Antelope jackrabbit
| Antelope jackrabbit[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Lepus |
| Species: | L. alleni |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepus alleni Mearns, 1890 | |
 | |
| Antelope jackrabbit range | |
The antelope jackrabbit (Lepus alleni) is a species of North American hare.
Geographic range
The antelope jackrabbit is found in Arizona in the United States and the states of Chihuahua, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora in Mexico.[2]
Habitat
The antelope jackrabbit is found in a variety of habitat. It can be found in grassy hills or plains. It can also be found in the deserts of the southwest as well. Jackrabbits are not uncommon in urban areas either, where they have adapted very well to human encroachment upon their habitat.
Description
The antelope jackrabbit has a body length that ranges from 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 in) long. Its tail will grow to lengths of 3 to 10 cm (1.2 to 3.9 in) long. Its front legs grow from 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) and the back legs can grow from 20 to 30 cm (7.9 to 11.8 in) long. The legs are where the antelope jackrabbit gets its name, after the fast, leaping animals of the plains of Africa called antelopes. The antelope jackrabbit's ears grow to be 2 to 8 in (5.1 to 20.3 cm) when fully grown. The ears of the antelope jackrabbit are not only used to hear but are also used to reduce and regulate body heat for survival in the hot conditions they live in. Antelope jackrabbits are more active during the evenings when their hot environment cools down.
Subspecies
There are two subspecies of this jackrabbit:
- Lepus alleni alleni
- Lepus alleni tiburonensis
See also
- Jackalope - a fictional cross between an antelope and a jackrabbit
References
- ↑ Hoffman, R. S.; Smith, A. T. (2005). "Order Lagomorpha". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mexican Association for Conservation and Study of Lagomorphs (AMCELA), Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H. (2008). "Lepus alleni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lepus alleni (Antelope jackrabbit). |
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