WELCOM

E
 SUBJECT:
PRINCIPLES OF
SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY
 TASK BY:
DR.BASHIR AHMAD
 TOPIC:
RABBITS TAXONOMY
PRESENTATION BY:

o AIMAN KIBRIYA
o ABIDA JAMIL
o DUR-E-NAYAB
o M. USAMA
o AHSAN ALI KHAN
OUTLINE:
 INTRODUCTION
 Pentalagus
 Bunolagus
 Nesolagus
 Romerolagus
 Brachylagus
 Sylvilagus
 Oryctolagus
 Poelagus
Introduction
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 species and its descendants,
the world's 305 breeds[1] of domestic rabbit
. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species,
among them the seven types of cottontail. The
European rabbit, which has been introduced on
every continent except Antarctica, is familiar
throughout the world as a wild prey animal and
as a domesticated form of livestock and pet.
With its widespread effect on ecologies and
cultures, the rabbit is, in many areas of the
world, a part of daily life—as food, clothing, a
companion, and a source of artistic inspiration.
.
.
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
Although once considered rodents,
lagomorphs like rabbits have been
discovered to have diverged separately
and earlier than their rodent cousins
and have a number of traits rodents
lack, like two extra incisors.
Scientific
classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae
ark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Ōshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture (but actually closer to Okinawa) in Japan. Often called a livi

Pentalagus:-
Amami rabbit
The Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi; "Amami wild black rabbit"),
also known as the Ryukyu rabbit is a dark-furred rabbit which is only
found in Amami Ōshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between
southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture (but actually
closer to Okinawa) in Japan. Often called a living fossil, the Amami
rabbit is a living remnant of ancient rabbits that once lived on the Asian
mainland, where they died out, remaining only on the two small
Japanese islands where they live today
Diet
The amami rabbit feeds on over 29 species of plants, which
incorporates 17 species of shrubs and 12 species of herbaceous
plants, consuming mostly the sprouts, young shoots and acorns.It also
eats nuts and cambium of a wide variety of plant species. It is observed
that the amami rabbit also feeds on the bark of stems and twigs of
shrub plants. During summer, the amami rabbit primarily feeds on
Japanese pampas grass, and during winter, they primarily eat the
acorns of the pasania tree.
Morphology
The Amami rabbit has short feet and hind legs, a somewhat bulky
body, and rather large and curved claws used for digging and
sometimes climbing. Its ears are significantly smaller compared to
those of other hares or rabbits. The pelage is thick, wooly and dark,
brown on top and becomes more reddish-brown on the sides. It has
heavy, long and very strong claws, being nearly straight on the
forefeet and curved on the hindfeet The eyes are also small
compared to more common rabbits and hares. The average weight is
2.5–2.8 kg.
Distribution and habitat
The ideal habitat for these rabbits is in an area
between mature and young forests. They use the dense mature forests
as protection and for the presence of pampas grass, in the summer,
and acorns, in the winter, for their diets . They also use the high density
of perennial grasses and herbaceous ground cover in the young forests
for their diets during different times of the year. Therefore, the best
habitat for them to live in is where they have easy access to both young
and mature forests with no obstructions between the two forest types.
Using fecal pellet counts and resident surveys, the number of rabbits is
estimated at 2000–4800 left on Amami Island and 120–300 left on
Tokuno Island.
Behavior
This species is a nocturnal forest-dweller that reproduces once in late
March–May and once in September–December, having one or two
young each time.During the day, the mother digs a hole in the ground,
for her young to hide in. At night, she opens the entrance to the hole,
while watching for predators (such as venomous snakes), and then
nurses her young, after which she closes the hole with soil and plant
material by thumping on it with her front paws.Amami rabbits sleep
during the day in hidden locations, such as caves.They are also noted
for having a call similar to that of a pika.
Threats
 Before 1921, hunting and trapping were another cause of decline in population numbers. In 1921,
Japan declared the Amami rabbit a "natural monument" which prevented it from being hunted.[10] Then
in 1963, it was changed to a "special natural monument" which prevented it from being trapped as
well.

 Habitat destruction, such as forest clearing for commercial logging, agriculture space, and residential
areas, is the most detrimental activity on the distribution of these rabbits.[18] Since they prefer a habitat
of both mature and young forests, they do not thrive in only mature forests untouched by destruction,
yet they do not thrive in newly growing forests alone, either.There are plans to remove the current
habitat for these rabbits for the construction of golf courses and resorts.

