Yunnan rabbit

Yunnan rabbit
	Yunnan hare ( Lepus comus ) (preparation)
Systematics
Subclass :	Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Superordinate :	Euarchontoglires
Order :	Hare-like (Lagomorpha)
Family :	Hares (Leporidae)
Genre :	Real rabbits ( Lepus )
Type :	Yunnan rabbit
Scientific name
	Lepus comus
	Allen , 1927

The Yunnan hare ( Lepus comus ) is a species of mammal belonging to the genus of the real hare within the hare-like species . Its distribution area is mainly in the central south of China in the highlands of the provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou .

features

The Yunnan hare is a small type of hare with a body weight of 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms. It is similar to the closely related Tibetan woolly hare ( L. oiostolus ), but is much smaller. The fur is gray-brown on top and light ocher and yellow on the sides of the body. The rump is gray and the tail is dark on top.

distribution

Distribution area of the Yunnan hare

The distribution area of the Yunnan hare is in the central south of China in the province of Yunnan with the exception of the region southwest of the Mekong , in the west of Guizhou and in the south of Sichuan . It has also been documented from northern Myanmar .

He mainly inhabits the highlands of Yunnan and Guizhou at altitudes of 1,300 to 3,200 meters.

Way of life

Very little information is available about the Yunnan Rabbit's way of life. It is diurnal and forms hollows, whereas those of the females are larger than those of the males and more oval. Like all rabbits, they feed primarily on grasses and herbs, and at night they can also go into agricultural areas to forage.

The females give birth to one to four young animals two to three times a year.

Systematics

The Yunnan hare is assigned to the real hare (genus Lepus ) as an independent species . It was originally added to the Tibetan woolly hare ( L. oiostolus ), but on the basis of molecular biological studies it was confirmed as an independent species and as a sister species of the Tibetan woolly hare.

Depending on the source, no or three subspecies of the Yunnan hare are distinguished. Chapman & Flu distinguish Lepus comus comus in western Yunnan, L. c. peni in eastern Yunnan, western Guizhou, and southwestern Sichuan, and L. c. pygmaeus in parts of Yunnan.

Hazard and protection

The species is rated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as "Least Concern" due to the size of the population and the relatively large distribution area. The formation of isolated groups in the mountains due to the displacement of the species by agriculture is assessed as a potential danger.

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Ed.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF; 11.3 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Lepus comus in the endangered species Red List of IUCN 2011. Submitted By: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved on 25 January 2012 found.

literature

Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Eds.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF; 11.3 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .

Web links

Lepus comus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Accessed January 25, 2012 Design.

[Chapman_&_Flux-1] Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Ed.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF; 11.3 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .

[IUCN-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Lepus comus in the endangered species Red List of IUCN 2011. Submitted By: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved on 25 January 2012 found.