Oryctolagus cuniculus

• Overview
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Mammal. Native to southern Europe and North Africa, rabbits have been introduced to all continents except Antarctica and Asia. Often they were introduced by Acclimatisation Societies. In many countries they cause serious erosion of soils by overgrazing and burrowing.

Common Names

Description

Physical Description

Habitat

Rabbits thrive best where rainfalls are less than 1000 mm and where the vegetation is short, preferably grazed. Although usually an animal of open country, in New Zealand rabbits have survived in low numbers on a few forested islands where the forest is low and not very dense (Source: SPREP).

Biome: agricultural areas, desert, disturbed areas, natural forest , planted forests, range/grasslands, scrub/shrublands, urban areas

Ecology: Rabbits cause severe damage to the natural environment and agricultural areas. They compete with native wildlife for food and shelter , and contribute to a decline in the numbers of many native plants and animals. They can also enhance negative impacts on native species by supporting large populations of predators such as cats and foxes. They cause extensive erosion through browsing and loss of plant cover and often destroy the habitat of many small animals. Rabbits also compete with livestock for food.

Biology

Reproduction

Placental . Sexual. Rabbits have an endogenous reproductive cycle mainly modulated by day length and nutrition.18-30 young per female adult per year. Females as young as 3 months can breed .

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 29-Apr-2004

Similar Species

Members of the genus Oryctolagus

There are approximately 12 species in this genus:

O. caniculus · O. crassicaudatus curryi · O. cuniculus (European Rabbit) · O. cuniculus algirus · O. cuniculus borkumensis · O. cuniculus cuniculus · O. cuniculus domesticus · O. cuniculus huxleyi · O. cuniculus subsp · O. cunniculus · O. lacosti · O. laynensis

More Info

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Further Reading

• African Ixodoidea. l. Ticks of the Sudan... [Washington]1956. ENG url p. 701.
• Animal Ecology. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 1961. ENG url p. 462.
• Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. Wien, Naturhistorisches Museum [etc.] GER url p. 211, p. 246.
• Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, -1965. ENG url p. 102, p. 111, p. 115, p. 142, p. 143, p. 93, p. 96, p. 98.
• Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, A. L. Gardner, and W. C. Starnes 2003. Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada.
• Bensley's Practical anatomy of the rabbit: an elementary laboratory text-book in mammalian anatomy. Philadephia: Blakiston, 1948. ENG url p. 6.
• Biology code of the Chemical-Biological Coordination Center... Washington, National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, 1960. ENG url p. 117, p. 54.
• Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural. Madrid: Estab. tip. de Fortenet, 1901-1937. SPA url p. 107, p. 490, p. 496.
• Brigham Young University science bulletin. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, [1955-1976] ENG url p. 5.
• British mammals; an attempt to describe and illustrate the mammalian fauna of the British islands from the commencement of the Pleistocene period down to the present day, by Sir Harry Johnston. London, Hutchinson, 1903. ENG url p. 212, p. 386.
• Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). London: BM(NH) ENG url p. 307, p. 55, p. 99.
• Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. Cambridge, Mass.: The Museum, ENG url p. 176, p. 210, p. 217, p. 280, p. 571, p. 646, p. 702.
• Catalogue of the mammals of Western Europe (Europe exclusive of Russia) in the collection of the British museum, by Gerrit S. Miller. London, Printed by order of the Trustees, 1912. ENG url p. 1004, p. 1005, p. 485, p. 490, p. 491.
• Catalogue of the mammals of western Europe (Europe exclusive of Russia) in the collection of the British Museum / by Gerrit S. Miller. London: BMNH, 1912. ENG url p. 1004, p. 1005, p. 1008, p. 485, p. 490, p. 491.
• Causeries scientifiques. Paris. FRE url p. 400.
• Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian mammals 1758 to 1946 / by J.R. Ellerman and T.C.S. Morrison-Scott. London: BM(NH), 1966. ENG url p. 424, p. 443, p. 443, p. 444, p. 444.
• Classic papers in genetics. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 1959. ENG url p. 101, p. 97, p. 99.
• Comparative embryology of the vertebrates; with 2057 drawings and photos. grouped as 380 illus. New York, Blakiston[1953] ENG url p. 96, p. 966.
• Distribution and origin of life in America, by Robert Francis Scharff. New York: Macmillan, 1912. ENG url p. 488.
• Ectoparasites of Panama. Rupert L. Wenzel [and] Vernon J. Tipton, editors. Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History, 1966. ENG url p. 211, p. 813, p. 834.
• Entomological news. [Philadelphia]American Entomological Society, 1925- ENG url p. 135.
• Experiment station record. Washington: G.P.O., 1889-1946. ENG url p. 80.
• Faune des mammifs d'Europe. Berlin, R. Friedler, 1910. FRE url p. 215.
• General embryological information service. Utrecht, Hubrecht Laboratory. ENG url p. 10, p. 10, p. 100, p. 100, p. 101, p. 101, p. 102, p. 103, p. 103, p. 104, p. 104, p. 104, p. 105, p. 106, p. 106, p. 106, p. 106, p. 107, p. 107, p. 107, p. 108, p. 108, p. 108, p. 109, p. 109, p. 11, p. 11, p. 11, p. 11, p. 110, p. 110, p. 111, p. 111, p. 111, p. 111, p. 111, p. 112, p. 112, p. 114, p. 114, p. 114, p. 115, p. 116, p. 116, p. 117, p. 118, p. 118, p. 119, p. 119, p. 12, p. 12, p. 12, p. 12, p. 12, p. 120, p. 120, p. 120, p. 120, p. 121, p. 121, p. 122, p. 122, p. 123, p. 125, p. 125, p. 126, p. 126, p. 126, p. 127, p. 127, p. 128, p. 129, p. 13, p. 13, p. 13, p. 13, p. 13, p. 13, p. 13, p. 130, p. 131, p. 131, p. 132, p. 132, p. 133, p. 136, p. 139, p. 14, p. 14, p. 14, p. 14, p. 14, p. 14, p. 14, p. 14, p. 140, p. 141, p. 141, p. 141, p. 143, p. 143, p. 144, p. 145, p. 146, p. 147, p. 149, p. 15, p. 15, p. 15, p. 15, p. 15, p. 15, p. 150, p. 151, p. 152, p. 152, p. 153, p. 153, p. 154, p. 157, p. 157, p. 159, p. 159, p. 16, p. 16, p. 16, p. 16, p. 16, p. 16, p. 16, p. 160, p. 161, p. 162, p. 163, p. 163, p. 164, p. 165, p. 165, p. 165, p. 166, p. 166, p. 168, p. 17, p. 17, p. 17, p. 17, p. 171, p. 171, p. 171, p. 173, p. 175, p. 176, p. 177, p. 