 The Amami rabbit also faces huge threats from the invasive predators, being a major cause for the
decline in population size.[2] On the island of Amami, the small Indian mongoose was released to
control the population of a local venomous snake, and its numbers have increased dramatically. This
mongoose, along with feral cats and dogs, are outpreying the Amami rabbit. Feral cats and small
Indian Mongooses proved to be a threat to not only Amami rabbits but several other endangered
endemic species in the area such the Amami jay.
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 Northern Cape Province. It is the only
member of the genus Bunolagus because of unique traits that separate
it from the other leporids. It is one of the most endangered mammals in
the world, with only around 500 living adults, and 1500 overall.
DIET
The riverine rabbit is predominantly known for being a “browser”.
They eat riparian vegetation found along seasonal rivers in the
Karoo Desert. This includes salt-loving plants such as the salsola
and lycium. They sometimes eat grass depending on if it is the wet
season. Aside from their conventional food intake, they also
consume their day-time droppings which are soft and come directly
from the anus. This is advantageous because their feces contains
vitamin produced by the bacteria in the hindgut and also contains
minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.
Identification
The riverine rabbit is native to the Karoo desert in South Africa. It has a
general appear rabbits, but the ears and body are longer. It typically has a
black stripe running from the corner of the mouth over the cheek, and a
white ring around each eye. It also has a brown woolly tail, cream or greyish-
coloured fur on its belly and throat, and a broad, club-like hind foot. It has a
dental formula of 2/1, 0/0, 3/2, 3/3, like other rabbits, with a total of 28
teeth. Its tail is pale brown with a tinge of black toward the tip. Its coat is soft
and silky and its limb are short and heavily furred. Male riverine rabbits
weigh approximately 1.5 kilogram while females weigh about 1.8 kilograms.
Taxonomy
The riverine rabbit's scientific name is Bunolagus monticularis. Some
common names referring to it are the bushman hare and the bushman
rabbit.This rabbit also has less common names such
as boshaas and vleihaas. These names arose from the habitats they lived
in and are based on how these were moist and dense. Genetically, its
closest relations are to the Amami rabbit, the Hispid hare, and
the European rabbit.
Habitat
It is found in only a few places in the Karoo Desert of South Africa's Northern
Cape province. Sanbona Wildlife reserve is classified as a protected
wilderness area, which has a successful breeding population, where it is being
researched and monitored. As its name suggests, the Riverine rabbit prefers
to occupy river basins and very particular shrubland. It feeds on the dense
shrubland and the soft soil allows for it to create vast burrows and dens for
protection, brooding young, and thermoregulation. The riverine rabbit lives in
very dense growth along the seasonal rivers in the central semi-arid Karoo
region of South Africa. Its habitat regions are tropical and terrestrial while its
terrestrial biomes are desert or dune and scrub forest. 
They appear and live specifically in riverine vegetation on alluvial soils adjacent to
seasonal rivers, though studies have found this habitat to be sixty-seven percent
fragmented in certain areas. Currently the habitat is decreasing in size, contributing to
this species being classified as endangered. The primary reason for the decline in habitats
is due to cultivation and livestock farming. Major threats to this species comes from loss
and degradation of habitat. Over the last hundred years, over two-thirds of their habitat
has been lost. Today only five hundred mature riverine rabbits are estimated to be living
in the wild. Removal of the natural vegetation along the rivers and streams prevent the
rabbits from being able to construct stable breeding burrows. This is because of the loss
of the soft alluvial top soils, which are necessary for the construction of these. Another
cause of damage and loss to their habitats comes from overgrazing of domestic
herbivores, which also causes degradation and fragmentation of the land. Without
suitable habitat they have a lower rate of survival.
The remaining habitat is thought to only be able to support 1,435 rabbits. This displays a
main cause for its endangerment, which is that there is very little habitat left that can
support it.
Predators and
competitors
         
