Lagomorpha

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Lagomorphs[1] Fossil range: Earliest Eocene - Recent
Pika, Ochotona princeps, in Sequoia National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Brandt, 1855
Families
Leporidae Ochotonidae Prolagidae (extinct)

The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas).

Though members of order Lagomorpha can resemble rodents (order Rodentia), and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early twentieth century, they have since been considered a separate order. For a time it was common to consider the lagomorphs only distant relatives of the rodents, to whom they merely bore a superficial resemblance; however, genetic studies have since shown that, while still distinct from rodents, they are indeed very closely related after all.

[edit] Characteristics

Lagomorphs (loģ o-moŕ fs)(Gr. lagos, hare: + morphē, form) differ from rodents in that:

• they have four (not two as in rodents) incisors in the upper jaw;
• they will only eat vegetation (unlike rodents, who will eat meat and vegetation)
• the male's scrotum is in front of the penis;
• the penis has no bone (baculum) unlike the rodent penis; and
• they will redigest first-time droppings (called cecotropes) to obtain the most from their plant diet.

They resemble rodents, however, in that their teeth grow throughout their life, thus necessitating constant chewing to keep them from growing too long.

[edit] Classification

• ORDER LAGOMORPHA^[1]
  • Family Ochotonidae: pikas
    • Genus Ochotona
  • Family Prolagidae (extinct)
    • Genus Prolagus Sardinian Pika (extinct)
  • Family Leporidae: rabbits and hares
    • Genus Brachylagus
    • Genus Bunolagus
    • Genus Caprolagus
    • Genus Lepus
    • Genus Nesolagus
    • Genus Oryctolagus
    • Genus Pentalagus
    • Genus Poelagus
    • Genus Pronolagus
    • Genus Romerolagus
    • Genus Sylvilagus

[edit] See also

• Minorcan Giant Lagomorph

[edit] References

1. ^ ^a b Hoffmann, Robert S., Andrew T. Smith (November 16, 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds) Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 185-211. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.