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Leporidae

Family of lagomorphs

  • 7 min read
  • 4 chapters

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The common name rabbit usually applies to all genera in the family except Lepus, while members of the genus Lepus (comprising nearly half the species) are usually 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 are called red rock hares and hispid hares respectively.

Various countries across all continents except Antarctica and Australia have indigenous species of Leporidae. Furthermore, the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, and the European hare, Lepus europaeus, have been introduced to Australia and to many other islands, where they pose serious ecological and commercial threats due to their adaptability and lack of natural predators.

Description

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 or crepuscular mode of living. Most have soft, woolly fur, though some like the hispid hare have more coarse hair. Their short tails are often rather fluffy. The noses of leporids are characterized by a Y-shaped groove that rises up from the upper lip and sensory pads at the entrance of each nostril.

Leporids are all roughly the same shape and fall within a small range of sizes with short tails, ranging in overall length from the 21 cm (8 in) long Tres Marias cottontail to the 76 cm (30 in) long desert hare. Female leporids are almost always larger than males, which is unusual among terrestrial mammals. It has been noted that the humerus bones of all leporids are extremely similar; their skulls, however, vary greatly between species, besides being notably arched with prominent brow ridges.

The dental formula of leporids is 2.0.3.31.0.2.3 = 28, meaning that they have two pairs of upper and one pair of lower incisors, no canines, three upper and two lower premolars on each side, and three upper and lower molars on either side of the jaw. Many leporids are classified by the characteristics of their teeth, and dental fossils, particularly the third upper premolar ("p3"), are often invaluable in identifying species. The Amami rabbit is unique among the leporids in that its generic name, Pentalagus, is derived from the fact that it is often found without its third upper molar, thus having 5 (penta-) total molars.

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