The black eagle is one of the primary predators of the riverine rabbit
The riverine rabbit is hunted by falconiformes and black eagles.
However, it is capable of jumping over one meter high bushes when
being pursued by a predator. To escape predation, it remains
nocturnal, spending the day resting in a form, which is a shallow
scrape made in the soil under a Karoo bush.
Behaviour
Riverine rabbits are solitary and nocturnal. They feed on their preferred foods,
flowers, grasses, leaves at night. During the day they rest in forms. It produces
two types of droppings. While active during the night the rabbit will produce
hard droppings, and during the day droppings are soft, taken directly from the
anus, and swallowed. In this way the riverine rabbit obtains vitamin B,
produced by bacteria in the hind gut, and minerals such
as calcium and phosphorus are recycled.
They are polygamous, but they live and browse for food alone. They have intra-
sexually exclusive home ranges; the males’ home ranges overlap slightly with
those of the various females. Between August and May, females will make a
nest in a burrow lined with grass and fur, and blocked with soil and twigs. This
nest is 10–15 cm in diameter, 25 cm long.
Reproduction
The riverine rabbit is one of the rarest mammals in the world and very little is
known about its reproductive behavior other than that it has a polygamous
mating system, where males mate with more than one female. It bears its young
underground for protection. The single offspring that the rabbit produces is
born altricial, or bald, blind, and helpless, and weighs from 40 to 50 grams. It is
the only African rabbit that bears its young underground. The helpless offspring
stays with the mother until it is capable of living on its own and fending for itself.
The low breeding rate of only one offspring per year is unlike most other rabbits
and has led to attempts to increase numbers of this endangered species. A
breeding colony has been established at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife
Centre near Pretoria. These rabbits will mate with a number of individuals, and
are the only known rabbit species to make nests for the baby. Very rarely, two kits
may be born at once.
Extent
The riverine rabbit is a species that is in extreme danger of extinction. In 1981 it
was first labeled as an endangered species. According to the IUCN Redlist It is now
classified under the most severe category of endangerment (aside from extinction),
which is critically endangered. It has a population of only about 500 mature
rabbits and 1500 overall which both continue to decline. In addition, the IUCN
Redlist predicts increased population reduction, in the immediate future. Their
exact prediction is for one tenth of the population to be lost between 2002 and
2022. Another problem that this species faces in terms of population is how their
already immensely small population is divided into several isolated groups, about
10 in total, all with less than 50 rabbits in each.
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, most
information coming from the Sumatran rabbit.
, Species
The genus Nesolagus includes three species, one extinct:

 Sumatran striped rabbit, Nesolagus netscheri

 Annamite striped rabbit, Nesolagus timminsi
 †Nesolagus sinensis,[2] early Pleistocene of China.

