The Appalachian cottontail (''Sylvilagus obscurus'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

cottontail rabbit Cottontail rabbits are the leporid species in the genus ''Sylvilagus'', found in the Americas. Most ''Sylvilagus'' species have stub tails with white undersides that show when they retreat, giving them their characteristic name. However, this ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Leporidae Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 60 species of extant mammals in all. The Latin word ''Leporidae'' means "those that resemble ''lepus''" (hare). Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the mammalian order ...

. It is a rare species found in the upland areas of the eastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Taxonomy

The species was only recognized as separate from the

New England cottontail The New England cottontail (''Sylvilagus transitionalis''), also called the gray rabbit, brush rabbit, wood hare, wood rabbit, or cooney, is a species of cottontail rabbit represented by fragmented populations in areas of New England, specificall ...

(''Sylvilagus transitionalis'') in 1992.

Description

''Sylvilagus obscurus'' is a small rabbit inhabiting mostly mountainous regions in the eastern U.S. ranging from Pennsylvania to South Carolina and being most prominent in the Appalachians. ''S. obscurus'' is better adapted to colder climates than its distant relative, ''S. floridanus'', the

eastern cottontail The eastern cottontail (''Sylvilagus floridanus'') is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is the most common rabbit species in North America. Distribution The eastern cottontail can be found in meadows and shrubby ...

. ''S. obscurus'' is light-yellow brown, mixed with black on the dorsal side, having a brown and red patch mixed on the neck. The ventral side is mostly white. ''S. obscurus'' is often visually quite similar to the eastern cottontail; a distinguishing factor is a black spot between the ears and a lack of a white spot on the forehead. The Appalachian cottontail and ''S. transitionalis'', the

, are not easily distinguished in the field, and are most easily identified geographically. Cottontails found south or west of the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...

are considered Appalachian cottontails; those found north and east are considered New England cottontails. The species can otherwise be identified by chromosome number and skull measurements. Female Appalachian cottontails are typically larger than males, with reproductive needs being the most likely cause. The weight of the Appalachian Cottontail can range from as little as , up to as much as . The average length is . The lifespan of ''S. obscurus'' is rather short, less than a year in some cases.

Behavior

''Sylvilagus obscurus'' is typically active around dusk or at dawn. During the day they typically avoid predators by sheltering under logs or in burrows.

Hibernation Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...

does not play a factor due to the rabbit being active year-round.Joly, Kyle, and Wayne Myers. "Biological Conservation.
Patterns of mammalian species richness and habitat associations in Pennsylvania
99.2 253-260. Print. It is believed that there is a social hierarchy within the species, especially when it comes to mating, in which the males assert their dominance by fighting to gain mating priority.Cook, J. 2011.
Sylvilagus obscurus
(On-line), Animal Diversity Web. 30 October 2012.

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproductive habits of the Appalachian cottontail, but much can be based on knowledge of the genus ''Sylvilagus'' and the reproductive habits of most rabbits. Typically, they are inactive during midwinter, but as the nights shorten and the days lengthen, sexual activity develops strongly amongst ''Sylvilagus''; the reason for this being that day length directly correlates with stimulation of FSH in the female’s blood which then in turn stimulates the follicles to develop ova.Litvalis, John, and Walter Jakubas.
New England Cottontail Assessment.
New England Cottontail Assessment. (2004): 1-73. Print. This puts the female in "

heat In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...

" until reproduction occurs, however there is no particular seasonal cycle as the female can remain in this state, deemed pre-estrus, for a while. The breeding season for the Appalachian cottontail has been found to be between February and October. Once fertilization occurs, the gestation period is about 28 days. Before giving birth, the female will begin to dig a nesting depression.Cotton Tail Rabbit: Sylvilagus floridanus.
National Geographic . 2012: n. page. Web. 30 October 2012. She then pulls out her fur from her underbelly and gathers berries and leaves in order to provide a lining for the nest. This hair-pulling also allows for the nipples to be exposed for the offspring to nurse. The offspring, when birthed, will live in the nest with vegetation until they are independent for about 3–4 weeks. Typically, a mother of the genus ''Sylvilagus'' will care for her young and visit the nest twice a day to nurse her offspring. An adult female can also breed up to 3-4 times per season and have roughly 3-4 offspring per litter.Hamilton, William, and John Whitaker
Mammals of Eastern United States
New York: 1998. 166-200. Print.

Habitat and diet

Appalachian cottontails are found in mountainous areas, typically from of elevation. The

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

provide for ''S. obscurus'' a habitat with cover and vegetation such as

blackberry The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus''. The taxonomy of ...

, greenbriar, and mountain laurel.Moseley, Kurtis, W. Mark Ford, John Edwards, and Michael Strager
"USDA." A Multi-Criteria Decisionmaking Approach for Management Indicator Species Selection on the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia
(2010): 1-26. Print. Often this is what the Appalachian cottontail feeds on as well as bark and twigs of trees such as

red maple ''Acer rubrum'', the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant nativ ...

aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the ''Populus'' genus. Species These species are called aspens: *'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China ...

, and

black cherry ''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the g ...

. Usually its diet will consist of twigs, leaves, and fruits.

Coprophagy Coprophagia () or coprophagy () is the consumption of feces. The word is derived from the grc, κόπρος , "feces" and , "to eat". Coprophagy refers to many kinds of feces-eating, including eating feces of other species (heterospecifics), of ...

, the eating of its own feces, often occurs as it is useful for it to take up certain vitamins and nutrients that weren’t digested well in the first pass of digestion. This type of diet is found in most of the genus ''Sylvilagus''.

Communication

The Appalachian cottontail has adapted to its role of prey, and because of this it typically has heightened senses of smell, hearing, and sight. This allows for the rabbit to notice predators and react quickly to threats.Ford, Mark, Brian Chaman, and Margaret Trani.
Introduction of Mammals to the South.
Introduction to Mammals of the South. n.d. n. page. Print. Mothers have been observed performing a grunting sound in order to alert offspring to the presence of predators. Its senses are also used to find potential mates, and it has been discovered squealing at times when mating occurs.

Threats

There are several threats that have endangered the survival of ''S. obscurus''. These threats involve the destruction and maturation of habitat, as well as

habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological processes ...

which is due to urban development. Once fragmentation has occurred the lack of cover exposes the cottontail to predators, increasing the strain on the species. Hunting is a common reason for deaths of many Appalachian cottontails but is mostly due to lack of knowledge by the hunter. The lack of knowledge of this species, because it is so secretive and rarely found in the wild, also contributes to its being threatened.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q139716 Sylvilagus Endemic fauna of the United States Mammals of the United States Ecology of the Appalachian Mountains Natural history of the Great Smoky Mountains Mammals described in 1992 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot