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The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks.
Hares are generally larger than rabbits, with longer ears, and have black markings on their fur. Hares, like all leporids, have jointed, or kinetic, skulls, unique among mammals. They have 48 chromosomes, [10] while rabbits have 44. [11] Hares have not been domesticated, while some rabbits are raised for food and kept as pets.
The domestic rabbit subspecies of the European rabbit has been domesticated. The 64 extant species of Leporidae are contained within 11 genera . One genus, Lepus , contains 32 species that are collectively referred to as hares; the other eight genera are generally referred to as rabbits, with the majority – 19 species – in Sylvilagus , or ...
European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Large-eared pika (Ochotona macrotis). Lagomorpha is an order of placental mammals, comprising the rabbits, hares, and pikas.Members of this order are called lagomorphs.
The genus Lagopus was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) as the type species. [1] [2] The genus name Lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγος), meaning "hare, rabbit", + pous (πους), "foot", in reference to the feathered feet and toes typical of this cold-adapted group (such as the snowshoe hare).
[3] [4] They are one of two species of hares native to the state of Alaska, the other being the more widespread snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). [4] Both male and female adult Alaskan hares normally measure between 50–70 centimetres (20–28 in) in length, with the tail measuring up to an additional 8 centimetres (3.1 in).
Both rabbits and hares are almost exclusively herbivorous (although some Lepus species are known to eat carrion), [5] [6] feeding primarily on grasses and herbs, although they also eat leaves, fruit, and seeds of various kinds. Easily digestible food is processed in the gastrointestinal tract and expelled as regular feces.
The rabbits remain active all year. When spooked a rabbit will run a couple meters then hide and freeze with ears erect, if further pursued the rabbit will hop away in a semicircular path to try and trick the predator. The only behavior to reduce predation is limiting active time to dusk and dawn, and the semicircular path they hop when chased.