Sylvilagus cunicularius
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Lagomorpha
Leporidae
Sylvilagus
Sylvilagus cunicularius

description: 23.
Mexican Cottontail
Sylvilagus cunicularius
French: Lapin du Mexique / German: Mexiko-Baumwollschwanzkaninchen / Spanish: Conejo de México
Taxonomy. Lepus cunicularius Waterhouse, 1848,
“Mexico.” Restricted by G. G. Goodwin in 1969 to “Sacualpan [= Zacualpan],” Mexico State, Mexico.
Taxonomic, morphological, karyological, and biogeographical evidence support the view that S. graysoni, which is endemic to the Tres Marias Island, shared a common mainland ancestor with S. cunicularus that invaded islands during maximal Pleistocene glaciation. As taxonomists are still trying to clarify the species differentiation in Sylvilagus, the subspecific taxonomy is not elaborated yet. The original descriptions of the subspecies are often not very helpful as they are mostly based on few exterior characteristics and small numbers of individuals. It has been shown that the variability is clinal in more careful investigations. Hence, the distinction in subspecies might be arbitrary and unreasonable. Sylvilagus cunicularius is sympatric with Romerolagus diazi and S. floridanus in highlands of central Mexico. On borders of adjacent plains, S. cunicularius occurs sympatrically with S. audubonii, Lepus callotis, and L. californicus. This speciesis also sympatric with L. callotis in Guerrero and S. floridanus in coastal lowlands of S Sinaloa. Three subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
S.c.cuniculariusWaterhouse,1848—C&EMichoacan,SEHidalgo,StateofMexico,Tlaxcala,Morelos,Puebla,WCVeracruz,N&NEGuerrero,andWOaxaca(C&SMexico).
S.c.insolitusJ.A.Allen,1890—SWtipofDurango,SSinaloa,WNayarit,W&SJalisco,Colima,andNW&WMichoacan,(WMexico).
S. c. pacificus Nelson, 1904 — S Michoacan, Guerrero (except the N & NE), and SW tip of Oaxaca (S Mexico).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 490-520 mm, tail 54-68 mm, ear 60-80 mm, hindfoot 108-111 mm; weight 1.8-2.3 kg. The Mexican Cottontail is the largest rabbit in Mexico, equaling medium-sized hares in mass. It has coarse fur and massive skull. Dorsal pelage and head are dirty yellowish or grayish, with rufous nape. Eye rings are buff. Ears are about as long as head, and backs of ears are thinly haired and gray, with extreme tips and outer edges darkening to black. Ventral fur is dingy whitish. Forelegs, hindlegs, and sides of hindfeet are dull rust-brown. Tail is short, grayish brown above and pure white below. There is geographical variation in size with individuals in the western part of the distribution slightly larger than those from elsewhere. Amount of variation is surprisingly small considering the wide distribution of the Mexican Cottontail under various climatic conditions. General color becomes paler and more of dingy yellowish gray in worn pelage.
Habitat. Arid lowlands and temperate highlands from sea level to elevations of c.3400 m in the highlands of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Mexican Cottontails display wide ecological tolerance, and they select areas of grasses and herbs. In western Mexico, they occur in tropical deciduous and pine—oak zones and pastures. In the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, they inhabit forests of pine and oak—pine, with understories of clumped grasses.
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Mexican Cottontail consists of true grasses including Muhlenbergia macroura, Festuca amplissima, and Stipa ichu (all Poaceae). It selects tender shoots of grasses, young leaves of forbs, bark of shrubs, and cultivated plants such as oats (Avena sativa), maize (Zea mays), and barley (Hordeum vulgare).
Breeding. The Mexican Cottontail seems to breed throughout the year. Females produce up to six young per litter and severallitters per year. Gestation is ¢.30 days.
Activity patterns. The Mexican Cottontail is active mainly at dusk and dawn, although they can be active at night and during the day.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Mexican Cottontail lives alone. Fecal pellets accumulate in dung piles and are regularly found next to bases of grasses; each pile is at least 20 m from the next. Mexican Cottontails in central Mexican highlands use abandoned burrows of Merriam’s Pocket Gophers (Cratogeomys merriami) and natural rocky hollows and crevices on and underneath the ground.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCNRed List. The Mexican Cottontails is commonly hunted for food and sport. It is endemic to Mexico and has been abundant near the coast of Chamela and Jalisco and in Morelos, but populations have declined due to hunting. Overgrazing and habitat destruction have caused population declines in some areas, butit is still quite abundant throughoutits distribution.
Bibliography. Alvarez et al. (1987), AMCELA, Romero & Rangel (2008d), Angermann (2016), Armstrong & Jones (1971), Ceballos & Galindo (1984), Ceballos & Miranda (1986), Cervantes (1980), Cervantes et al. (1992), Chapman & Ceballos (1990), Davis (1944), Davis & Lukens (1958), Davis & Russell (1954), Diersing & Wilson (1980), Goodwin (1969), Hall (1981), Hoffmann & Smith (2005), Leopold (1959, 1972), Lissovsky (2016), Lorenzo (1987), Nelson (1909), Thomas (1890).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Leporidae, pp. 107-148 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 122, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6625539