Common tapeti

Last updated

Common tapeti [1]
Sylvilagus brasiliensis meridensis (Sylvilagus meridensis) - Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria - Genoa, Italy - DSC02875.JPG
AudubonMarshHareS.jpg
Hand colored stone lithograph, by John James Audubon
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Sylvilagus
Species:
S. brasiliensis
Binomial name
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
Tapeti area.png
Tapeti range (as traditionally defined, see text)
Synonyms

Lepus brasiliensisLinnaeus, 1758

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 short ears. As traditionally defined, its range extends from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, but this includes several distinctive population that have since been split into separate species. Under this narrower definition, the true common tapeti only occurs in the Atlantic Rainforest of coastal northeastern Brazil and it is classified as "Endangered" by the IUCN. [2] The American Society of Mammalogists concurs, but also tentatively classifies several distinct populations that have not yet received proper species names into S. brasiliensis, and thus considers it to range from Venezuela south to Argentina. [3]

Contents

Taxonomy

The species was first described scientifically by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, published in 1753. [4] The type locality was in Pernambuco, Brazil. [1] In addition to its vernacular name "tapeti", it commonly known as the "forest cottontail" [5] or the "Brazilian cottontail". [6]

As many as 37 subspecies of the tapeti have been described, [7] but in 2005 Mammal Species of the World recognized 21, having placed the remaining in synonymy and considering the Dice's cottontail (S. dicei) as a separate species. [1] Nevertheless, the tapeti as traditionally defined is a species complex [8] and it was already recognized in 1990 that a taxonomic review was necessary. [2] Consequently, recent authorities have recommended splitting off several taxa typically considered subspecies of the tapeti and recognizing them as separate species: S. andinus in the Andean highlands of Ecuador (perhaps also in the Andes of Colombia, Venezuela and northern Peru), [7] S. gabbi (with subspecies truei) from Panama to Mexico, [9] S. sanctaemartae in the lowlands of northern Colombia, [8] and S. tapetillus from coastal southeastern Brazil. [7] Additionally, cottontail rabbits from the Guianas have not been clearly assigned to a subspecies, but are traditionally included in the tapeti. In 2017, these were described as a new species, S. parentum , based on specimens from Suriname. [8]

Description

The common tapeti is a small- to medium-sized rabbit. It has a head-body length of 320 mm (13 in), a tail that is 21 mm (0.83 in), hind feet measuring 71 mm (2.8 in), ears that are 54 mm (2.1 in) (measured from notch to tip), and it weighs an average of 934 grams (32.9 oz). The color of its back is brown with a speckled appearance (resulting from the black hairs tips), and it has a rufous spot on its neck. Its belly and tail underside are also rufous. It has six mammae. [6] Two different karyotypes have been reported for this species: 2n=36, FN=68; and 2n=40, FN=76. [1]

It is a solitary, nocturnal or more accurately crepuscular, animal usually seen after nightfall or before dawn, feeding on grass and browse. [10] It has also been recorded eating Harrya chromapes , a bolete mushroom. [11] It is found in forested habitats, close to swamps and along river edges, and in disturbed areas, such as gardens and plantations. [10]

Habitat, distribution, and ecology

In Brazil Sylvilagus brasiliensis1.jpg
In Brazil

The common tapeti occurs in tropical rain forests, deciduous forests, and second growth forests in Mexico and Central America, as well as pastures surrounding forest habitat. Its range extends from southern Tamaulipas in Mexico, south along the eastern coast of Mexico, through Guatemala, possibly El Salvador, Honduras, eastern Nicaragua, eastern Costa Rica, and Panama. It occurs through the northern half of South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina, and much of Brazil. [2] The southern tip of its known distribution occurs in Tucuman province. [6] It occurs at elevations from sea level to 4,800 m (15,700 ft). [2] It is the only leporid species found in most of its range. [10]

Rabbits build nests built of dry grasses above the ground to rear their young. They have a central chamber and three or four smaller chambers at the end of a corridor. The gestation period varies with the geographical location. Rabbits in Chiapas, Mexico gestate for about 28 days, and have three to eight offspring, while rabbits in the Páramos of the Andes gestate for 44 days, and have an average litter size of 1.2. Both of these populations breed year-round. [12]

Like its California relative, the brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), the common tapeti is a natural reservoir for the myxoma virus. [13] This relationship was discovered by Brazilian physician Henrique de Beaurepaire Rohan Aragão in the 1940s. [14] The virus causes a benign cutaneous fibroma in its hosts, but it causes the lethal disease myxomatosis, in European rabbits. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rabbit</span> Mammals of the family Leporidae

Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae, which is in the order Lagomorpha. Oryctolagus cuniculus is the European rabbit, including its descendants, the world's 305 breeds 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, a domesticated form of livestock and a pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, in many areas of the world, the rabbit is a part of daily life – as food, clothing, a companion, and a source of artistic inspiration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leporidae</span> Family of lagomorphs

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert cottontail</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottontail rabbit</span> Genus of mammals

Cottontail rabbits are in the Sylvilagus genus, which is in the Leporidae family. They are found in the Americas. 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 Sylvilagus, nor is it unique to the genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brush rabbit</span> Species of mammal

The brush rabbit, 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 Baja California Peninsula. Its range extends as far east as the eastern sides of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern cottontail</span> Species of mammal

