Cottontail rabbit

**Cottontail rabbits** live in America. They are any of several North, Central and South American rabbit species of the genus _Sylvilagus_.

## Description

Most cottontail rabbits of the genus have a short tail with a white underside that shows when they are running away. This gives them their name, "cottontails." However, this feature is not present in all cottontails. Some can be different.

The cottontail rabbit lives most across North America, Central America, and South America. Most species live in nests called _forms_.

Cottontail rabbits do not get the disease myxomatosis as easily as European rabbits.

## Species

- **Genus _Sylvilagus_ **
    - Subgenus _Tapeti_
        - Swamp Rabbit, _Sylvilagus aquaticus_
        - Tapeti, _Sylvilagus brasiliensis_
        - Dice's Cottontail, _Sylvilagus dicei_
        - Omilteme Cottontail, _Sylvilagus insonus_
        - Marsh Rabbit, _Sylvilagus palustris_
            - Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit, _Sylvilagus palustris hefneri_ (named after Hugh Hefner)
            - Upper Keys Marsh Rabbit, _Sylvilagus palustris paludicola_
            - Marsh Rabbit, _Sylvilagus palustris palustris_
        - Venezuelan Lowland Rabbit, _Sylvilagus varynaensis_
    - Subgenus _Sylvilagus_
        - Desert Cottontail, _Sylvilagus audubonii_
        - Manzano Mountain Cottontail, _Sylvilagus cognatus_
        - Mexican Cottontail, _Sylvilagus cunicularius_
            - _Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius_
            - _Sylvilagus cunicularius insolitus_
            - _Sylvilagus cunicularius pacificus_
        - Eastern Cottontail, _Sylvilagus floridanus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus alacer_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus ammophilus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus avius_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus aztecus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus chapmani_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus chiapensis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus cognatus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus connectens_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus continentis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus costaricensis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus cumanicus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus floridanus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus hesperius_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus hitchensi_
            - _Sylvilagus flordanus holzneri_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus hondurensis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus llanensis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus mallurus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus margaritae_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsi_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus nelsoni_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus nigronuchalis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus orinoci_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus orizabae_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus paulsoni_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus purgatus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus restrictus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus russatus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus similis_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus subcinctus_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus superciliaris_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus valenciae_
            - _Sylvilagus floridanus yucatanicus_
        - Tres Marias Rabbit, _Sylvilagus graysoni_
            - _Sylvilagus graysoni graysoni_
            - _Sylvilagus graysoni badistes_
        - Mountain Cottontail, _Sylvilagus nuttallii_
            - _Sylvilagus nuttallii nuttallii_
            - _Sylvilagus nuttallii pinetis_
            - _Sylvilagus nuttallii grangeri_
        - Appalachian Cottontail or rarely Allegheny Cottontail, _Sylvilagus obscurus_
        - Robust Cottontail, _Sylvilagus robustus_
        - New England Cottontail, _Sylvilagus transitionalis_
    - Subgenus _Microlagus_
        - Brush Rabbit, _Sylvilagus bachmani_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani bachmani_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani cinerascens_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani peninsularis_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani cerrosensis_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani ubericolor_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani exiguus_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani mariposae_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani virgulti_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani howelli_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani macrorhinus_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani riparius_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani tehamae_
            - _Sylvilagus bachmani rosaphagus_
        - San Jose Brush Rabbit, _Sylvilagus mansuetus_