Behavior
Due to the small number of individuals, and because of the rare sightings of this genus, there is not much
information available on its behavior. One thing that we do know however, is that the Sumatran rabbit is
nocturnal and hides out in burrows which it does not make itself and does not really like to go out
looking for food for itself in places that are too far from its home.
Distribution
Striped rabbits are found in only four locations. The Sumatran striped
rabbit has been found in the Barisan Mountains in
western Sumatra, Indonesia, and the Annamite striped rabbit has
been found in the Annamite mountains on the border
between Vietnam and Laos. The fossils (parts of the left mandible with
several teeth) of the extinct Nesolagus sinensis were found in
Chongzou Ecological Park in the Guangnxi Zhuang region of southwest
China
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 threatened by 
habitat loss.
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 Sumatra
striped rabbit. It only recently became known
to Western scientists: striped rabbits were
first observed in 1996 by biologist Rob
Timmins in a market in Bak Lak in Laos, and
the species was described in 2000 and
named after Timmins' find.
Nesolagus
sinensis
Nesolagus sinensis is a fossil species
of striped rabbit (genus Nesolagus)
from the early Middle Pleistocene
"Gigantopithecus fauna" of Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
It is believed to be ancestral to the
living members of the genus, and to
have evolved from the Miocene
genus Alilepus.It is the first fossil
taxon in its genus, and the only
leporid in the Gigantopithecus fauna.
Romerolagus
Volcano rabbit
The volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi), also known as teporingo or zacatuche, is
a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. It is the world's second-
smallest rabbit, second only to the pygmy rabbit. It has small rounded ears, short
legs, and short, thick fur and weighs approximately 390–600 g (0.86–1.3 lb). It has
a life span of 7 to 9 years. The volcano rabbit lives in groups of 2 to 5 animals in
burrows (underground nests) and runways among grass tussocks. The burrows can
be as long as 5 m and as deep as 40 cm. There are usually 2 to 3 young per litter,
born in the burrows. In semi-captivity, however, they do not make burrows and the
young are born in nests made in the grass tussocks.
Unlike many species of rabbits (and similar to pikas), the volcano rabbit emits very
high-pitched sounds instead of thumping its feet on the ground to warn other
rabbits of danger. It is crepuscular and is highly active during twilight, dawn and all
times in between. Populations have been estimated to have approximately 150–
200 colonies with a total population of 1,200 individuals over their entire range.
Morphology and anatomy
The volcano rabbit’s adult weight goes up to 500 g. It has short, dense fur that ranges in color from
brown to black.[8] The rabbit is a gnawing animal that is distinguished from rodents by its two pairs
specialized of upper incisors that are designed for gnawing. Their body size and hindlimb
development demonstrates how they need extra grass-cover for evasion from predators. Their
speediness and their hind limb development relative to their body size correlate to their necessity for
evasion action. They are relatively slow and vulnerable in open habitats; therefore they take comfort
in high, covered areas. They also have difficulty breeding in small enclosures. Volcano rabbits have a
very narrow gestational period: In one study, all females gave birth between 39 and 41 days after
coitus. They create runways similar to those made by microtine rodents to navigate their habitat. The
burrows consist of dense grass clumps, with a length of 5 m and depth of 40 cm. Their small size
relates to their selective dietary habits. As of 1987, they were used in one piece of scientific research.
Distribution and habitat
Volcano rabbits are an endangered species endemic to Mexico.Specifically, the rabbit is native to
four volcanoes just south and East of Mexico City, the largest of these volcanic regions is within
the Izta-Popo National Park, other areas include the Chichinautzin and Pelado volcanos. The range
of the volcano rabbit has been fragmented into 16 individual patches by human disturbance.
Vegetation within these patches is dominated by native grasslands and include Nearctic and
Neotropical varieties. Elevation of these patches is between 2900 and 3660 meters above sea
level. The soil consists mostly of Andosol and Lithosol. The local climate is temperate, subhumid,
and has a mean annual temperature of 11 °C. Annual rainfall averages at about 1000 millimeters.
In the patches that are the most heavily populated with volcano rabbits, the plants Festuca
tolucensis and Pinus hartwegii are most abundant. Volcano rabbits show strong preferences for
habitat types that are categorized as open pine forests, open pine woodland, and mixed alder pine
forest. Human activity in the area has had a great impact upon the preferred habitat of the
volcano rabbit.[11] Humans have fragmented the rabbits' habitat by constructing highways,
farming, afforestation (i.e. planting trees where they don't belong), and lack of sound fire and
grazing practices. Ecological fragmentation has been caused by environmental discontinuity.
Volcano rabbits are commonly found at higher altitudes. Almost 71% of volcano rabbits are found in
pine forests, alder forests, and grasslands. Volcano rabbits are more abundant near tall, dense
herbs and thick vegetation, and are adversely affected by anthropogenic environmental
disturbances like logging and burning.
A study on the effects of climate change upon volcano rabbit metapopulations concluded that
fluctuations in climate most affected rabbits on the edge of their habitable range. The volcano
rabbit's range encompasses a maximum of 280 km2 of grasslands in elevated areas in the Trans-
Mexican Neovolcanic Belt.

The last unconfirmed sighting of the species at Nevado de Toluca (where no permanent colony has
been historically documented) occurred in August 2003 when supposedly one volcano rabbit was
observed. Since 1987, however, research conducted by Hoth et al., in relation to the distribution of
the Volcano Rabbit already found no records of this species in the Nevado de Toluca, including the
site where Tikul Álvarez (IPN) collected a specimen in 1975 (Nevado de Toluca, 4 km S, 2 km W
Raíces, 3350 masl). Notwithstanding, although no permanent colony has been documented in
Nevado de Toluca, the volcano rabbit was declared "extinct" within this portion of its range in 2018;
populations exist elsewhere within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and in captivity. Due to the
above, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (Red Data Book, IUCN 2019), no
longer mentions the Nevado de Toluca as a current or potential site for the distribution of this
species.
Diet
The volcano rabbit feeds primarily on grasses such as Festuca amplissima, Muhlenbergia macroura, Stipa
ichu, and Eryngium rosei. The rabbits also use these plants as cover to hide from predators. M. macroura
was found to be in 89% of pellets of the volcano rabbits, suggesting that this is the base of their diet, but
it does not actually provide the necessary energy and protein needs of the rabbits. Supplementing their
diet with 15 other forms of plant life, volcano rabbits can get their required nutrition. Other plant
species that also are responsible for supporting the volcano rabbit are the Muhlenbergia quadidentata,
the Pinus hartwegii, F. tolucensis, P. hartwegeii. Volcano rabbits also consume leaves, foliage, and flowers
indiscriminately under poor conditions, as habitat loss has eliminated much of their food sources.[18] In
fact, protein acquisition is the primary limiting factor on the size of the populations of each of the four
volcanoes on which the species is located. Studies show that many individuals of the population suffer
from serious weight loss and starvation.

