Andean tapeti

Andean tapeti
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Sylvilagus
Species:
S. andinus
Binomial name
Sylvilagus andinus
(Thomas, 1897)
Synonyms

Sylvilagus brasiliensis andinus Thomas, 1897

The Andean tapeti (Sylvilagus andinus) or Andean cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit native to Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis). It serves an important ecological role as a pervasive herbivore consuming a wide variety of plant species as well as an important food source for several predators.[2] Some characteristics of the species is a head and body length of 326-353 mm, a small tail 6-7% of its head and body length, long hindfeet of 64-81 mm, dusky appearance, a forehead suffused with brown, ashy gray cheeks and neck sides, and a whitish chin and belly.[2] Living at high elevations in the treeless Páramo of the Andes, analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right.[3] Although widespread, it remains poorly known, as few studies have been conducted on its biology and habits as distinct from those of the tapeti[1]

  1. ^ a b Ruedas, L.A.; Smith, A.T. (2019). "Sylvilagus andinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T142541491A165117323. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T142541491A165117323.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Diaz, Silvia; Pacheco, Victor (2022-08-09). "Confirmation of the occurrence of Andean cottontail, Sylvilagus andinus (Thomas, 1897) (Leporidae, Lagomorpha), in Peru". Check List. 18 (4): 867–873. doi:10.15560/18.4.867. ISSN 1809-127X.
  3. ^ Ruedas; French; Silva; Platt II; Salazar-Bravo; Mora; Thompson (2017). "A prolegomenon to the systematics of South American cottontail rabbits (Mammalia, Lagomorpha, Leporidae: Sylvilagus): designation of a neotype for S. brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758), and restoration of S. andinus (Thomas, 1897) and S. tapetillus Thomas, 1913". University of Michigan. 205. ISSN 0076-8405.