Oryctolagus

Genus of mammals From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oryctolagus

Oryctolagus (/ˌɔːrɪkˈtɑːləɡəs/) is a genus of lagomorph that today contains the European rabbit and its descendant, the domestic rabbit, as well as several fossil species.

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Oryctolagus
Temporal range: 6.5–0 Ma Late MioceneRecent
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European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Oryctolagus
Lilljeborg, 1873
Type species
Lepus cuniculus
Species

1 living, several extinct (see text)

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The generic name derives from Ancient Greek: ὀρυκτός (oryktos, “dug up”) and λαγώς (lagōs, “hare”).[1]

Evolution

Oryctolagus first appeared at the end of the Miocene, around 6.5 MYA.[2] Fossil remains from the middle Pliocene led to the recognition of two species, Oryctolagus lacosti in southern France and northwestern Italy and Oryctolagus laynensis in the Iberian Peninsula. This latter form is thought to be the origin of the extant species.[3]

Species

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Lower jaw of O. lacosti.

References

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