HARES and RABBITS (Order LAGOMORPHA)

1 family, 7 species: 

  1. Scrub hare
  2. Cape hare
  3. Riverine rabbit
  4. Natal red rock rabbit
  5. Tameson's red rock rabbit
  6. Smith's red rock rabbit
  7. Hewitt's red rock rabbit

  • there are not rodents because they have a second pair of small peg-like incisors behind the constantly growing pair in the top jaw, unlike the rodents
  • long hind legs for running
  • very large and mobile ears
  • large eyes adapted to condition of low light
  • long and soft fur
  • nostrils can be opened and closed by a skin fold above
  • highly modified digestive system: they are able to cope with large quantities of vegetation. The ceacum situated between the large and the small intestines contains a bacterial flora that aids in digestion of cellulose. Many products of digestion pass from the ceacum into the blood stream but other vitamins (B12) are lost.
  • the Lagomorphs re-digest faeces and pass through their stomach twice (Coprophagy).


No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)