Seasonal changes also affect the diet of the volcano rabbit greatly. The grasses it normally consumes are
abundant during wet seasons. During the dry season, the volcano rabbit feasts on shrubs and small
trees, as well as other woody plants. During the winter plants, these woody plants make up most of their
diet, as well as the primary building material for their nests.
Decline
Numerous studies conducted during the 1980s and 1990s agreed that the habitat of the volcano
rabbit was shrinking due to a combination of natural and anthropogenic causes. There is evidence
that its range has shrunk significantly during the last 18,000 years due to a 5–6 °C increase in the
prevailing temperature, and its distribution is now divided into 16 patches. The fragmentation of the
volcano rabbit's distribution has resulted from a long-term warming trend that has driven it to
progressively higher altitudes and the relatively recent construction of highways that dissect its
habitat.
Declines in the R. diazi population have been occurring due a number of changes in vegetation,
climate, and, thus, elevation. The volcano rabbit is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate
change and other anthropogenic intrusions because of its extremely limited range and specialized
diet. Patches of vegetation that R. diazi uses for survival are becoming fragmented, isolated and
smaller, rendering the environment more open and therefore less suitable for its survival. Because
the volcano rabbit inhabits the area surrounding Mexico City, Mexico's most populous region, it has
suffered a very high rate of habitat destruction.
The cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus, is expanding into the volcano rabbit’s niche, but
there is “no evidence that [volcano rabbits'] habitat selection is a response to
competitive exclusion." The volcano rabbit has been severely pressured by human
intrusion into its habitat. Anthropogenic disturbance enables other rabbit species
to flourish in grasslands, increasing competition with the volcano rabbit.
Volcano rabbits have been bred in captivity, but there is evidence that the species
loses a significant amount of genetic diversity when it reproduces in such
conditions. A comparative study done on wild and captive volcano rabbits found
that the latter lost a substantial amount of DNA loci, and some specimens lost
88% of their genetic variability. There was, however, one locus whose variability
was higher than that of the wild population.
Brachylagus
Brachylagus is a genus of lagomorph that contains the smallest
living leporid, the pygmy rabbit] One extinct species, Brachylagus
coloradoensis, is also known.

Species
Brachylagus idahoensis
†Brachylagus coloradoensis
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 Lepus (hare)
or Sylvilagus (cottontail) genera and is
generally considered to be within
the monotypic genus Brachylagus. One
isolated population, the Columbia Basin
pygmy rabbit, is listed as an endangered
species by the U.S. Federal government,
though the International Union for
Conservation of Nature lists the species as
lower risk.
Brachylagus
coloradoensis
Brachylagus coloradoensis is an
extinct species of lagomorph closely
related to the pygmy rabbit
 (Brachylagus idahoensis). Its fossils
have been found in Early and Middle 
Pleistocene deposits in Colorado.
Sylvilagus
Cottontail rabbit
Cottontail rabbits are the leporid species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas.[1]
 Most Sylvilagus species have stub tails with white undersides that show when they retreat,
giving them their characteristic name. However, this feature is not present in all cottontails nor is
it unique to the genus.
The genus is widely distributed across North America, Central America and northern and central 
South America, though most species are confined to some particular regions. Most species live
in nests called forms, and all have altricial young. An adult female averages three litters per year,
which can occur in any season; occurrence, and litter size depend on several factors including
time of the year, weather, and location. The average litter size is four but can range from as few
as two to as many as eight, most of whom do not go on to survive to adulthood.
Cottontail rabbits show a greater resistance to myxomatosis than European rabbits.
Evolution
Cottontails are one of several species of Sylvilagus; their closest relative is Brachylagus, the pygmy
rabbit. They are more distantly related to the European and other rabbits, and more distantly still to
the hares. The cladogram is based on mitochondrial gene analysis.

