Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also includes the hares),
which is in the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). They are familiar
throughout the world as a small herbivore, a prey animal, a domesticated form of
livestock, and a pet, having a widespread effect on ecologies and cultures. The
most widespread rabbit genera are Oryctolagus and Sylvilagus. The former,
Oryctolagus, includes the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, which is the
ancestor of the hundreds of breeds of domestic rabbit and has been introduced on
every continent except Antarctica. The latter, Sylvilagus, includes over 13 wild
rabbit species, among them the cottontails and tapetis. Wild rabbits not included
in Oryctolagus and Sylvilagus include several species of limited distribution,
including the pygmy rabbit, volcano rabbit, and Sumatran striped rabbit.
Rabbits are a paraphyletic grouping, and do not constitute a clade, as hares
(belonging to the genus Lepus) are nested within the Leporidae clade and are not
described as rabbits. Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs diverged earlier
and have a number of traits rodents lack, including two extra incisors.
Similarities between rabbits and rodents were once attributed to convergent
evolution, but studies in molecular biology have found a common ancestor between
lagomorphs and rodents and place them in the clade Glires.
Rabbit physiology is suited to escaping predators and surviving in various
habitats, living either alone or in groups in nests or burrows. As prey animals,
rabbits are constantly aware of their surroundings, having a wide field of vision
and ears with high surface area to detect potential predators. The ears of a rabbit
are essential for thermoregulation and contain a high density of blood vessels. The
bone structure of a rabbit's hind legs, which is longer than that of the fore legs,
allows for quick hopping, which is beneficial for escaping predators and can
provide powerful kicks if captured. Rabbits are typically nocturnal and often sleep
with their eyes open. They reproduce quickly, having short pregnancies, large
litters of four to twelve kits, and no particular mating season; however, the
mortality rate of rabbit embryos is high, and there exist several widespread
diseases that affect rabbits, such as rabbit hemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis.
In some regions, especially Australia, rabbits have caused ecological problems and
are regarded as a pest.
Humans have used rabbits as livestock since at least the first century BC in
ancient Rome, raising them for their meat, fur and wool. The various breeds of the
European rabbit have been developed to suit each of these products; the practice of
raising and breeding rabbits as livestock is known as cuniculture. Rabbits are seen
in human culture globally, appearing as a symbol of fertility, cunning, and
innocence in major religions, historical and contemporary art.
Terminology and etymology
The word rabbit derives from the Middle English rabet ("young of the coney"), a
borrowing from the Walloon robète, which was a diminutive of the French or Middle
Dutch robbe ("rabbit"), a term of unknown origin.[1] The term coney is a term for
an adult rabbit used until the 18th century; rabbit once referred only to the young
animals.[2] More recently, the term kit or kitten has been used to refer to a young
rabbit.[3][4] The endearing word bunny is attested by the 1680s as a diminutive of
bun, a term used in Scotland to refer to rabbits and squirrels.[5]
Coney is derived from cuniculus,[2] a Latin term referring to rabbits which has
been in use from at least the first century BCE in Hispania. The word cuniculus may
originate from a diminutive form of the word for "dog" in the Celtic languages.[6]
A group of rabbits is known as a colony,[7] nest, or warren,[8] though the latter
term more commonly refers to where the rabbits live.[9] A group of baby rabbits
produced from a single mating is referred to as a litter[10] and a group of
domestic rabbits living together is sometimes called a herd.[8]
A male rabbit is called a buck, as are male goats and deer, derived from the Old
English bucca or bucc, meaning "he-goat" or "male deer", respectively.[11] A female
is called a doe, derived from the Old English dā, related to dēon ("to suck").[12]
Taxonomy and evolution
See also: List of leporids
Rabbits and hares were formerly classified in the order Rodentia (rodents) until
1912, when they were moved into the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas).
Since 1945, there has been support for the clade Glires that includes both rodents
and lagomorphs,[13] though the two groups have always been closely associated in
taxonomy; fossil,[14] DNA,[15] and retrotransposon[16] studies in the 2000s have
solidified support for the clade. Studies in paleontology and molecular biology
suggest that rodents and lagomorphs diverged at the start of the Tertiary period.
[17]
Nesolagus (striped rabbits)
Poelagus (Bunyoro rabbit)
Pronolagus (red rock hares)
Romerolagus (volcano rabbit)
Sylvilagus (cottontails)
Brachylagus (pygmy rabbit)
Caprolagus (hispid hare)
Oryctolagus (European rabbit)
Bunolagus (riverine rabbit)
Pentalagus (Amami rabbit)
Lepus (hares)
The extant species of family Leporidae, of which there are more than 70, are
contained within 11 genera, one of which is Lepus, the hares. There are 32 extant
species within Lepus. The cladogram is from Matthee et al., 2004, based on nuclear
and mitochondrial gene analysis.[18]
Classification
Order Lagomorpha
Family Leporidae (in part):[19]
Genus Brachylagus
Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis
Genus Bunolagus
Riverine rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis
Genus Caprolagus
Hispid hare, Caprolagus hispidus
Genus Lepus[a]
Genus Nesolagus
Sumatran striped rabbit, Nesolagus netscheri
Annamite striped rabbit, Nesolagus timminsi
Genus Oryctolagus
European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
Genus Pentalagus
Amami rabbit/Ryūkyū rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi
Genus Poelagus
Bunyoro rabbit, Poelagus marjorita
Genus Pronolagus
Natal red rock hare, Pronolagus crassicaudatus
Jameson's red rock hare, Pronolagus randensis
Smith's red rock hare, Pronolagus rupestris
Hewitt's red rock hare, Pronolagus saundersiae
Genus Romerolagus
Volcano rabbit, Romerolagus diazi
Genus Sylvilagus
Andean tapeti, Sylvilagus andinus
Swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus
Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
Brush rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani
Common tapeti, Sylvilagus brasiliensis
Mexican cottontail, Sylvilagus cunicularis
Dice's cottontail, Sylvilagus dicei
Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
Central American tapeti, Sylvilagus gabbi
Tres Marias cottontail, Sylvilagus graysoni
Robust cottontail, Sylvilagus holzneri
Omilteme cottontail, Sylvilagus insonus
Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
Appalachian cottontail, Sylvilagus obscurus
Marsh rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris