Pronolagus rupestris (A. Smith, 1834)

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Leporidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 107-148 : 110-111

4.

Smith’s Red Rock Hare

Pronolagus rupestris

French: Lapin de Smith / German: Rotkaninchen / Spanish: Liebre roja de Smith

Taxonomy. Lepus rupestris A. Smith, 1834 ,

“South Africa, rocky situations.” Refined by R. S. Hoffman and A. T. Smith in 2005 to “probably Van Rhynsdorp District, Western Cape Province, South Africa.”

Formerly, P. rupestris was included in P. crassicaudatus . Pronolagus saundersiae was until recently included as a subspecies of P. rupestris but now has species status. Systematic position of the two widely disjunct populations needs to be clarified because probably no gene flow occurs between them. Distribution of P. rupestris does not overlap those of P. randensis , P. saundersiae , and P. crassicaudatus . As taxonomists are still trying to clarify the species differentiation in Pronolagus , the subspecific taxonomyis not elaborated yet. The original descriptions of the subspecies are often not very helpful as they are mostly based on few exterior characteristics and small numbers of individuals. It has been shown that the variability is clinal in more careful investigations. Hence, the distinction in subspecies might be arbitrary and unreasonable. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P. r. rupestrisA. Smith, 1834 — N & NWSouthAfrica (NorthWestandNorthernCapeprovinces); recently, aspecimenhasbeensampledinSNamibia (Keetmanshoop), sothedistributioncouldbecontiguousfromSouthAfricaacrosstheOrangeRiver.

P. r. curryiThomas, 1902 — NSouthAfrica (FreeStateP. r.).

P. r. nytkaeThomas, 1902 — EZambia, andNMalawi.

P. r. vallicola Kershaw, 1924 — SW Kenya and C Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 380-540 mm, tail 50-115 mm, ear 80-110 mm, hindfoot 85-100 mm; weight 1.4-2.1 kg. Smith’s Red Rock Hare is medium-sized and has thick, dense, woolly fur with reddish undertone. Dorsal pelage is grizzled brown anteriorly, rufous posteriorly, and bright rufous on rump. Flanks are paler, and ventral fur is rufous to whitish rufous. Head and ears are grayish brown, and cheeks are grayish white. Throat patch is brownish, and nuchal patch is rufous. Forelimbs are bright rufous, and hindlimbs are pale rufous. Tail is medium-sized and either black or black and dark red. Fur color varies geographically.

Habitat. Solid rocks (“kopjes”) and rockyhillsides with boulders with grassy or scrubby vegetation. Rock crevices and boulders are essential habitat features, and gaps between them naturally fragment populations. Smith’s Red Rock Hare is generally found at lower elevations in South Africa than Hewitt’s Red Rock Hare ( P. rupestris ).

Food and Feeding. Smith’s Red Rock Hare is herbivorous. It forages near rocks, and its diet consists mainly of grasses, preferably fresh sprouts. One study offecal pellets from the Ngong Hills, Kenya, showed that Ischaemum afrum ( Poaceae ) was the main grass in the diet. A small amount of other grass species and a very small amount of dicotyledons also were recorded in the diet. Smith’s Red Rock Hares avoid areas of dense vegetative cover and moribund vegetation when feeding.

Breeding. More than one male Smith’s Red Rock Hare might accompany a female during the breeding season. Females give birth to young in nests lined with their fur and grass in small cavities in the ground. Young are likely altricial, with sparse covering of hair and eyes closed. Reproductive season is from spring to summer (September-February) in South Africa. Gestation lasts 35-45 days, and litter sizes are 1-2 young.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but Smith’s Red Rock Hare is no doubt nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Smith’s Red Rock Hare has a wide variety of vocalizations. It emits a “tu...tu” sound when alarmed, butit grunts when it is disturbed. Young make “churring” sounds when trapped under rocks. Characteristic disc-like feces are deposited in latrines that might have a social function.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Smith’s Red Rock Hare is widespread. In South Africa, overall population is greater than 10,000 adults. A population decline of more than 10% is predicted to occur by 2022 in South Africa. No data are available on the status of the East African population. Unregulated hunting poses a conservation threat. Habitat loss from construction of human dwellings is a secondary threat. Twenty percent of the habitat of Smith’s Red Rock Hare has been lost since the 1900s, and future loss is predicted to continue at the same rate until 2022.

Bibliography. Angermann (2016), Boitani et al. (1999), Duthie (1997), Duthie & Robinson (1990), Happold (2013c¢), Hoffmann & Smith (2005), Lissovsky (2016), Matthee (2015), Matthee & Robinson (1996), Matthee, Collins & Keith (2004b), Smith & Boyer (2008a), Smithers (1983), Stewart (1971b), Thomas (1902c).

Figures

33. Indian Hare (Lepus nigricollis), 34. Burmese Hare (Lepus peguensis), 36. Scrub Hare (Lepus saxatilis), 37. African Savanna Hare (Lepus victoriae), 38. Yarkand Hare (Lepus yarkandensis), 39. Ethiopian Highland Hare (Lepus starcki), 40. Cape Hare (Lepus capensis), 41. Abyssinian Hare (Lepus habessinicus), 42. Tolai Hare (Lepus tolai), 43. Desert Hare (Lepus tibetanus), 44. Yunnan Hare (Lepus comus), 45. Woolly Hare (Lepus oiostolus), 46. Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus), 47. Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), 48. Black Jackrabbit (Lepus insularis)

Subspecies and Distribution. P. r. rupestrisA. Smith, 1834 — N & NWSouthAfrica (NorthWestandNorthernCapeprovinces); recently, aspecimenhasbeensampledinSNamibia (Keetmanshoop), sothedistributioncouldbecontiguousfromSouthAfricaacrosstheOrangeRiver. P. r. curryiThomas, 1902 — NSouthAfrica (FreeStateP. r.). P. r. nytkaeThomas, 1902 — EZambia, andNMalawi. P. r. vallicola Kershaw, 1924 — SW Kenya and C Tanzania.