Indian hare explained

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis), also known as the black-naped hare, is a common species of hare native to the Indian subcontinent,^[1] and Java. Its habitat in Java is in rocky highlands.

Description

The Indian hare has a head and body length of, long ears, large, well-furred hind feet, and a rather long tail of about and weighs up to .

Distribution and habitat

The Indian hare inhabits open grassy areas, cultivated plains, semi-arid and arid plains, and hills throughout the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka.

Behaviour and ecology

Its activity pattern has been defined as crepuscular and nocturnal.

Introductions

It has been introduced to Madagascar, Comoro Islands, Andaman Islands, Western New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Mayotte, Mauritius and Réunion.^[2]

Taxonomy

There are seven recognized subspecies of Indian hare.

• Lepus nigricollis aryabertensis
• Lepus nigricollis dayanus
• Lepus nigricollis nigricollis
• Lepus nigricollis ruficaudatus
• Lepus nigricollis sadiya
• Lepus nigricollis simcoxi
• Lepus nigricollis singhala

Notes and References

1. Suchentrunk, F . Mihajla Davidovic . amp . 2004 . Evaluation of the classification of Indian hares (Lepus nigricollis) into the genus Indolagus Gureev, 1953 (Leporidae, Lagomorpha) . Mammalian Biology . 69 . 1 . 46–57 . 10.1078/1616-5047-115 . 2006-06-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202804/http://www.vu-wien.ac.at/i128/pub/mamm_biol/suchentrunk%20davidovic%2069-2004.pdf . 2016-03-03 . dead .
2. Book: Long, J.L. . 2003 . Introduced Mammals of the World: Their History, Distribution and Influence . Cambridge . Cabi Publishing . 9780851997483 . 10.1071/9780643090156.