Lepus tibetanus Waterhouse 1841
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
Lepus
Lepus tibetanus

description: 43.
Desert Hare
Lepus tibetanus
French: Liévre du désert / German: Wiistenhase / Spanish: Liebre de desierto
Taxonomy. Lepus tibetanus Waterhouse, 1841,
“Little Thibet [= Tibet].” Fixed by J. R. Ellerman and T. C. S. Morrison-Scott in 1955 to “Baltistan, Kashmir.”
Until the 1930s, L. tibetanus had species status. The first major revision united L. europaeus, L. tolai, and L. tibetanus in a single species. Next, L. tibetanus and L. tolai were placed as subspecies of L. capensis. Then, L. tibetanus was clearly separated from L. tolai, but L. capensis was still used as the species name. Today, the separation between L. tolai and L. tibetanus on the species level are still questioned by taxonomists. Furthermore, no morphological characteristics have been found to separate the tolai-tibetanus-group from L. capensis. It shares some cranial and pelage characteristics with L. oiostolus from the adjacent Tibetan Plateau, in contrast to L. capensis or L. tolai. Evaluation of these characteristics across zones of potential contact between the ten taxon pairs comprising L. capensis (sensu lato) and genetic analyses are necessary before taxonomy of species of Lepus can be resolved. Molecular analysis placed pamirensis back to L. capensis and assigned centrasiaticus to L. tolai. This species is allopatric to parapatric with L. tolai, but they might be sympatric in the Tien Shan Mountains. As taxonomists are still trying to clarify the species differentiation in Lepus, the subspecific taxonomyis 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. Five subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
L.t.tibetanusWaterhouse,1841—UpperIndusValley,inNEAfghanistan,NPakistan,andNWIndia.
L.t.centrasiaticusSatunin,1907—EXinjiang,Gansu,andWInnerMongolia=NeiMongol(NW&NCChina).
L.t.craspedotisBlanford,1875—BalochistanProvince(Pakistan).
L.t.pamirensisGunther,1875—ETajikistanandSWXinjiang(China).
L. t. stoliczkanus Blanford, 1875 — NW Xinjiang (China).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 400-480 mm, tail 87-109 mm, ear 80-110 mm, hindfoot 109-135 mm; weight 1.6-2.5 kg. The Desert Hare is slender and has a relatively small head. Dorsal fur is sandy yellow or drab, tinged with black. Hips are grayish, and outsides of hindlegs and forefeet are white. Ears are wide and have black-brown tips. Tail has black-brown stripes above. The Desert Hare has light eye rings. Ventral fur is yellow to white. The Desert Hare has thick and gray to sandy brown fur in winter.
Habitat. Grassland and shrubs on slopes of riverbanks in desert, semi-desert, and steppe habitats from low elevations and perhaps up to subalpine habitats at elevations of 3500-4000 m. Desert Hares use burrows constructed by other animals.
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Desert Hare includes herbaceous vegetation, seeds, berries, roots, and twigs.
Breeding. Female Desert Hares have up to three litters per year; litters have 3-10 young.
Activity patterns. The Desert Hare is most active at dusk, but it can also be active during daytime.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Desert Hare is listed as least concern on the Chinese Red List. It is widespread, but no data are available on its overall population status. Conservation threats are not known. Research is necessary to clarify population status of the Desert Hare and its taxonomic position relative to other species of Lepus.
Bibliography. Angermann (2016), Cheng Cheng et al. (2012), China Red List & Johnston (2008b), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1951, 1955), Heptner (1934), Hoffmann & Smith (2005), Lissovsky (2016), Ognev (1966), Petter (1959, 1961), Smith (2008c).
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 pages 133-134, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6625539