Sylvilagus floridanus (Allen, 1890)

Álvarez-Córdova, Fernando & Fernández, Jesús A., 2021, Medium-sized and large mammals of the pine-oak forests and grasslands of the Rancho Experimental Teseachi in Chihuahua, Mexico, Check List 17 (2), pp. 669-681 : 674-676

Sylvilagus floridanus (Allen, 1890)

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Figure 2B

Material examined. Mexico – Chihuahua • 23; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°46′32″N, 107°27′33″W; el- evation 2,191 m a.s.l.; May, June, November 2018; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 62 • Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°46′42″N, 107°27′45″W; elevation 2,170 m a.s.l.; May, June, August, October 2018, January, March 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 9; Municipality of Namiq- uipa; 28°47′01″N, 107°28′12″W; elevation 2,138 m a.s.l.; October 2018, January 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 79; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°47′18″N, 107°28′36″W; elevation 2,121 m a.s.l.; May, June, Au- gust, October 2018, January, March 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 2; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°47′30″N, 107°28′49″W; elevation. 2,124 m a.s.l.; March 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 19; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°27′39″N, 107°29′01″W; eleva- tion 2,110 m a.s.l.; May, June, November 2018, January, March 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 51; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°47′49″N, 107°29′02″W; elevation 2,107 m a.s.l.; May, June, October, November 2018, January 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 13; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°52′49″N, 107°27′08″W; elevation 1,876 m a.s.l.; May 2018, January, March 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova; UACH-CF-5609-5872 .

Identification. This is the largest species of Sylvilagus Gray, 1867 in Chihuahua and the only one occurring in the highlands of the Sierra Madre Occidental. It is a large, heavy-bodied rabbit, with a gray-brown coat, and a conspicuous white tail. The belly hair is white ( Chapman et al. 1980; Lee et al. 2010).

Distribution. From southern Canada, through central, eastern USA and the Mexican highlands (pine, pine-oak forests) to Central America and northern South America ( Venezuela and Colombia; Chapman et al. 1980). Recorded habitats in Chihuahua are sierras, valleys, and arid lands.

Remarks. Two species of Sylvilagus have been recorded in Chihuahua ( López-González and García-Mendoza 2012): The Eastern Cottontail Rabbit and the Desert Cottontail Rabbit ( Sylvilagus audubonii (Baird, 1858)) ; the former inhabits forested areas (pine and pine-oak forests), and the latter inhabits grassland and desert areas.