Cottontails
1.  Sylvilagus audubonii
2. Sylvilagus nuttallii
3. Sylvilagus aquaticus
4. Sylvilagus palustris
5. Sylvilagus transitionalis
6. Sylvilagus obscurus
7. Sylvilagus floridanus
8. Sylvilagus brasiliensis
9. Sylvilagus bachmani
10.Sylvilagus mansuetus
11.Sylvilagus andinus

 
 
Lifespan
The lifespan of a cottontail averages about two years, depending on the location.
Almost every living carnivorous creature comparable to or larger in size than these 
lagomorphs is a potential predator, including such diverse creatures as domestic
dogs, cats, humans, snakes, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, and if the cottontail is
showing signs of illness, even squirrels. The cottontail's most frequent predators are
various birds of prey. Cottontails can also be parasitized by botfly species including 
Cuterebra fontinella. Newborn cottontails are particularly vulnerable to these
attacks. Cottontails use burrows vacated by other animals, and the burrows are
used for long enough periods that predators can learn where the cottontails reside
and repeatedly return to prey on the lagomorphs. Though cottontails are prolific
animals that can have multiple litters in a year, few of the resulting offspring survive
to adulthood. Those that do grow very quickly and are full grown adults at three
months.
Eating mechanics
In contrast to rodents, (squirrels, etc.) which generally sit on their hind legs and
hold food with their front paws while feeding; cottontail rabbits eat while on
all fours. Cottontail rabbits typically only use their nose to move and adjust the
position of the food that it places directly in front of its front paws on the
ground. The cottontail will turn the food with its nose to find the cleanest part
of the vegetation (free of sand and inedible parts) to begin its meal. The only
time a cottontail uses its front paws while feeding is when vegetation is above
its head on a living plant, at which point the cottontail will lift its paw to bend
the branch to bring the food within reach.
Cottontails are rarely found out of their burrows looking for food on windy
days, because the wind interferes with their hearing capabilities. Hearing an
incoming predator before they get close enough to attack is their primary
defense mechanism.
Prehistoric species
Sylvilagus hibbardi (Early-Mid Pleistocene)
[citation needed]
Sylvilagus leonensis - Dwarf cottontail (Late
Pleistocene)
Sylvilagus webbi (Pleistocene)[citation
needed]
Oryctolagus cuniculus
European rabbit
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) or coney[4] is a species of rabbit
 native to the Iberian Peninsula (including Spain, Portugal, and 
southwestern France), western France, and the northern Atlas Mountains in
northwest Africa.[5] It has been widely introduced elsewhere, often with
devastating effects on local biodiversity. Its decline in its native range due to 
myxomatosis, rabbit calicivirus, overhunting and habitat loss has caused the
decline of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila
adalberti). It is known as an invasive species because it has been introduced to
countries on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, and has caused many
problems within the environment and ecosystems; in particular, 
European rabbits in Australia have had a devastating impact, due in part to the
lack of natural predators there.
Taxonomy
Originally assigned to the genus Lepus, the European rabbit was consigned to its
own genus in 1874 on account of its altricial young, its burrowing habits, and
numerous skeletal characters.[8] It is superficially similar to the North American 
cottontails (Sylvilagus) in that they are born blind and naked, have white flesh,
and little sexual dimorphism. However, they differ in skull characteristics, and
cottontails do not habitually construct their own burrows as the European rabbit
does.[9] Molecular studies confirm that the resemblance between the two is due
to convergent evolution, and that the European rabbit's closest relatives are the 
hispid hare, the riverine rabbit, and the Amami rabbit.[10] The oldest known fossils
attributed to the modern European rabbit species are around 0.5 Ma old (Middle 
Pleistocene).
Leporidae
 Nesolagus (striped rabbits)
Poelagus (Bunyoro rabbit)
Pronolagus (red rock hares)
Romerolagus (volcano rabbit)
Sylvilagus (cottontails) Wild animals of North America, intimate studies
of big and little creatures of the mammal kingdom
 Brachylagus (pygmy rabbit)
Caprolagus (hispid hare)
Oryctolagus (European rabbit) Lepus cuniculus - 1700-1880 - Print -
Iconographia Zoologica
Bunolagus (riverine rabbit)
Pentalagus (Amami rabbit)
Lepus (hares) Lepus timidus - 1700-1880 - Print - Iconographia Zoologica
Reproduction and development
In the European rabbit's mating system, dominant bucks exhibit polygyny, whereas
lower-status individuals (both bucks and does) often form monogamous breeding
relationships. Rabbits signal their readiness to copulate by marking other animals and
inanimate objects with an odoriferous substance secreted though a chin gland, in a
process known as "chinning".Though male European rabbits may sometimes be
amicable with one another, fierce fights can erupt among bucks during the 
