| Antelope jackrabbit [1] | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Lepus |
| Species: | L. alleni |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepus alleni Mearns, 1890 | |
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| Antelope jackrabbit range | |
The antelope jackrabbit (Lepus alleni) is a species of North American hare found in southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico that occupies dry desert areas.
It is most active during twilight (crepuscular) and during the night (nocturnal), but can be active during the day when conditions are favorable (heavy cloud coverage).
Fossil evidence places the genus Lepus in North America approximately 2.5 million years ago. [3] A now extinct jackrabbit species, Lepus giganteus, was thought to exist in North America during this time. This species shared similar physical traits with the antelope jackrabbit, making it difficult to differentiate fossils of the two species. In a 2014 study, researchers hypothesized that L. giganteus served as a common ancestor to the antelope jackrabbit and black-tailed jackrabbit. [3] The black-tailed jackrabbit coexists with the antelope jackrabbit and the two species maintain a sympatric relationship. In the same 2014 study, genetic analysis concluded that three Lepus species share a common white-sided jackrabbit ancestor: L. callotis (white-sided jackrabbit), L. alleni (antelope jackrabbit), and L. flavigularis (Tehuantepec jackrabbit). Based on this evidence, researchers also concluded that the black-tailed jackrabbit, though closely related to white-sided jackrabbits, exists in its own separate subclade. [3]
In the United States, the antelope jackrabbit is found in parts of Arizona and states like Chihuahua, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora in Northwestern Mexico. Compared to the other hare species present in North America, the antelope jackrabbit's range is limited. This species does not inhabit areas further east than the sky islands in Arizona and the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. It also does not radiate west of Florence, Arizona. [4] As of July 2017 it had been spotted and photographed by a National Park Ranger in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada.
The antelope jackrabbit is found in a variety of tropic and subtropic habitats. It can be found in grassy hills or plains, preferring habitats with large, desert shrubs above long grass. This species can also be found in more barren desert habitats. [5] A 2014 study focusing on ecology indicated that the ideal habitat for an antelope jackrabbit includes grassy ground cover and a mesquite overstory. This species does not prefer an arid climate; instead, antelope jackrabbits live in areas with summer precipitation amounts ranging from 90 mm to 360 mm. Unlike the black-tailed jackrabbit which survives in less humid conditions, the antelope jackrabbit inhabits locations with higher humidity. [4]
The antelope jackrabbit is a large Lepus species. [5] Male and female antelope jackrabbits are identical in appearance. [5] This species is large in size with long, pointed ears and a distinct coat coloration. The antelope jackrabbit has a white belly, light grey sides, a back peppered with black, and orange coloration on the neck and chest. It is similar to species like the black-tailed jackrabbit and white-sided jackrabbit. Its body length ranges from 52 to 58 cm (22 in) long and its tail can be 5 to 10 cm (3 in) long. Its front legs grow to be 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) and the back legs can grow to be 20 to 30 cm (7.9 to 11.8 in) long. The antelope jackrabbit's ears grow to be 14–17 cm (6 in) and it can weigh up to 9 pounds (4.1 kg). [5] The species has a very large skull and a long rostrum. Its ears are extremely long with white on the point and edges. The bi-colored tail is black on top and a pale grey below. [5]
The antelope jackrabbit feeds on cacti, grasses, mesquite leaves and other leafy vegetation. This species has been observed digging and eating soil in an attempt to intake minerals and other nutrients. They can be classified as folivores and graminivores. [5]
Antelope jackrabbits breed from December to September and the gestation period is roughly six weeks long. Females have up to four litters per year ranging from one to five individuals. [5] A baby hare, called a leveret, is born precocial; its eyes are open, it is active, and covered with fur. Young are born in shallow dirt nests that are formed by scraping the surface of the ground. [6]
Known predators of the antelope jackrabbit include bobcats, coyotes, and golden eagles. Since antelope jackrabbits attract predators that are also a threat to livestock, they are hunted by humans to reduce potential problems. This species is also hunted for human consumption or for their valuable pelt. [5]
Habitat loss also poses a threat to antelope jackrabbits because agricultural expansion is interfering with their habitats. Grazing livestock reduce the abundance of grasses and herbaceous plants in areas where antelope jackrabbits reside. [4]
There are three recognized subspecies: [2]
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 genus includes the largest lagomorphs. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears to dissipate body heat. Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a "leveret". A group of hares is called a "husk", a "down", or a "drove".
Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 70 species of extant mammals in all. The Latin word Leporidae means "those that resemble lepus" (hare). 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 mountain hare, also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
The European hare, 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 on grasses and herbs, supplementing these with twigs, buds, bark and field crops, particularly in winter. Their natural predators include large birds of prey, canids and felids. They rely on high-speed endurance running to escape predation, having long, powerful limbs and large nostrils.
The desert cottontail, also known as Audubon's cottontail, is a New World cottontail rabbit, and a member of the family Leporidae. Unlike the European rabbit, they do not form social burrow systems, but compared with some other leporids, they are extremely tolerant of other individuals in their vicinity.
The white-tailed jackrabbit, 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. It is a solitary individual except where several males court a female in the breeding season. Litters of four to five young are born in a form, a shallow depression in the ground, hidden among vegetation. This jackrabbit has two described subspecies: L. townsendii townsendii occurring west of the Rocky Mountains and L. townsendii campanius occurring east of the Rocky Mountains.
The white-sided jackrabbit, 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 Mexico, with its numbers in decline in recent years; its presence is uncertain in Arizona.
The Japanese hare is a species of hare endemic to Japan. In Japanese, it is called the Nousagi, meaning "field rabbit".
The broom hare 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.
The Tehuantepec jackrabbit is a jackrabbit endemic to Mexico.
The narrow-skulled pocket mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is endemic to western Mexico, living west of the Sierra Madre Occidental crest.
The Ethiopian hare is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It was first described in 1903, by the British mammalogist Oldfield Thomas. The dorsal pelage is brownish buff, and is finely grizzled with black. The ventral pelage is fluffy and white in colour. Endemic to Ethiopia, it is found in the Afromontane Biozone of Ethiopia, and in the borders of the Sudanian Savanna Biozone. It is rated as a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The black jackrabbit is a species 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 "vulnerable species" because of its restricted range. This taxon is regarded by some authorities as being a subspecies of the black-tailed jackrabbit, found on the mainland of Mexico.
The Ethiopian highland hare or Starck's hare is a medium-sized species of mammal in the rabbit and hare family, Leporidae. Its dorsal pelage is grizzled, buff white and spotted and streaked with black, while its belly fur is pure white and fluffy. It is endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, ranging over the Afroalpine regions of the Shoa, Bale, and Arsi Provinces of Ethiopia. A herbivore, it mostly feeds on moorland grasses. The IUCN rates it as a species of least concern.
The Yarkand hare 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 is restricted to the Tarim Basin in Southern Xinjiang, China. It is mainly nocturnal, and forages on grass and crops. The female produces two or three litters annually, each consisting of two to five young. It is rated as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species and by the Red List of China's Vertebrates. However, Chinese geneticists have stated the species is "endangered" due to limited habitat and its fragmentation, and over-hunting and poaching.
The black-tailed jackrabbit, 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 10,000 ft (3,000 m). Reaching a length around 2 ft (61 cm), and a weight from 3 to 6 lb, the black-tailed jackrabbit is one of the largest North American hares. Black-tailed jackrabbits occupy mixed shrub-grassland terrains. Their breeding depends on the location; it typically peaks in spring, but may continue all year round in warm climates. Young are born fully furred with eyes open; they are well camouflaged and are mobile within minutes of birth, thus females do not protect or even stay with the young except during nursing. The average litter size is around four, but may be as low as two and as high as seven in warm regions.
The Tamaulipas jackrabbit, also known as the Tamaulipas white-sided jackrabbit, is a species of hare endemic to the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
