used in cladistics to show relations among organisms. A cladogram is not, however, an Phylogenetic tree, evolutionary tree because it does not s ...

is from Matthee et al., 2004, based on nuclear and mitochondrial gene analysis.

Classification

Family Leporidae (

s and

s): * Genus ''

Pentalagus The Amami rabbit (''Pentalagus furnessi''), also known as the Ryukyu rabbit, is a dark-furred species of rabbit which is found only on Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima, two small islands between southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Japan. Often c ...

'' **

, ''Pentalagus furnessi'' * Genus ''

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 t ...

'' **

Riverine rabbit 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 t ...

, ''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 The Sumatran striped rabbit (''Nesolagus netscheri''), also known as the Sumatra short-eared rabbit or Sumatran rabbit, is a rabbit found only in forests in the Barisan Mountains in western Sumatra, Indonesia, and surrounding areas. It is threate ...

, ''Nesolagus netscheri'' **

Annamite striped rabbit The Annamite striped rabbit (''Nesolagus timminsi'') is a species of rabbit native to the Annamite mountain range on the Laos-Vietnam border. The rabbit is striped, with a red rump, and resembles the Sumatran striped rabbit. It only recently be ...

, ''Nesolagus timminsi'' * Genus ''

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 sm ...

'' **

Volcano rabbit 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 sm ...

, ''Romerolagus diazi'' * Genus '' Brachylagus'' **

Pygmy rabbit The pygmy rabbit (''Sylvilagus idahoensis'') is a rabbit species native to the United States. It is the only native rabbit species in North America to dig its own burrow. The pygmy rabbit differs significantly from species within either the '' Le ...

, ''Brachylagus idahoensis'' * Genus ''

Sylvilagus 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 characteris ...

'' ** 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 known as the cane cutter, swamper, or cane jake, is a species of cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the southern United States. It is herbivorous, territorial, and nocturnal. ...

, ''Sylvilagus aquaticus'' ***

Andean tapeti 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''). It se ...

, ''Sylvilagus andinus'' *** Bogota tapeti, ''Sylvilagus apollinaris'' ***

Common 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 ...

, ''Sylvilagus brasiliensis'' ***

Dice's cottontail Dice's cottontail (''Sylvilagus dicei'') is a species of cottontail rabbit in the family Leporidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama, in páramo and cloud forest habitats. Taxonomy Dice's cottontail was first described by William P. Harri ...

, ''Sylvilagus dicei'' ***

Central American tapeti The Central American tapeti (''Sylvilagus gabbi'') or Gabbi's cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit native to southern Mexico and much of Central America. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasil ...

, ''Sylvilagus gabbi'' ***

Northern tapeti The northern tapeti (''Sylvilagus incitatus'') is a species of cottontail rabbit related to the Central American tapeti (''Sylvilagus gabbi''). Its type locality is an island in the Pearl Islands of Panama. Previously it was considered a subspec ...

, ''Sylvilagus incitatus'' ***

Omilteme cottontail The Omilteme cottontail (''Sylvilagus insonus''), or Omiltemi cottontail (), is a species of cottontail rabbit in the family Leporidae found only in the Mexican state of Guerrero in the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range. It is a nocturnal, ...

, ''Sylvilagus insonus'' ***

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 tapeti, ''Sylvilagus parentum'' ***

Santa Marta tapeti The Santa Marta tapeti (''Sylvilagus sanctaemartae'') is a species of cottontail rabbit native to the lowlands of northern Colombia. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasiliensis'') but analysis in 201 ...

, ''Sylvilagus sanctaemartae'' ***

Coastal tapeti 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 th ...

, ''Sylvilagus tapetillus'' *** Venezuelan lowland rabbit, ''Sylvilagus varynaensis'' ** Subgenus ''

'' ***

Desert cottontail The desert cottontail (''Sylvilagus audubonii''), also known as Audubon's cottontail, is a New World cottontail rabbit, and a member of the family Leporidae. Unlike the European rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus''), they do not form social burrow s ...

, ''Sylvilagus audubonii'' *** Mexican cottontail, ''Sylvilagus cunicularis'' ***

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 ...

, ''Sylvilagus floridanus'' *** Tres Marias cottontail, ''Sylvilagus graysoni'' *** Robust cottontail, ''Sylvilagus holzneri'' ***

Mountain cottontail The mountain cottontail or Nuttall's cottontail (''Sylvilagus nuttallii'') is a species of rabbit found in western Canada and the United States. It is a medium- to small-sized rabbit with pale brown fur, white undersides, a two-colored tail, and ...

, ''Sylvilagus nuttallii'' *** Appalachian cottontail, ''Sylvilagus obscurus'' ***

New England cottontail The New England cottontail (''Sylvilagus transitionalis''), also known as the gray rabbit, brush rabbit, wood hare, wood rabbit, or cooney, is a species of cottontail rabbit that appears in fragmented populations across New England and the state ...

, ''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 (, “dug up”) and (, “hare”). Evolution ''Or ...

'' **

, ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' * Genus ''

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, noctu ...

'' ** Bunyoro rabbit, ''Poelagus marjorita'' * Genus ''

'' **

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 species of hare in the family Leporidae found in rocky habitats in Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique. It is rufous and brown-furred, nocturnal, in length and ...

, ''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 gul ...

, ''Pronolagus rupestris'' **

Hewitt's red rock hare Hewitt's red rock hare (''Pronolagus saundersiae'') is a species of rabbit in the family Leporidae found in South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho. It is a medium-sized, densely-furred rufous and brown rabbit that behaves similarly to other red ...

, ''Pronolagus saundersiae'' * Genus ''

'' **

Hispid hare 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 ...

