Lepus insularis W. Bryant 1891
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 insularis

description: 48.
Black Jackrabbit
Lepus insularis
French: Lievre noir / German: Espiritu-Santo-Hase / Spanish: Liebre de Espiritu Santo
Other common names: Black Hare, Espiritu Santo Jackrabbit
Taxonomy. Lepus insularis W. Bryant, 1891,
“Espiritu Santo Island, [near La Paz], Gulf of California [Baja California del Sur], Mexico.”
It is an insular melanistic allospecies related to L. californicus. Its status has been questioned, but a multivariate comparison with L. californicus of the adjacent mainland and nearby islands found distinct differences between the two species based on cranial characteristics. Nevertheless, a recent molecular phylogenetic study indicated that L. californicus was paraphyletic to L. insularis. All analyses in this study demonstrated that some haplotypes of L. californicus were more closely related to L. insularis than to other haplotypes of L. californicus, suggesting that L. insularis might represent an isolated population of L. californicus. Nevertheless, the study was based only on mtDNA and a limited sample so results should be regarded with caution. Monotypic.
Distribution. Espiritu Santo I in the Gulf of California (NW Mexico).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 570 mm,tail 96 mm, ear 110 mm, hindfoot 121 mm; weight ¢.2-5 kg (all measurements are means from five specimens). The Black Jackrabbit is medium-sized. Top of head, dorsal fur, nape, and top oftail are glossy black. Sides of head are blackish and grizzled with gray. Eye rings are gray. Insides of ears are gray, and outsides are blackish. Shoulders,sides, and hindlegs are dark buff or cinnamon-buff, and color becomes clearer ventrally. Forelegs are similar to sides of body but more rusty or reddish. Tops of toes are dark buff, and black line extends along inner sides of hindfeet from toes to a little above heels. Underside oftail is dull buffy brown, and underside of head is dark iron gray. Rest of under parts varies from dark cinnamon-buff to dusky brown. Dark color of the Black Jackrabbit makes it extraordinarily conspicuous on open or rocky ground, even when motionless. Populations of Black-tailed Jackrabbits (L. californicus) living in the same climate and vegetation on the mainland exhibit no signs of melanism. Isolation of the Black Jackrabbit on Espiritu Santo Island and absence of predators apparently have removed selective pressure favoring cryptic coloration.
Habitat. Open areas on rocky slopes, mesetas (plateaus), dunes, sandy valleys, and beaches. The Black Jackrabbit is most abundant in valleys and on adjoining lower slopes of hills on Espiritu Santo Island from sea level to elevations of ¢.300 m. It inhabits tropical scrub of cactus (Pachycerus, Stenocereus, and Opuntia, all Cactaceae) and shrubs (Prosopis and Acacia, both Fabaceae, and Ambrosia, Asteraceae) and in dunes with grasses (Cenchrus, Poaceae) and halophytic plants (Adenostoma, Rosaceae).
Food and Feeding. The BlackJackrabbit forages on a wide variety of grasses, herbs, and forbs and consumes fleshy parts of short cacti (Stenocereus, Cactaceae) and young stems of shrubs (e.g. Prosopis, Fabaceae).
Breeding. One female Black Jackrabbit collected in November was pregnant with two embryos. Males with scrotal testes were found in September, March, June, and October/November.
Activity patterns. Black Jackrabbits are most active during crepuscular hours but are known to be active day and night. They actively feed and constantly move about during crepuscular hours, but they rest in shade of cacti and shrubs during mid-day hours.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Black Jackrabbit is usually solitary but may be observed in groups of up to three individuals.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Black Jackrabbit only occurs on Espiritu Santo Island that is only ¢.95 km?. It is hunted on the island. Population trends are unknown. Major threats include disturbance by humans and competition with domestic livestock.
Bibliography. Bryant (1891), Cervantes, Alvarez-Castafeda et al. (1996), Dixon et al. (1983), Flux (1983), Flux & Angermann (1990), Hall (1981), Hoffmann & Smith (2005), Nelson (1909, 1922), Ramirez-Silva et al. (2010), Romero & Rangel (2008), Thomas & Best (1994b), Townsend (1912).
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 136-137, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6625539