| Mexican cottontail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| San Ignacio, Sinaloa, Mexico | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Sylvilagus |
| Species: | S. cunicularius |
| Binomial name | |
| Sylvilagus cunicularius (Waterhouse, 1848) | |
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| Mexican cottontail range | |
| Synonyms[7] | |
List
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TheMexicаn cottontail (Sylvilagus cunicularius) is aspecies ofcottontail rabbit that isendemic to southernMexico. Its naturalhabitats are temperateforests, subtropical or tropical dry forests and pastureland.
The Mexican cottontail wasfirst described by the English naturalistGeorge Robert Waterhouse in 1848 as part of his work in classifying specimens in the collection of themuseum of theZoological Society of London.[8] In his account, Waterhouse gave a very brief description compared to those of other species, noted that the specimen was from a population in Mexico (which was given as itstype locality), and stated that itsscientific name,Lepus cunicularius, was attributed to the German zoologistHinrich Lichtenstein.[4] Lichtenstein had written in 1830 about the Mexican cottontail very briefly, stating that the species described asLepus cunicularius was a burrowing rabbit that differed from European rabbits in size, color, and proportions, and could be named the "white-breasted rabbit" (weifsbrüstige Kaninchen).[3] MammalogistMarcus Ward Lyon Jr. gave the Mexican cottontail its current genus,Sylvilagus, in 1904, though he provided only the namesSylvilagus insolitus andSylvilagus veraecrucis,[9] the former of which was clarified to be asubspecies of the latter, as written by American naturalistEdward William Nelson in 1909. Nelson also noted thatS. veraecrucis was asynonym ofS. cunicularius, the name that hadpriority,[10] which remains in use today.[7] In 1969, mammal curator George Gilbert Goodwin clarified the species' type locality as "Sacualpan", meaningZacualpan, Mexico.[11] The Mexican cottontail is closely related to theTres Marias cottontail (S. graysoni), a species that lives only on theIslas Marías inNayarit.[12] It is also a close relative of thedesert cottontail (S. audubonii), with which it forms aclade, and theOmilteme cottontail (S. insonus).[13]
The Mexican cottontail is placed in thesubgenusSylvilagus.[14] Based on analysis of the size and shape characteristics of the species, foursubspecies have been identified:[15]
Severalfossils of the Mexican cottontail have been found in Mexico and the United States, with the oldest being those found in southernArizona that date back to thePliocene.[13] These fossils were recovered from exposed beds to the southeast ofSafford, Arizona, and are placed in the lateBlancanfaunal stage of North America, ranging from2.7 to 2.4 million years ago.[1]
The Mexican cottontail is one of the largest members of the genusSylvilagus, weighing from 1,800 to 2,300 grams (63 to 81 oz) on average,[16] and is the largest Mexican rabbit.[17] Its size is comparable with that of medium-sizedhares.[13] It has coarse reddish-brown or greyish-brown fur and white underparts.[16] In maturity, the fur becomes a paler yellowish-gray. Adults measure at an average body length of 485–515 mm (19.1–20.3 in), tail length of 54–68 mm (2.1–2.7 in), hind foot length of 108–111 mm (4.3–4.4 in), and ear length of 60–63 mm (2.4–2.5 in). Individuals from populations in theSierra Madre de Oaxaca mountain range tend to be slightly larger than those found elsewhere.[18]
The Mexicạn cottontail'sbreeding season occurs throughout the year, but especially during the warm and wet summer months (March to October).[17] Mothers dig a nurseryburrow to contain a nest before they give birth. The burrows are short, shallow tunnels averaging 23 cm (9.1 in) long that end in a chamber about 17 cm (6.7 in) below the surface. Nests are constructed of several materials including dry grasses, pine needles, and bits of woody plants.Oat straw andalfalfa hay are used in the nest as additional food sources. Nursing occurs at the burrow entrance until the young are about 12 days old; after the offspring are weaned, the mother closes the burrow entrance.[19] The burrowing behavior of the Mexican cottontail more closely resembles that of theEuropean rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and thepygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) than other cottontail rabbits.[19]
Predators of the Mexican cottontail includered foxes,coyotes, thelong-tailed weasel,feral dogs, thegreat horned owl,red-tailed hawks,[20] andAmerican crocodiles. Additionally, snakes are known to prey upon the species infrequently.[13]
The Mexican cottontail is found only in Mexico, where its range extends from the state ofSinaloa to the states ofOaxaca andVeracruz, including the mountainous regions of theTrans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It ranges from sea level up to about 4,300 meters (14,000 feet). It occupies a wide range of habitats includingtropical,temperate and drydeciduous forest, denseshrubland,grassland, and cultivated or otherwise disturbed land.[2] In central Mexico, it is common in temperate pine and pine-oak forests with a ground cover oftussocky grasses such asAgrostis,Festuca andMuhlenbergia, while in western Mexico it tends towards drier forest habitats and pastures. Mexican cottontails in southern Sinaloa and westernMichoacán can be found from sea level on the coastal plain up to the mountain slopes, where its habitat borders that of theeastern cottontail (S. floridanus). In mountainous areas south ofMexico City, its habitat borders both the eastern cottontail and thevolcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi).[16]
The Mexican cottontail is common over its range and is classified by theIUCN in itsRed List of Threatened Species as being ofleast concern. It is present in theLa Malinche National Park at densities of about 27 individuals per square kilometer.[2] Its numbers may be dwindling in areas where it is hunted and in others where its habitat is being degraded orovergrazing is taking place.[16]
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