177, p. 178, p. 179, p. 179, p. 18, p. 18, p. 18, p. 18, p. 181, p. 182, p. 182, p. 183, p. 184, p. 184, p. 186, p. 186, p. 189, p. 189, p. 19, p. 19, p. 19, p. 19, p. 19, p. 19, p. 19, p. 191, p. 192, p. 194, p. 194, p. 197, p. 198, p. 20, p. 20, p. 20, p. 20, p. 20, p. 207, p. 21, p. 21, p. 21, p. 212, p. 215, p. 218, p. 22, p. 22, p. 220, p. 226, p. 227, p. 23, p. 23, p. 23, p. 23, p. 23, p. 23, p. 24, p. 24, p. 25, p. 25, p. 25, p. 25, p. 25, p. 25, p. 26, p. 26, p. 26, p. 26, p. 27, p. 27, p. 27, p. 28, p. 28, p. 29, p. 29, p. 29, p. 29, p. 29, p. 30, p. 30, p. 30, p. 30, p. 30, p. 30, p. 31, p. 31, p. 31, p. 31, p. 32, p. 32, p. 32, p. 33, p. 33, p. 33, p. 33, p. 33, p. 33, p. 33, p. 33, p. 34, p. 34, p. 34, p. 34, p. 35, p. 35, p. 35, p. 35, p. 35, p. 36, p. 36, p. 36, p. 36, p. 36, p. 36, p. 36, p. 37, p. 37, p. 37, p. 37, p. 37, p. 38, p. 38, p. 38, p. 38, p. 38, p. 38, p. 39, p. 39, p. 39, p. 39, p. 39, p. 40, p. 40, p. 40, p. 40, p. 40, p. 41, p. 41, p. 41, p. 41, p. 41, p. 42, p. 42, p. 42, p. 42, p. 42, p. 43, p. 43, p. 43, p. 43, p. 43, p. 44, p. 44, p. 44, p. 45, p. 45, p. 46, p. 46, p. 46, p. 46, p. 47, p. 47, p. 48, p. 48, p. 48, p. 48, p. 49, p. 49, p. 49, p. 49, p. 49, p. 50, p. 50, p. 50, p. 50, p. 50, p. 50, p. 51, p. 51, p. 51, p. 52, p. 52, p. 52, p. 52, p. 52, p. 52, p. 52, p. 53, p. 53, p. 53, p. 53, p. 53, p. 54, p. 54, p. 54, p. 54, p. 55, p. 55, p. 55, p. 55, p. 56, p. 56, p. 56, p. 56, p. 56, p. 56, p. 57, p. 57, p. 57, p. 57, p. 57, p. 58, p. 58, p. 58, p. 59, p. 59, p. 59, p. 59, p. 59, p. 59, p. 59, p. 6, p. 60, p. 60, p. 60, p. 60, p. 60, p. 60, p. 60, p. 61, p. 61, p. 61, p. 61, p. 61, p. 62, p. 62, p. 62, p. 62, p. 62, p. 62, p. 63, p. 63, p. 63, p. 63, p. 63, p. 63, p. 63, p. 64, p. 64, p. 64, p. 64, p. 64, p. 64, p. 64, p. 64, p. 65, p. 65, p. 65, p. 65, p. 65, p. 66, p. 66, p. 67, p. 67, p. 67, p. 67, p. 67, p. 67, p. 67, p. 68, p. 68, p. 68, p. 68, p. 68, p. 68, p. 68, p. 69, p. 69, p. 69, p. 69, p. 69, p. 69, p. 69, p. 7, p. 7, p. 7, p. 7, p. 7, p. 7, p. 70, p. 70, p. 70, p. 70, p. 70, p. 70, p. 71, p. 71, p. 71, p. 71, p. 72, p. 72, p. 72, p. 72, p. 72, p. 73, p. 73, p. 73, p. 73, p. 73, p. 73, p. 73, p. 74, p. 74, p. 75, p. 75, p. 75, p. 76, p. 76, p. 76, p. 77, p. 77, p. 77, p. 77, p. 77, p. 78, p. 78, p. 78, p. 79, p. 79, p. 79, p. 79, p. 79, p. 79, p. 79, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 8, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 80, p. 81, p. 81, p. 81, p. 81, p. 81, p. 82, p. 82, p. 82, p. 82, p. 82, p. 83, p. 83, p. 84, p. 84, p. 84, p. 84, p. 84, p. 85, p. 85, p. 85, p. 85, p. 86, p. 86, p. 86, p. 87, p. 87, p. 87, p. 87, p. 88, p. 88, p. 88, p. 89, p. 89, p. 89, p. 89, p. 89, p. 89, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 9, p. 90, p. 90, p. 90, p. 91, p. 91, p. 92, p. 92, p. 92, p. 93, p. 94, p. 94, p. 94, p. 94, p. 95, p. 95, p. 95, p. 96, p. 96, p. 96, p. 96, p. 97, p. 97, p. 97, p. 97, p. 98, p. 98, p. 98, p. 99, p. 99, p. 99.
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Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 18, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 22 providers.
• Lagomorph Specialist Group 1996. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 20, 2008.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 18, 2007:

• Mammal Research Institute PAS, Mammal Collection
• Marine Science Institute, UCSB, Paleobiology Database
• Michigan State University Museum, Vertebrate specimens
• Museum of Texas Tech University
• , Mammal specimens
• OZCAM
• Provider, Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums
• Royal Ontario Museum, Mammal specimens
• Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Mammal Collection
• UK National Biodiversity Network, Biological Records Centre - Mammal records from Britain from the Atlas of Mammals
• , with some subsequent records
• UK National Biodiversity Network, Scottish Borders Biological Records Centre - SWT Scottish Borders Local Wildlife Site Survey data 1996-2000 - species information

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2479927
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-625380
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13787975
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 180129
• IUCN ID: 41291
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: AMAEB02010
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 10183

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