South African springhare
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The South African springhare (Pedetes capensis) (Template:Langx) is a medium-sized terrestrial and burrowing rodent. Despite the name, it is not a hare. It is one of two extant species in the genus Pedetes,<ref name="MSW3">Template:MSW3 Pedetidae</ref> and is native to southern Africa. Formerly, the genus was considered monotypic and the East African springhare (P. surdaster) was included in P. capensis.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Springhares live throughout semi-arid areas in southern Africa, preferentially in sandy plains and pans with short grasses.<ref name="Kingdon-2015">Template:Cite book</ref> In agricultural areas, springhares can be considered a pest due to their destructive feeding on crops.<ref name="Butynski-1973">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Peinke-2005">Template:Cite journal</ref> However, they are not currently considered under an impending risk of extinction.<ref name="Relton-2019" />
Etymology and taxonomyEdit
The springhare was named in English by William John Burchell in 1822, who derived "springhare" from the Afrikaans name {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}.<ref>Template:Cite OED</ref> The generic name Pedetes comes from the Greek {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Pidités), meaning "leaper or dancer".<ref name=":0">Template:HMW2016 Volume 6</ref> The specific name capensis, a Latin word meaning "of the Cape", refers to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Province,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> the species' type locality.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Originally named as Yerbua capensis by Johann Reinhold Forster in 1778, using a genus that was applied to kangaroos in the previous year by Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> the species (at the time considered monotypic, since the East African springhare was not identified until 1902) was renamed to Dipus cafer by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, placing it in the jerboa family. The genus Pedetes was created by Caroli Illigeri in 1811, when the species was renamed Pedetes cafer; contemporary naturalists would recognize the precedence of the specific name capensis and corrected the species to P. capensis in the early 19th century.<ref name=":0" />
CharacteristicsEdit
The springhare resembles a small kangaroo with well-developed hind legs, short front legs, and a long tail which comprises half of its body length. As well as a long tail, springhares have relatively large eyes and ears.<ref name="Butynski-1973" /> Adults can attain Template:Cvt in length (including the tail) and weigh an average of Template:Cvt.<ref name=":0" /> Similar to kangaroos, they are also saltatorial animals who use their tails for balance. Springhares are reported to be able to make hops of Template:Cvt and leaps of Template:Cvt.<ref name="Butynski-1973" />
Springhares have long, soft fur, which shortens around the legs, heads, and ears.<ref name="Butynski-1973" /> The colour of this mammal varies from a reddish-brown on its upperparts to an off-white belly and a black tip on the tail.<ref name="Stuart-2007">Template:Cite book</ref> Sometimes the ear tips are also black.<ref name="Kingdon-2015" /> Young springhares have finer and fluffier fur and usually have black patches of fur under their hind feet and in a patch of black under their tail base.<ref name="Butynski-1973" />
Springhares have a different number of toes on their forelegs and hindlegs. Their short forelegs have five digits, each ending in a long, sharp, curved claw, which can be 16 millimetres long. their long hindlegs have four digits, three of which are visibly developed and equipped with a strong triangular nail.<ref name="Kingdon-2015" /><ref name="Butynski-1973" /><ref name="Stuart-2007" />
The oldest recorded individual was 88 months (7 years and 4 months) old.<ref name="Michael-2000" />
BiofluorescenceEdit
Springhare fur is biofluorescent.<ref name="Olson-2021">Template:Cite journal</ref> Their biofluorescence is patchy, with areas important to grooming and intra-specific interactions being the most biofluorescent. Little is known about its biofluorescence, but both species of springhare are the first thoroughly documented cases of biofluorescence in an Old World eutherian mammal.<ref name="Olson-2021" />
RegenerationEdit
In a study of ear regeneration in mammals, springhares were found to have the capacity for minimal ear tissue regeneration. This regeneration is far behind to that of rabbits.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Ecology and behaviourEdit
Springhares are nocturnal animals, who forage during the night and retreat to a burrow during the day. While sleeping in their burrows, springhares sleep standing, with their head and forelimbs bent down in between their hindlegs, and their tail wrapped around their feet.<ref name="Butynski-1973" />
These animals are predated upon by a variety of predators, including humans; at least 21 species prey on springhares in the Kalahari.<ref name="Butynski-1979a">Template:Cite journal</ref>
BurrowingEdit
Springhares are burrowing animals. They dig their own burrows on well-drained sandy soils, preferentially during the wet season.<ref name="Butynski-1979b">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Peinke-2005" />
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The front claws loosen soil from the burrow wall while the teeth cut through roots. The front feet toss the soil beneath the body and the hind feet kick it further back. When the pile of loosened soil is large enough, the springhare turns around, and with its chin, chest and front feet held up against the pile, it pushes the soil to the entrance with thrusts of the hind feet.{{#if:Butynski & MattinglyAfrican Journal of Ecology (1979)Burrow structure and fossorial ecology of the springhare Pedetes capensis in Botswana|{{#if:|}}