breeding season, typically January to August. A succession of litters (usually three to
seven kittens each) are produced, but in overpopulated areas, pregnant does may
lose all their embryos through intrauterine resorption. Shortly before giving birth, the
doe constructs a separate burrow known as a "stop" or "stab", generally in an open
field away from the main warren. These breeding burrows are typically a few feet long
and are lined with grass and moss, as well as fur plucked from the doe's belly. The
breeding burrow protects the kits from adult bucks and predators.
The gestation period of the European rabbit is 30 days,[33] with the sex ratio of male to
female kits tending to be 1:1. Greater maternal investment over male offspring may
result in higher birth weights for bucks.[31] Kits born to the dominant buck and doe—
which enjoy better nesting and feeding grounds—tend to grow larger and stronger
and to become more dominant than those born to subordinate rabbits.[34] Not
uncommonly, European rabbits mate again immediately after giving birth, with some
specimens having been observed to nurse previous young whilst pregnant.[33]
Female European rabbits nurse their kits once a night, for only a few minutes. After
suckling is complete, the doe seals the entrance to the stop with soil and vegetation.
In its native Iberian and southern French range, European rabbit young have a 
growth rate of 5 g (0.18 oz) per day, though such kittens in non-native ranges may
grow 10 g (0.35 oz) per day. Weight at birth is 30–35 g (1.1–1.2 oz) and increases to
150–200 g (5.3–7.1 oz) by 21–25 days, during the weaning period.[31] European rabbit
kits are born blind, deaf, and nearly naked. The ears do not gain the power of motion
until 10 days of age, and can be erected after 13. The eyes open 11 days after birth.[33]
 At 18 days, the kittens begin to leave the burrow. Sexual maturity in bucks is attained
at 4 months, while does can begin to breed at 3-5 months.
Burrowing behaviour
The European rabbit's burrows occur mostly on slopes and banks, where drainage is more efficient.
The burrow entrances are typically 10–50 cm in diameter,[20] and are easily recognisable by the bare
earth at their mouths. Vegetation growth is prevented by the constant passing and repassing of the
resident rabbits. Big burrows are complex excavations which may descend to depths of several feet.
They are not constructed on any specified plan, and appear to be enlarged or improved as a result of
the promiscuous activity of several generations. Digging is done by pulling the soil backwards with
the fore feet and throwing it between the hind legs, which scatter the material with kicking motions.
While most burrows are dug from the outside, some warrens feature holes dug from the inside,
which act as emergency exits when escaping from predators below ground. These holes usually
descend perpendicularly to 3–4 feet, and their mouths lack the bare-earth characteristic of burrow
entrances. While kits sleep in chambers lined with grass and fur, adults sleep on the bare earth,
likely to prevent damp, with warmth being secured by huddling.[35] Although both sexes dig, does do
so more skillfully, and for longer periods.
Habitat
The European rabbit's ideal habitat consists of short grasslands with secure refuge
(such as burrows, boulders, hedgerows, scrub, and woodland) near feeding areas.
It may dwell up to treeline, as long as the land is well-drained and shelter is
available. The size and distribution of its burrow systems depend on the type of 
soil present; in areas with loose soil, it selects sites with supporting structures,
such as tree roots or shrubs to prevent burrow collapse. Warrens tend to be larger
and have more interconnected tunnels in areas with chalk than those in sand. In
large coniferous plantations, the species only occurs on peripheral areas and
along fire breaks and rides.
Diet
The European rabbit eats a wide variety of herbage, especially grasses, favouring the young, succulent
leaves and shoots of the most nutritious species, particularly fescues. In mixed cultivated areas, 
winter wheat is preferred over maize and dicotyledons. During the summer, the European rabbit feeds on
the shortest, and therefore less nutritious grass swards, thus indicating that grazing grounds are selected
through antipredator considerations rather than maximising food intake. In times of scarcity, the rabbit
increases its food intake, selecting the parts of the plant with the highest nitrogen content.[40] Hungry
rabbits in winter may resort to eating tree bark. Blackberries are also eaten, and captive-bred European
rabbits have been fed on fodder consisting of furze and acorns, which can lead to considerable weight gain.
[41]
 The European rabbit is a less fussy eater than the brown hare; when eating root vegetables, the rabbit
eats them whole, while the hare tends to leave the peel.[42] Depending on the body's fat and protein
reserves, the species can survive without food in winter for about 2–8 days.[40] Although herbivorous, cases
are known of rabbits eating snails.
Like other leporids, the European rabbit produces soft, mucus-covered faecal pellets, which are ingested
directly from the anus.[40] The soft pellets are produced posterior to the colon in the hind gut soon after the
