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European hare
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== Taxonomy and genetics == [[File:LiebreIberica (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|upright|The [[Granada hare]] (''Lepus granatensis'') was once considered a subspecies of the European hare]] The European hare was first [[Species description|described]] in 1778 by German zoologist [[Peter Simon Pallas]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Pallas | first=Peter Simon | author-link=Peter Simon Pallas | year=1778 | title=Novae Species Quadrupedum e Glirium Ordine | publisher=Wolfgangi Waltheri | place=Erlanger | page=30 | language=la | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15494839 }}</ref> It shares the genus ''[[Lepus]]'' ([[Latin]] for "hare"<ref>{{cite web|title=Lepus|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Lepus|access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref>) with 32 other hare and jackrabbit species,<ref>{{MSW3 Lagomorpha | id = 13500099 | pages = 195β205 | heading = Genus ''Lepus''}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Explore the Database |url=https://www.mammaldiversity.org/explore.html#species-id=1001079 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=www.mammaldiversity.org}}</ref> jackrabbits being the name given to some species of hare native to North America. They are distinguished from other [[leporid]]s (hares and rabbits) by their longer legs and wider nostrils.<ref name=ChapmanIUCN/> The [[Corsican hare]], [[broom hare]] and [[Granada hare]] were at one time considered to be [[subspecies]] of the European hare, but [[DNA sequencing]] and [[Morphology (biology)|morphological]] analysis support their status as separate species.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Palacios, F. |year=1989 |title=Biometric and morphologic features of the species of the genus ''Lepus'' in Spain |journal=Mammalia |volume=53 |issue=2 |pages=227β264 |doi=10.1515/mamm.1989.53.2.227|s2cid=84763076 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Riga, F. |author2=Trocchi, V. |author3=Randi, E. |author4=Toso, S. |year=2001 |title=Morphometric differentiation between the Italian hare (''Lepus corsicanus'' De Winton, 1898) and the European brown hare (''Lepus europaeus'' Pallas, 1778) |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=253 |issue=2|pages=241β252 |doi=10.1017/S0952836901000218}}</ref> There is some debate as to whether the European hare and the [[Cape hare]] are the same species. A 2005 [[nuclear gene]] pool study suggested that they are,<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Ben Slimen, H. |author2=Suchentrunk, F. |author3=Memmi, A. |author4=Ben Ammar Elgaaied, A. | year=2005 | title=Biochemical genetic relationships among Tunisian hares (''Lepus sp.''), South African Cape hares (''L. capensis''), and European brown hares (''L. europaeus'') | journal=Biochemical Genetics | volume=43 | issue=11β12 | pages=577β596 | pmid=16382363 | doi=10.1007/s10528-005-9115-6 |s2cid=28323931 }}</ref> but a 2006 study of the [[mitochondrial DNA]] of these same animals concluded that they had [[Genetic divergence|diverged]] sufficiently widely to be considered separate species.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Ben Slimen, H. |author2=Suchentrunk, F. |author3=Memmi, A. |author4=Sert, H. |author5=Kryger, U. |author6=Alves, P. C. |author7=Elgaaied, A. B. A. | year=2006 | title=Evolutionary relationships among hares from North Africa (''Lepus'' sp. or ''Lepus'' spp.), Cape Hares (''L. capensis'') from South Africa, and brown hares (''L. europaeus''), as inferred from mtDNA PCR-RFLP and allozyme data | journal=Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research | volume=44 | issue=1 | pages=88β99 | doi=10.1111/j.1439-0469.2005.00345.x |doi-access=free }}</ref> A 2008 study claims that in the case of ''Lepus'' species, with their rapid evolution, species designation cannot be based solely on mtDNA but should also include an examination of the nuclear gene pool. It is possible that the genetic differences between the European and Cape hare are due to geographic separation rather than actual divergence. It has been speculated that in the Near East, hare populations are intergrading and experiencing [[gene flow]].