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Burrows are often located near trees or shrubs, which are sparse in the typical springhare habitat. It is thought they may help with concealment as well as providing a point of reference back to the burrow.<ref name="Butynski-1979b" /> A springhare's burrow is 20 cm in diameter, may be up to 1 meter deep and up to 7 meters long. Burrows may cover an area of up to 170 m2.<ref name="Relton-2019" /> They usually have several entrances. Two types of entrances can be distinguished, one which is very visible thanks to the pile of sand present at the opening, and the other one which is a "hidden" entrance with no soil to mark its presence.<ref name="Butynski-1973" />
Springhares remain close to one of their burrow entrances while feeding and if disturbed, they return to their own burrows, ignoring other burrows in the way.<ref name="Peinke-2005" /><ref name="Butynski-1979b" /> Radio-tracked springhares used burrows in areas covering 0.6 to 28.5 ha.<ref name="Peinke-2005" />
Springhares tend to only reside in any given burrow for a few consecutive days at most.<ref name="Relton-2019" /> In a study of their burrowing activities in South Africa, they found that springhares used 4 to 27 different burrows, and most burrows (70%) were only ever used by a single springhare. Very few burrows were used by more than two animals. In the same study, they found cohabitation (two springhares using the same burrow at the same time) to be very rare.<ref name="Peinke-2005" /> The same burrows may be used throughout generations and expanded, with new tunnels added as needed.<ref name="Butynski-1979b" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> While springhares have not been seen defending their burrows or territory, they mark the burrows with their perineal glands secretions, or by urinating at the burrow entrance, probably to warn other springhares that a specific burrow is occupied.<ref name="Relton-2019" />
Springhares are able to plug entrances to their burrows with soil. Two plug types were distinguished. Temporary plugs formed from the inside of the burrow, probably aimed at avoiding predators entering a burrow. Permanent plugs were long (0.5 – 3 m) and sometimes filled entire tunnel branches.<ref name="Butynski-1979b" />
The springhare's unoccupied burrows are sometimes used for hiding during the daytime by a number of other species, including the black-footed cat and the ground pangolin.<ref name="Relton-2019">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Feeding and foragingEdit
Springhares are herbivorous, eating a variety of plant matter, such as roots, stems, leaves, and seeds.<ref name="Butynski-1973" /> However, springhares are picky eaters and often leave abundant plant materials behind in their feeding grounds.<ref name="Peinke-2005" /><ref name="Michael-2000">Template:Cite thesis</ref> On occasion, springhares may feed on insects such as beetles or locusts, or even carrion.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Springhares feed at night and can range 150 – 400 m away of one of their burrows.<ref name="Kingdon-2015" /><ref name="Butynski-1979a" /> They may feed in large groups of up to nine individuals.<ref name="Kingdon-2015" /> In these instances, they do not display aggression or territorial behaviours.<ref name="Peinke-2005" /><ref name="Butynski-1979b" />
ReproductionEdit
Springhares breed throughout the year and have a gestation period of about 77 days. The females give birth to a single young about three times a year.<ref name="Kingdon-2015" /> Moreover, females can be lactating and in the early stages of pregnancy at the same time.<ref name="Michael-2000" />
Their ability to reproduce year-round is thought to be attributable to their highly selective diet (choosing only the best parts of the plant), their wide range of foods available to them (above and underground), and their behavioural and physical adaptations to living in arid and semi-arid conditions.<ref name="Michael-2000" />
Springhares give birth in a burrow to a furred young of about 250 - 300 g. Springhares usually give birth to a single young, but birthing twins is known to occur. While the young remains at the burrow, the mother stops the usual behaviour of moving burrows every couple of days. She is bound to the burrow where her young is, who depends entirely on her milk.<ref name="Butynski-1979a" /> The young stays in the burrow for approximately seven weeks until they attain a body weight of approximately 1.3 kg.<ref name="Butynski-1973" /><ref name="Butynski-1979b" /> The extended period of parental care may help mitigate a birthrate that is, among rodents, remarkably low.<ref name="EoM">Template:Cite book</ref>
Traditional human usesEdit
San and baTswana people both traditionally make use of springhares.<ref name="Butynski-1973" /> Both groups of people hunt springhares, which can yield up to 1360 g (3 lb.) of meat. Aside from the meat, San people use springhare skins for a variety of uses, such as bags, mats, karosses (garments or blankets made from sewn animal skins) and hats. The tail provides sinew for sewing, and an ornamental belt that produces sounds can be made by tying springhare toes on a string.<ref name="Butynski-1973" />
GalleryEdit
- Pedetes-capensis-skull.jpg
Skull of a South African springhare
- Biofluorescence in captive springhare, Pedetes capensis - 41598 2021 83588 Fig3.png
Biofluorescence in captive South African springhare
- Pedetes capensis (South African Springhare).jpg
A hopping springhare.
- Pedetes capensis - Royal Museum for Central Africa - DSC06757.JPG
A taxidermied springhare in a museum collection.
- Spring Hare (Pedetes capensis) (6041551291).jpg
Springhare standing up.