, ''Caprolagus hispidus'' * Genus ''

'' ** Subgenus ''Macrotolagus'' ***

Antelope jackrabbit The antelope jackrabbit (''Lepus alleni''), also known as Allen's hare, is a species of North American hare in the family Leporidae found in southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico. Considered the "handsomest" of the hares, it occupies dry dese ...

, ''Lepus alleni'' ** Subgenus ''Poecilolagus'' ***

Snowshoe hare The snowshoe hare (''Lepus americanus''), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sink ...

, ''Lepus americanus'' ** Subgenus ''Lepus'' ***

Arctic hare The Arctic hare (''Lepus arcticus'') is a species of hare highly adapted to living in the Arctic tundra and other icy biomes. The Arctic hare survives with shortened ears and limbs, a small nose, fat that makes up close to 20% of its body, and a ...

, ''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 species of Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. Evolution ...

, ''Lepus timidus'' ** Subgenus ''Proeulagus'' ***

Black jackrabbit The black jackrabbit (''Lepus californicus insularis'') is a subspecies of mammal in the family Leporidae. Endemic to Mexico, its only known location is Espiritu Santo Island in the Gulf of California. The IUCN has listed this species as a "vul ...

, ''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-deser ...

, ''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 human ...

, ''Lepus tolai'' ** Subgenus ''Eulagos'' ***

Broom hare The broom hare (''Lepus castroviejoi'') is a species of hare endemic to northern Spain. It was described in 1976 as separate from the Granada hare. It is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. Taxonomy The species was only described as distinc ...

, ''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 pelage which is grayish brown or dark gray in color, and whitish ventral pelage. It was considered endemic to Chin ...

, ''Lepus comus'' *** Korean hare, ''Lepus coreanus'' ***

European hare The European hare (''Lepus europaeus''), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is among the largest hare species and is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares are herbivorous and feed mainly ...

, ''Lepus europaeus'' ***

Manchurian hare The Manchurian hare (''Lepus mandshuricus'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae found in northeastern China and Russia, the Amur River basin, and possibly the mountains of northern North Korea. In contrast to other hares, it lives ...

, ''Lepus mandshuricus'' *** Ethiopian highland hare, ''Lepus starcki'' ** Subgenus ''Sabanalagus'' ***

Ethiopian hare The Ethiopian hare (''Lepus fagani'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It was first species description, described in 1903, by the British mammalogist Oldfield Thomas. The dorsal pelage is brownish buff, and is finely grizzled wit ...

, ''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 smal ...

, ''Lepus hainanus'' ***

Indian hare The Indian hare (''Lepus nigricollis''), also known as the black-naped hare, is a common species of hare native to the Indian subcontinent, and Java. Its habitat in Java is in rocky highlands. Description The Indian hare is of medium size compar ...

, ''Lepus nigricollis'' ***

Burmese hare The Burmese hare (''Lepus peguensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Subspecies Three subspecies are recognised; ''L. p. peguensis'', ''L. p. siamensis'' and ''L. p ...

, ''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 pelage which has grayish-black stripes, and completely white ventral pelage. Endemic to China, the Yarkand hare i ...

, ''Lepus yarkandensis'' ** ''

Incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' *** Tamaulipas jackrabbit, ''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 spec ...

, ''Lepus brachyurus'' ***

Black-tailed jackrabbit The black-tailed jackrabbit (''Lepus californicus''), also known as the American desert hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to . Reaching a length around , and a ...

, ''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 ...

, ''Lepus callotis'' ***

Cape hare The Cape hare (''Lepus capensis''), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India. Taxonomy The Cape hare was one of the many Mammalia in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, mammal ...

, ''Lepus capensis'' ***

Corsican hare The Corsican hare (''Lepus corsicanus''), also known as the Apennine hare or Italian hare, is a species of hare found in Southern Italy, Central Italy, and Corsica. Taxonomy It was first described as a species in 1898 by the British zoologist Wi ...

, ''Lepus corsicanus'' ***

Tehuantepec jackrabbit The Tehuantepec jackrabbit (''Lepus flavigularis'') () is a medium-sized species of hare in the family Leporidae that is endemic to eastern Oaxaca, Mexico. It exists in three separated populations, living on grassy dunes and savannas, and is h ...

, ''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 The woolly hare (''Lepus oiostolus'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in western and central China, northern India, and Nepal, where its typical habitat is montane grassland. It has a wide range and is present in some ...

, ''Lepus oiostolus'' ***

Scrub hare The scrub hare (''Lepus saxatilis'') is one of two species of hares found in southern Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. Although it is listed as a least concern species, the population has been declining and is expected to ...

, ''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. I ...

, ''Lepus townsendii'' *Genus †''

Serengetilagus ''Serengetilagus'' is an extinct genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classific ...

'' ** †''Serengetilagus praecapensis'' *Genus †''

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 dif ...

'' ** †''Aztlanolagus agilis''

Predation

Predators of rabbits and hares include

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from Procyonina, other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest ...

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

canids Canidae (; from Latin, ''canis'', "dog") is a biological family of caniform carnivorans, constituting a clade. A member of this family is also called a canid (). The family includes three subfamilies: the Caninae, and the extinct Borophaginae ...

cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

mustelids The Mustelidae (; from Latin , weasel) are a diverse family of carnivoran mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, polecats, martens, grisons, and wolverines. Otherwise known as mustelids (), they form the largest family in the suborder Can ...

owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...

s and

hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...

s. Animals that eat

roadkill Roadkill is a wild animal that has been killed by collision with motor vehicles. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how they can be mitigated. History Essenti ...

rabbits include

vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...

s and

buzzard Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey. ''Buteo'' species * Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'') * Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'') * Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') * Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') * Easte ...

References

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

Characteristics

Reproduction

Evolution

Classification

Predation

See also

References