The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is the most common rabbit species in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omilteme cottontail</span> Species of mammal

The Omilteme cottontail is a cottontail rabbit found only in the state of Guerrero, Mexico in the mountain range of Sierra Madre del Sur. Belonging to the family Leporidae, it is one of fourteen species in the genus Sylvilagus, a genus restricted to the New World. The Omilteme cottontail is considered one of the most endangered rabbit species in the world and is only known and been described by very few specimens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican cottontail</span> Species of mammal

The Mexican cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit in the family Leporidae. It is endemic to Mexico where its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry forests and pastureland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dice's cottontail</span> Species of mammal

Dice's cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit in the family Leporidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama, in páramo and cloud forest habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tres Marias cottontail</span> Species of mammal

The Tres Marias cottontail or Tres Marias rabbit is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San José brush rabbit</span> Species of mammal

The San José brush rabbit is a critically endangered subspecies of the brush rabbit, in the family Leporidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain cottontail</span> Species of mammal

The mountain cottontail or Nuttall's cottontail is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in Canada and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marsh rabbit</span> Species of mammal

The marsh rabbit 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 appearance to the eastern cottontail but is characterized by smaller ears, legs, and tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robust cottontail</span> Species of mammal

The robust cottontail or Holzner's cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit native to high-altitude regions of the southwestern United States and western Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suriname tapeti</span> Species of rabbit

The Suriname tapeti or Suriname lowland forest cottontail is a South American species of cottontail rabbit described in 2017. It is known from the lowlands of western Suriname, and was described from specimens collected by Dutch scientists in the 1980s. Its size is relatively large for a South American cottontail rabbit. The rabbit is likely already threatened due to environmental degradation in the region, and its discovery could boost conservation efforts in the area. It was discovered by Portland State University Professor Luis Ruedas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal tapeti</span> Species of mammal

The coastal tapeti, 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 the Paraíba Valley, it was for a long time considered to be a subspecies of the common tapeti. Slightly smaller than its close relative, analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right. Due to destruction of its putative habitat in the densely populated Paraíba Valley, it is unclear whether or not the species still survives in the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andean tapeti</span> Species of mammal

The Andean tapeti 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. Living at high elevations in the treeless Páramo of the Andes, analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right. Although widespread, it remains poorly known, as few studies have been conducted on its biology and habits as distinct from those of the tapeti

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central American tapeti</span> Species of mammal

The Central American tapeti 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 but analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right. The name Gabbi's cottontail comes from American paleontologist William More Gabb.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 208–209. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ruedas, L.A. & Smith, A.T. (2019). "Sylvilagus brasiliensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T87491102A45191186. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T87491102A45191186.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758)". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists . Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  4. ↑ Linnaeus, Carolus (1758). Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. (in Latin) (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 58.
  5. ↑ Schubert, Blaine W.; Mead, Jim I.; Graham, Russell W.; Denver Museum of Nature & Science (2003). Ice Age Cave Faunas of North America. Indiana University Press. p. 278. ISBN   978-0-253-34268-3.
  6. 1 2 3 Eisenberg, John F. (2000). Mammals of the Neotropics, Volume 3: Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil. University of Chicago Press. p. 519. ISBN   978-0-226-19542-1.
  7. 1 2 3 Ruedas; French; Silva; Platt II; Salazar-Bravo; Mora; Thompson (2017). "A prolegomenon to the systematics of South American cottontail rabbits (Mammalia, Lagomorpha, Leporidae: Sylvilagus): designation of a neotype for S. brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758), and restoration of S. andinus (Thomas, 1897) and S. tapetillus Thomas, 1913". University of Michigan . 205. ISSN   0076-8405.
  8. 1 2 3 Ruedas, L.A. (2017). "A new species of cottontail rabbit (Lagomorpha: Leporidae: Sylvilagus) from Suriname, with comments on the taxonomy of allied taxa from northern South America". Journal of Mammalogy . gyx048 (4): 1042–1059. doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx048 .
  9. ↑ Ruedas, L.A. & Salazar-Bravo, J. (2007). "Morphological and chromosomal taxonomic assessment of Sylvilagus brasiliensis gabbi (Leporidae)". Mammalia. 71 (1–2): 63–69. doi:10.1515/MAMM.2007.011. S2CID   84037188.
  10. 1 2 3 Emmons, Louise H.; Feer, Francois (1997). Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide.
  11. ↑ Wainwright M, Arias O (2007). The Mammals of Costa Rica: A Natural History and Field Guide. Comstock. p. 239. ISBN   978-0-8014-4589-7.
  12. ↑ Chapman, Joseph A.; Flux, John E. C. (1990). Rabbits, Hares and Pikas: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN. p. 100. ISBN   978-2-8317-0019-9.
  13. ↑ Williams Elizabeth S.; Barker, Ian K. (9 January 2008). Infectious Diseases of Wild Mammals. John Wiley & Sons. p. 183. ISBN   978-0-470-34481-1.
  14. ↑ Williamson, M. (1996). Biological Invasions. Springer. p. 15. ISBN   978-0-412-59190-7.
  15. ↑ Kerr, Peter J. (2012). "Myxomatosis in Australia and Europe: A model for emerging infectious diseases". Antiviral Research. 93 (3): 387–415. doi:10.1016/j.antiviral.2012.01.009. PMID   22333483.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.