<ref name=BenSlimen2008>{{cite journal |author1=Ben Slimen, H. |author2=Suchentrunk, F. |author3=Ben Ammar Elgaaied, A. | year=2008 | title=On shortcomings of using mtDNA sequence divergence for the systematics of hares (genus ''Lepus''): An example from Cape hares | journal=Mammalian Biology | volume=73 | issue=1 | pages=25β32 | doi=10.1016/j.mambio.2007.02.003 |bibcode=2008MamBi..73...25B }}</ref> Another 2008 study suggests that more research is needed before a conclusion is reached as to whether a [[species complex]] exists;<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Ben Slimen, H. |author2=Suchentrunk, F. |author3=Stamatis, C. |author4=Mamuris, Z. |author5=Sert, H. |author6=Alves, P. C. |author7=Kryger, U. |author8=Shahin, A. B. |author9=Ben Ammar Elgaaied, A. | year=2008 | title=Population genetics of Cape and brown hares (''Lepus capensis'' and ''L. europaeus''): A test of Petter's hypothesis of conspecificity | journal=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology | volume=36 | issue=1 | pages=22β39 | doi=10.1016/j.bse.2007.06.014 |bibcode=2008BioSE..36...22B }}</ref> the European hare remains classified as a single species until further data contradicts this assumption.<ref name=iucn /> [[Cladogenesis|Cladogenetic]] analysis suggests that European hares survived the [[last glacial period]] during the [[Pleistocene]] via [[Refugium (population biology)|refugia]] in southern Europe ([[Italian peninsula]] and [[Balkans]]) and [[Asia Minor]]. Subsequent colonisations of Central Europe appear to have been initiated by human-caused environmental changes.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Fickel, J.|author2=Hauffe, H. C.|author3=Pecchioli, E.|author4=Soriguer, R.|author5=Vapa, L.|author6=Pitra, C.|year=2008|title=Cladogenesis of the European brown hare (''Lepus europaeus'' Pallas, 1778)|journal=European Journal of Wildlife Research|volume=54|issue=3|pages=495β510|doi=10.1007/s10344-008-0175-x|bibcode=2008EJWR...54..495F |url=http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/62899/1/european.pdf|hdl=10261/62899|s2cid=8860690|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Genetic diversity in current populations is high with no signs of [[inbreeding]]. Gene flow appears to be biased towards males, but overall populations are [[matrilineally]] structured. There appears to be a particularly large degree of genetic diversity in hares in the [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] region of Germany. It is however possible that restricted gene flow could reduce genetic diversity within populations that become isolated.<ref name=Fickel2005>{{cite journal |author1=Fickel, J. |author2=Schmidt, A. |author3=Putze, M. |author4=Spittler, H. |author5=Ludwig, A. |author6=Streich, W. J. |author7=Pitra, C. | year=2005 | title=Genetic structure of populations of European brown hare: Implications for management | journal=Journal of Wildlife Management | volume=69 | issue=2 | pages=760β770 | doi=10.2193/0022-541X(2005)069[0760:GSOPOE]2.0.CO;2|s2cid=86210991 }}</ref> Historically, up to 30 subspecies of European hare have been described, although their status has been disputed.<ref name=ChapmanIUCN>{{cite book |author1=Chapman, Joseph A. |author2=Flux, John E. C. |title=Rabbits, Hares and Pikas: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q994k86i0zYC&pg=PA76 |year=1990 |publisher=IUCN |isbn=978-2-8317-0019-9 |pages=62, 76β78}}</ref> These subspecies have been distinguished by differences in pelage colouration, body size, external body measurements, skull morphology and tooth shape.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Suchentrunk, F. |author2=Mamuris, Z. |author3=Sfougaris, A. I. |author4=Stamatis, C. |year=2003 |title=Biochemical genetic variability in brown hares (''Lepus europaeus'') from Greece |journal=Biochemical Genetics |volume=41 |issue=5β6 |pages=127β140 |pmid=12834043 |doi=10.1023/A:1023354709392|s2cid=7268456 }}</ref> Sixteen subspecies are listed in the IUCN red book, following Hoffmann and Smith (2005):<ref name=iucn /> {{columns-list|colwidth=14em|style=font-style: italic;| * ''Lepus europaeus caspicus'' * ''L. e. connori'' * ''L. e. creticus'' * ''L. e. cyprius'' * ''L. e. cyrensis'' * ''L. e. europaeus'' * ''L. e. hybridus'' * ''L. e. judeae'' * ''L. e. karpathorum'' * ''L. e. medius'' * ''L. e. occidentalis'' * ''L. e. parnassius'' * ''L. e. ponticus'' * ''L. e. rhodius'' * ''L. e. syriacus'' * ''L. e. transsylvanicus'' }} Twenty-nine<!--not 30 as stated--> subspecies of "very variable status" are listed by Chapman and Flux in their book on lagomorphs, including the subspecies above (with the exceptions of ''L. e. connori'', ''L. e. creticus'', ''L. e. cyprius'', ''L. e. judeae'', ''L. e. rhodius'', and ''L. e. syriacus'') and additionally:<ref name=ChapmanIUCN/> {{columns-list|colwidth=14em|style=font-style: italic;| * ''L. e. alba'' * ''L. e. argenteogrisea'' * ''L. e. biarmicus'' * ''L. e. borealis'' * ''L. e. caspicus'' * ''L. e. caucasicus'' * ''L. e. flavus'' * ''L. e. gallaecius'' * ''L. e. hispanicus'' * ''L. e. hyemalis'' * ''L. e. granatensis'' * ''L. e. iturissius'' * ''L. e. kalmykorum'' * ''L. e. meridiei'' * ''L. e. meridionalis'' * ''L. e. niethammeri'' * ''L. e. niger'' * ''L. e. tesquorum'' * ''L. e. tumak'' }}
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