Lepus insularis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	LAGOMORPHA	LEPORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lepus insularis

Species Authority:

W. Bryant, 1891

Common Name/s:

English	–	Black Jackrabbit, Espiritu Santo Jackrabbit
Spanish	–	Liebre De Espiritu Santo, Liebre Negra, Liebre Prieta

Taxonomic Notes:

No subspecies are recognized (Hall 1981, Hoffmann and Smith 2005). Lepus insularis is a close relative to L. californicus found on mainland Baja; however, there are sufficient differences between the two for classification as a distinct species (Dixon et al. 1983).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H.

Reviewer/s:

Smith, A.T. & Johnston, C.H. (Lagomorph Red List Authority)

Justification:
This species is endemic of the Espiritu Santo Island, Gulf of California, Mexico. Lepus insularis qualifies for listing under criterion B1b(iii), with an extent of occurrence <100 km², but does not meet a second subcriteria required for listing under a threat category. It is therefore listed as Near Threatened.

History:

1996	–	Lower Risk/near threatened
1994	–	Rare (Groombridge 1994)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	L. insularis is known only from Espiritu Santo Island in the Gulf of California (Thomas and Best 1994). It occupies elevations ranging from sea level to 300 m (Nelson 1909). The Nature Conservancy states that the island has 23,383 acres or approximately 95 km², the total extent of occurrence for this species .
Countries:	Native: Mexico (Baja California Sur)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The species is common on the island. The population is considered stable (Chapman et al. 1983).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species prefers open areas and is common on rocky slopes, mesetas, dunes and sandy valleys (Cervantes et al. 1996). L. insularis inhabits tropical scrub of cactus (Pachycerus, Stenocereus, Opuntia) and shrubs (Prosopis, Ambrosia and Acacia) in dunes with grasses and halophytic plants (Cervantes et al. 1996). Most active during crepuscular hours, but is known to be active at all hours of the day (Cervantes et al. 1996). L. insularis forages on a wide variety of grasses, herbs, forbs, and will consume "the fleshy part of short cacti (Stenocereus) and young stems of shrubs (Prosopis)” (Cervantes et al. 1996). The total length is 57.4 cm (Hall and Kelson 1959).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species prefers open areas and is common on rocky slopes, mesetas, dunes and sandy valleys (Cervantes et al. 1996). L. insularis inhabits tropical scrub of cactus (Pachycerus, Stenocereus, Opuntia) and shrubs (Prosopis, Ambrosia and Acacia) in dunes with grasses and halophytic plants (Cervantes et al. 1996). Most active during crepuscular hours, but is known to be active at all hours of the day (Cervantes et al. 1996). L. insularis forages on a wide variety of grasses, herbs, forbs, and will consume "the fleshy part of short cacti (Stenocereus) and young stems of shrubs (Prosopis)” (Cervantes et al. 1996).

The total length is 57.4 cm (Hall and Kelson 1959).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The major threats associated with L. insularis are disturbance by humans, loss and disturbance of habitat by exotic fauna, and competition with domestic fauna.

Major Threat(s):

The major threats associated with L. insularis are disturbance by humans, loss and disturbance of habitat by exotic fauna, and competition with domestic fauna.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	L. insularis is listed in the Mexican official norm NOM-059-ECOL-2001. Other has been checked off on the conservation measures list regarding research actions and has been identified as "genetic."

Conservation Actions:

L. insularis is listed in the Mexican official norm NOM-059-ECOL-2001. Other has been checked off on the conservation measures list regarding research actions and has been identified as "genetic."

Bibliography [top]

	Cervantes, F., Alvarez-Castaneda, S. T., Villa-Ramirez, B., Lorenzo, C. and Vargas, J. 1996. Natural history of the black jackrabbit (Lepus insularis) from Espiritu Santo Island, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 41(2): 186-189. Chapman, J. A., Dixon, K. R., Lopez-Forment, W. and Wilson, D. E. 1983. The New World jackrabbits and hares (genus Lepus). 1. Taxonomic history and population status. Acta Zoologica Fennica 174: 49-51. Dixon, K. R., Chapman, J. A., Willner, G. R., Wilson, D. E. and Lopez-Forment, W. 1983. The New World jackrabbits and hares (genus Lepus). 2. Numerical taxonomic analysis. Acta Zoologica Fennica 174: 53-56. Hall, E. R. 1981. The Mammals of North America. John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA. Hall, E. R. and Kelson, K. R. 1959. The Mammals of North America. Ronald Press, New York, USA. Hoffmann, R. S. and Smith, A. T. 2005. Order Lagomorpha. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 185-211. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Nelson, E. W. 1909. The rabbits of North America. North American Fauna 29: 1-314. The Nature Conservancy. 2008. Isla Espiritu Santo, Mexico. Available at: www.nature.org/success/mexicoisland.html. (Accessed: April 11). Thomas, H. H. and Best, T. L. 1994. Lepus insularis. Mammalian Species 465: 1-3.

Cervantes, F., Alvarez-Castaneda, S. T., Villa-Ramirez, B., Lorenzo, C. and Vargas, J. 1996. Natural history of the black jackrabbit (Lepus insularis) from Espiritu Santo Island, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 41(2): 186-189.

Chapman, J. A., Dixon, K. R., Lopez-Forment, W. and Wilson, D. E. 1983. The New World jackrabbits and hares (genus Lepus). 1. Taxonomic history and population status. Acta Zoologica Fennica 174: 49-51.

Dixon, K. R., Chapman, J. A., Willner, G. R., Wilson, D. E. and Lopez-Forment, W. 1983. The New World jackrabbits and hares (genus Lepus). 2. Numerical taxonomic analysis. Acta Zoologica Fennica 174: 53-56.

Hall, E. R. 1981. The Mammals of North America. John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA.

Hall, E. R. and Kelson, K. R. 1959. The Mammals of North America. Ronald Press, New York, USA.

Hoffmann, R. S. and Smith, A. T. 2005. Order Lagomorpha. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 185-211. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Nelson, E. W. 1909. The rabbits of North America. North American Fauna 29: 1-314.

The Nature Conservancy. 2008. Isla Espiritu Santo, Mexico. Available at: www.nature.org/success/mexicoisland.html. (Accessed: April 11).

Thomas, H. H. and Best, T. L. 1994. Lepus insularis. Mammalian Species 465: 1-3.

Citation:	Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H. 2008. Lepus insularis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 10 February 2012.
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