Sylvilagus cunicularius

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:

Sylvilagus cunicularius

Species Authority:

(Waterhouse, 1848)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Mexican Cottontail
Spanish	–	Conejo De Montes, Conejo Montés, Conejo Serrano

Taxonomic Notes:

There are three recognized subspecies: Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius, S. c. insolitus, and S. c. pacificus (Cervantes et al. 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Mexican Association for Conservation and Study of Lagomorphs (AMCELA), Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H.

Reviewer/s:

Smith, A.T. & Boyer, A.F. (Lagomorph Red List Authority)

Justification:
Sylvilagus cunicularius is abundant throughout its range and does not appear to be experiencing a severe decline (Chapman and Ceballos 1990, Cervantes et al. 2005).

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/near threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Sylvilagus cunicularius is endemic to Mexico and the distribution extends from mid-Sinaloa, continuing south along the Pacific coast to Oaxaca, including the Axis Neovolcanic and western region of Veracruz (Cervantes et al. 2005). Its altitudinal distribution ranges from sea level to approximately 4,300 m (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Presently there are three subspecies: S. c. cunicularius which occurs in the central portion if the distribution (Axis Neovolcanic into the states of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Oaxaca), S. c. insolitus occurring in the northern extent of the species’ distribution from mid-Sinaloa along the Pacific coastal plain to the south-central region of Jalisco, and S. c. pacificus which occurs from the southern region of Jalisco south along to the Pacific coastal plain to Oaxaca (Hall 1981).
Countries:	Native: Mexico (Colima, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México Distrito Federal, México State, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit - Presence Uncertain, Oaxaca, Puebla, Sinaloa, Tlaxcala, Veracruz)
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Sylvilagus cunicularius is known to be abundant throughout its range (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). It has been reported that the average density was 27±5.4 individuals/km² in La Malinche National Park, Tlaxcala, which varies according to the rainy and dry seasons (Gonzalez et al. 2007). There have been some declines associated with areas where overgrazing, hunting, and habitat degradation occur (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

Sylvilagus cunicularius is known to be abundant throughout its range (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). It has been reported that the average density was 27±5.4 individuals/km² in La Malinche National Park, Tlaxcala, which varies according to the rainy and dry seasons (Gonzalez et al. 2007). There have been some declines associated with areas where overgrazing, hunting, and habitat degradation occur (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Sylvilagus cunicularius occurs in tropical, semi-arid, and temperate forest, open forest, dense shrub and grassland. In central Mexico it is abundant in pine and pine-oak forest and in western Mexico it occurs in pastures, dry deciduous forest, and areas of disturbed vegetation (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). From southern Sinaloa to western Michoacán, S. cunicularius occurs along the coastal plain at sea level to the mountain slopes (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Preliminary results of a radiotelemetry survey indicate that the size of home ranges in La Malinche National Park, Tlaxcala, is 0.2-0.7 sq. km for both sexes (Vazquez et al. 2006). S. cunicularius is able to reproduce throughout the year (Chapman and Ceballos 1990), with peak reproduction occurring in March through October (Vazquez et al. 2006). There are six young produced per litter and gestation time is 30 days (Cervantes et al. 2005). Total length for this species ranges from 48.5-51.5 cm (Cervantes et al. 2005). S. cunicularius is sympatric with other Lagomorphs in portions of its range, including Romerolagus diazi, Sylvilagus audubonii, S. floridanus, Lepus callotis, and L. californicus (Cervantes et al. 2005).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Sylvilagus cunicularius occurs in tropical, semi-arid, and temperate forest, open forest, dense shrub and grassland. In central Mexico it is abundant in pine and pine-oak forest and in western Mexico it occurs in pastures, dry deciduous forest, and areas of disturbed vegetation (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). From southern Sinaloa to western Michoacán, S. cunicularius occurs along the coastal plain at sea level to the mountain slopes (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).

Preliminary results of a radiotelemetry survey indicate that the size of home ranges in La Malinche National Park, Tlaxcala, is 0.2-0.7 sq. km for both sexes (Vazquez et al. 2006).

S. cunicularius is able to reproduce throughout the year (Chapman and Ceballos 1990), with peak reproduction occurring in March through October (Vazquez et al. 2006). There are six young produced per litter and gestation time is 30 days (Cervantes et al. 2005). Total length for this species ranges from 48.5-51.5 cm (Cervantes et al. 2005).

