Cape hare
Species of mammal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cape hare (Lepus capensis), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India.[1]
| Cape hare | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Lepus |
| Species: | L. capensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepus capensis | |
 | |
| Geographic range | |
Taxonomy
The Cape hare was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 with the binomial name Lepus capensis, published in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae.[2]
The Cape hare is part of a species complex. Lepus tolai and Lepus tibetanus were moved out based on geographic distribution and molecular characteristics. The current remaining grouping of Lepus capensis sensu lato remains paraphyletic.[3]
As of 2005, 12 subspecies were recognised:[4]
- Lepus capensis capensis
- Lepus capensis aquilo
- Lepus capensis carpi
- Lepus capensis granti
- Lepus capensis aegyptius
- Lepus capensis hawkeri
- Lepus capensis isabellinus
- Lepus capensis sinaiticus
- Lepus capensis arabicus
- Lepus capensis atlanticus
- Lepus capensis whitakeri
- Lepus capensis schlumbergi
Description
The Cape hare is a typical hare, with well-developed legs for leaping and running, and large eyes and ears to look for threats from its environment. Usually, a white ring surrounds the eye. It has a fine, soft coat which varies in colour from light brown to reddish to sandy grey. Unusually among mammals, the female is larger than the male, an example of sexual dimorphism.[citation needed]
Distribution and habitat
The Cape hare inhabits macchia-type vegetation, grassland, bushveld, the Sahara Desert and semi-desert areas. It is also common in parts of the Ethiopian Highlands, such as Degua Tembien.[5]
Behavior and ecology
The Cape hare is a nocturnal herbivore, feeding on grass and various shrubs. Coprophagy, the consumption of an organism's own fecal material to double the amount of time food spends in the digestive tract, is a common behaviour amongst rabbits and hares. This habit allows the animal to extract the maximum nourishment from its diet, and microbes present in the pellets also provide nutrients.[citation needed]
After a 42-day-long pregnancy, the female gives birth to from one to three young, termed leverets, per litter and may have as many as 4 litters per year. A characteristic of hares which differentiates them from rabbits is that the young are born precocial; that is, the young are born with eyes open and are able to move about shortly after birth.[citation needed]
One Cape hare kept in captivity lived to nearly 9 years, but their longevity in the wild is uncertain.[6]
In culture
| Cape hare in hieroglyphs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
wn "Cape/desert hare" in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs | |||
An example of an ancient Egyptian mummified Lepus capensis has been recorded in a tomb near Dendera.[7] The Egyptian god Unut was a cape hare.[citation needed]
