Geographic Range
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
ranges from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It commonly occurs in Amazonian
Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia and is common in eastern Brazil. In southern South America
S. brasiliensis
is found in both eastern and western Paraguay and in Argentina across the northern
provinces and as far south as Tucuman province.
- Biogeographic Regions
- neotropical
Habitat
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
spends its time in moist forested areas. It also inhabits transitional forest and
grasslands in the Chaco.
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- savanna or grassland
- forest
Physical Description
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
is a medium-sized rabbit, ranging in weight from 700 to 1000 g. The pelage is typically
yellowish-brown, but some individuals are a darker brown or reddish color. The ventrum
is whitish. This species has a characteristic russet patch on the dorsum of the neck.
It also has pale spots above the eye and on the muzzle.
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- bilateral symmetry
Reproduction
No information was found on
S. brasiliensis
mating systems. However, other species in the genus are apparently polygynous.
Males may compete to establish dominance hierarchies, which in turn determine mating
priority. The rigidity of these hierarchies varies between species.
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
has a gestation period of 42 to 45 days. A small litter size of 2 is common. In Paraguay,
a female with three embryos was collected.
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
apparently reproduce only once per year. Females have a cycle in which the interbirth
interval is about 270 days. In Misiones province, Argentina, females reproduce in
September.
Rabbits of this genus are typically precocial. They are born with their eyes open,
and are able to leave the nest by the age of 12 to 18 days. In some species, sexual
maturity can be reached by the age of 80 days, although most species appear to wait
until the following year to mate. Adult size may be attained by 23 to 30 weeks.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- fertilization
- viviparous
No information was found on
S. brasiliensis
reproductive parental care. However, based upon the patterns in the genus, we can
assume that the young are precocial, and that they leave the nest, becoming independent
within three weeks of birth.
The female probably provides the bulk of parental care, nursing the young, grooming
them, and keeping them safe in the nest until they are ready to disperse. There are
no reports of male parental care in the genus.
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
- altricial
-
pre-fertilization
-
protecting
- female
-
protecting
-
pre-hatching/birth
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-weaning/fledging
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-independence
-
protecting
- female
-
protecting
Lifespan/Longevity
There are no reports of the longevity of this species. However, congeners are known
to live as long as 5 years in the wild, and have lived longer than 9 years in captivity.
Behavior
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
is crepuscular and nocturnal. It is usually found solitary or in pairs. It may show
a seasonal decline in abundance.
Cottontail rabbits are quadrupedal, and move both by hopping and walking. They can
swim when needed. They are known to keep very still, which is thought to be a possible
mechanism to avoid the notice of predators. When chased by predators, these rabbits
typically move in an erratic, zig-zag fashion, possibly helping them to escape larger
animals which cannot follow their course.
Other members of this genus are not known to dig burrows, but females do dig holes
or depressions for their nests. The nests are lined with grasses and fur. Females
don't live in the nest with the young, they just huddle over it to nurse the babies.
- Key Behaviors
- terricolous
- saltatorial
- natatorial
- nocturnal
- crepuscular
- motile
- sedentary
- solitary
Home Range
The home range size for this species has not been reported.
Communication and Perception
No information was found on
S. brasiliensis
communication. However, other members of the genus are known to communicate with
high pitched squeals and distress calls. As mammals, it is likely that they use scent
cues. Tactile communication probably occurs between mates, rivals, and a mother and
her offspring.
Food Habits
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
forages on green vegetation of grass and shrubs.
- Plant Foods
- leaves
Predation
Predation on
S. brasiliensis
has been reported in the western Amazon, in Acre, Brazil. A
tayra
, a neotropical mustelid, was seen running in pursuit of
S. brasiliensis
, but retreated when the observer was detected. Various canids and felids probably
also prey on this species.
Other members of the genus
Sylvilagus
are known to remain very still for prolonged periods, possibly as a means of avoiding
detection by predators using visual cues to catch prey. These rabbits are also known
for their erratic flight from predators, in which they move in complex zig-zag patterns,
possibly helping them to escape the predator.
Ecosystem Roles
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
is likely prey for numerous medium and large carnivores. It probably affects vegetational
communities through its foraging.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Rabbits are an important game species in many parts of South America, and are an important source of protein in many rural areas.
- Positive Impacts
- food
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
No information was found on an negative impact that this species might have on humans.
Conservation Status
Sylvilagus brasiliensis is not protected under CITES or IUCN.
Other Comments
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
is the only native rabbit in Argentina; other forms were introduced in the late 1800's.
This species is also commonly known as the forest rabbit and Tapiti.
The
Myxoma
virus is commonly found in
S. brasiliensis
. Blood-feeding arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes or fleas, mainly transmit this
virus.
Myzoma
virus commonly causes a swelling of the face and head, resulting in mucoid cutaneous
tumors.
Additional Links
Contributors
Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
Janet Buresh (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
- Neotropical
-
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- tropical savanna and grassland
-
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
- savanna
-
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
- temperate grassland
-
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
- forest
-
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- viviparous
-
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- altricial
-
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
- saltatorial
-
specialized for leaping or bounding locomotion; jumps or hops.
- natatorial
-
specialized for swimming
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- crepuscular
-
active at dawn and dusk
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- solitary
-
lives alone
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- food
-
A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- folivore
-
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
References
Calouro, A. 2000. Attempted Predation on Brazilian rabbit. Revista-de-Biologia-Tropical , 48 (1): 267-268.
Eisenberg, J., K. Redford. 1999. Mammals of the Neotropices, The Central Neotropics, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil . Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.
Kerr, P., S. Best. April, 1998. Myxoma virus in rabbits. Revue-Scientifique-et-Technique-Office-International-des-Epizooities , 17 (1): 256-268.
Macdonald , D. e. 2001. Pp. 721 in The Encyclopedia of Mammals . Andromeda Oxford Limited.
Mares, M., R. Ojeda, R. Barqueq. 1989. Guide to the Mammals of Salta Province Argentina .
Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Sixth Edition . Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.