excretion of hard pellets and the stomach begins to fill with newly grazed food. The soft pellets are filled
with protein-rich bacteria, and pass down to the rectum in glossy clusters. The rabbit swallows them whole,
without perforating the enveloping membrane.
Predators
The European rabbit is prey to many different predatory species. Foxes, dingoes, wolves, lynxes, wolverines,
and dogs kill both adult and young rabbits by stalking and surprising them in the open, but relatively few
rabbits are caught this way, as they can quickly rush back to cover with a burst of speed. [44] Further, evidence
from a study in Spain suggests they may avoid areas where the recent scat of predators which have eaten
rabbit is detected.[45] Both foxes and badgers dig out kittens from shallow burrows, with the latter predators
being too slow to catch adult rabbits. Both wild and domestic cats can stalk and leap upon rabbits,
particularly young specimens leaving their burrows for the first time. [44] Wildcats take rabbits according to
availability; in eastern Scotland, where rabbits are abundant, they can make up over 90% of the wildcats'
diet. Most domestic cats are incapable of killing healthy, full-grown adults, but will take weak and diseased
ones. Does can be fiercely protective of their kits, having been observed to chase away large cats and 
mustelids, including ferrets, stoats, and weasels. However, rabbits typically run from mustelids, and may fear
them innately. Cases are known of rabbits becoming paralysed with fear and dying when pursued by stoats or
weasels, even when rescued unharmed.
The European rabbit makes up 85% of the polecat's diet, and its availability is important to the success of
breeding female mink.[21] Brown rats can be a serious threat to kittens, as they will reside in rabbit burrows
during the summer, and attack them in groups. [46][47] Although many birds of prey are capable of killing
rabbits, few are strong enough to carry them. Large species, such as golden and sea eagles, may carry rabbits
back to their nests, while small eagles, buzzards, and harriers struggle to do so. Hawks and owls typically only
carry off very small kits.
Diseases and parasites
The European rabbit is the only species fatally attacked by myxomatosis. The most
lethal strain has a five-day incubation period, after which the eyelids swell, with the
inflammation quickly spreading to the base of the ears, the forehead, and nose. At
the same time, the anal and genital areas also swell. During the last stages of the
disease, the swellings discharge a fluid rich in viral material, with death usually
following on the 11th-12th day of infection.[48] In Britain, the primary carrier of
myxomatosis is the flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi, while in Australia it is mosquitoes.
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as viral haemorrhagic disease or
rabbit calicivirus disease in Australia, is specific to the European rabbit, and causes
lesions of acute necrotising hepatitis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and
haemorrhaging, mainly in the lungs. Susceptible specimens may die within 30 hours
of infection. Most rabbits in the UK are immune to RHD, due to exposure to a weaker
strain.
Poelagus marjorita
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. It is found in central Africa and its
typical habitat is damp savannah, often with rocky
outcrops.
Distribution and habitat
The Bunyoro rabbit is native to Central Africa. Its range extends from
southern Chad and South Sudan to northeastern 
Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Kenya as far south as the
northern end of Lake Tanganyika. There is a separate population in Angola. Its
favoured habitat is damp savannah, often with rocky outcrops. It also occurs in
woodland where Isoberlinia spp. trees grow and sometimes in forests. It is
often associated with rock hyrax and may use the same crevices among rocks
in which to hide, and in the Rift Valley it occupies the same type of habitat as 
rockhares (Pronolagus spp.) do in southern Africa.
Behaviour
The Bunyoro rabbit is nocturnal, hiding during the day in a form in dense vegetation or a hole
among rocks and coming out to feed as part of a family group at night. Its diet consists of
grasses and flowering plants and it likes the succulent young shoots that sprout from the
ground after land has been cleared or burned. When living in proximity to cultivated land, it
feeds on rice and peanut plants. Predators that feed on the Bunyoro rabbit probably include 
hawks, owls, servals (Felis serval), cape genets (Genetta tigrina) and servaline genets (Genetta
servalina).[4]
Breeding seems to occur at any time of year. The gestation period is about five weeks and one
or two altricial young are born in a breeding hole, the entrance of which is loosely blocked with
soil or grass.[4]

Status
The population trend of the Bunyoro rabbit is believed to be stable and it is common in some
parts of its range. No particular threats have been identified although the animal is hunted
locally, and for these reasons the IUCN, in its Red List of Endangered Species, lists it as being of
"Least Concern"