S. cunicularius is sympatric with other Lagomorphs in portions of its range, including Romerolagus diazi, Sylvilagus audubonii, S. floridanus, Lepus callotis, and L. californicus (Cervantes et al. 2005).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Sylvilagus cunicularius is threatened in some areas by overgrazing, hunting, and habitat destruction, which has caused the decline of some populations (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). It is also vulnerable to human-induced fires and volcanic activity. Habitat reduction has been estimated to be between 13-23% over the last three generations (Cuarón and de Grammont pers. comm.). A climate change model generated for 2050, indicated that there will be 22% range reduction (primarily along the Pacific coast, impacting S. c. pacificus) from the current potential range of this species (Martinez-Villeda 2006).

Major Threat(s):

Sylvilagus cunicularius is threatened in some areas by overgrazing, hunting, and habitat destruction, which has caused the decline of some populations (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). It is also vulnerable to human-induced fires and volcanic activity. Habitat reduction has been estimated to be between 13-23% over the last three generations (Cuarón and de Grammont pers. comm.). A climate change model generated for 2050, indicated that there will be 22% range reduction (primarily along the Pacific coast, impacting S. c. pacificus) from the current potential range of this species (Martinez-Villeda 2006).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Although abundant throughout its range, this species experiences some pressure from habitat destruction, overgrazing, and hunting (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Due to potential loss of habitat resulting from global climate change, research should be conducted regarding population density and habitat transformation (along the Pacific coast) for S. c. pacificus, to determine the impact on survivability (Martinez-Villeda 2006).

Conservation Actions:

Although abundant throughout its range, this species experiences some pressure from habitat destruction, overgrazing, and hunting (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Due to potential loss of habitat resulting from global climate change, research should be conducted regarding population density and habitat transformation (along the Pacific coast) for S. c. pacificus, to determine the impact on survivability (Martinez-Villeda 2006).

Bibliography [top]

	Cervantes, F., Delgado, P. and Colmenares, A. L. 2005. Sylvilagus cunicularius (Waterhouse, 1848) Conejo. In: G. Ceballos and G. Oliva (eds), Los mamiferos silvestres de Mexico, pp. 842-843. Comision Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, Fondo de Cultura Economica, Mexico D. F. Chapman, J. A. and Ceballos, G. 1990. Chapter 5: The Cottontails. In: J. A. Chapman and J. C. Flux (eds), Rabbits, hares and pikas: status survey and conservation action plan, pp. 95-110. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Gonzalez, J., Lara, C., Vazquez, J. and Martinez-Gomez, M. 2007. Demography, density, and survival of an endemic and near threatened cottontail Sylvilagus cunicularius in central Mexico. Acta Theriologica 52(3): 299-305. Hall, E. R. 1981. The Mammals of North America. John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA. Martinez-Villeda, E. 2006. Efecto del cambio climatico en la distribucion espacio-temporal de dos lagomorfos en Mexico. Instituto de Biologia UNAM. Vazquez, J., Palacios, M. G., Martinez, M. and Farias, V. 2006. Ámbito hogareño y uso de habitat del conejo Sylvilagus cunicularius en Talxacala. VIII Congreso Nacional de Mastozoologia. Zacatecas, Zacatecas.

Cervantes, F., Delgado, P. and Colmenares, A. L. 2005. Sylvilagus cunicularius (Waterhouse, 1848) Conejo. In: G. Ceballos and G. Oliva (eds), Los mamiferos silvestres de Mexico, pp. 842-843. Comision Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, Fondo de Cultura Economica, Mexico D. F.

Chapman, J. A. and Ceballos, G. 1990. Chapter 5: The Cottontails. In: J. A. Chapman and J. C. Flux (eds), Rabbits, hares and pikas: status survey and conservation action plan, pp. 95-110. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Gonzalez, J., Lara, C., Vazquez, J. and Martinez-Gomez, M. 2007. Demography, density, and survival of an endemic and near threatened cottontail Sylvilagus cunicularius in central Mexico. Acta Theriologica 52(3): 299-305.

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

Martinez-Villeda, E. 2006. Efecto del cambio climatico en la distribucion espacio-temporal de dos lagomorfos en Mexico. Instituto de Biologia UNAM.

Vazquez, J., Palacios, M. G., Martinez, M. and Farias, V. 2006. Ámbito hogareño y uso de habitat del conejo Sylvilagus cunicularius en Talxacala. VIII Congreso Nacional de Mastozoologia. Zacatecas, Zacatecas.

Citation:	Mexican Association for Conservation and Study of Lagomorphs (AMCELA), Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H. 2008. Sylvilagus cunicularius. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 10 February 2012.
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