Editing Lagomorpha (section)

== Characteristics ==
Lagomorphs are similar to other [[mammal]]s in that they all have hair, four limbs (i.e., they are [[tetrapod]]s), and [[mammary gland]]s and are [[endotherm]]s. Lagomorphs possess a moderately fused [[postorbital process]] to the [[cranium]], unlike other small mammals.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wible |first=John R. |date=January 2007 |title=On the Cranial Osteology of the Lagomorpha |journal=Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History |volume=2007 |issue=39 |pages=213–234 |doi=10.2992/0145-9058(2007)39[213:OTCOOT]2.0.CO;2 |s2cid=85766674 |issn=0145-9058}}</ref> They differ in that they have a mixture of "basal" and "derived" physical traits.

=== Differences between lagomorphs and other mammals ===
Lagomorphs and [[rodent]]s form the [[clade]] or grandorder [[Glires]].  Despite the evolutionary relationship between lagomorphs and rodents, the two orders have some major differences.

Lagomorphs have four [[incisor]]s in the upper jaw (smaller peg teeth behind larger incisors), whereas rodents only have two. They are similar to rodents in that their incisors grow continuously, thus necessitating constant chewing on fibrous food to prevent the teeth from growing too long.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Best, T. L. |author2=Henry, T. H. |date=1994-06-02 |title=''Lepus arcticus'' |journal=[[Mammalian Species]] |pages=1–9 |issn=0076-3519 |jstor=3504088 |issue=457 |doi=10.2307/3504088 |s2cid=253989268}}</ref><ref name=Britannialagomorph/> In addition, all lagomorph teeth grow continuously,<ref name="ADW Lago">{{cite web|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lagomorpha/|website=Animal Diversity (ADW)|title=Lagomorpha; hares, pikas, and rabbits|access-date=2024-01-03|last=Myers |first=Phil}}</ref> while for most rodents, only the incisors grow continuously.<ref name="ADW tooth">{{cite web|url=https://animaldiversity.org/collections/mammal_anatomy/tooth_structure/|website=Animal Diversity (ADW)|title=Structure and placement of individual teeth|access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> Lagomorph and rodent incisors are structured differently. Lagomorphs have more cheek teeth than rodents. Both have a large [[diastema]].

Lagomorphs are almost strictly [[herbivorous]], unlike rodents, many of which will eat both meat and vegetable matter. Lagomorphs have no [[paw]] pads; instead, the bottoms of their paws are entirely covered with fur,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pika; mammal|url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/pika|access-date=2021-06-26|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Macdonald |first=David W. (David Whyte) |url=http://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0 |title=The Encyclopedia of mammals |date=1984 |publisher=New York, NY : Facts on File |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-87196-871-5}}</ref> a trait they share with [[Red panda|red pandas]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fisher |first=Rebecca E. |title=Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda |publisher=Academic Press |year=2021 |isbn=978-0-12-823753-3 |editor-last=Glatston |editor-first=Angela R. |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=81–93 |chapter=Red Panda Anatomy |doi=10.1016/B978-0-12-823753-3.00030-2|s2cid=243824295}}</ref> Similar to the rodents, [[bat]]s, and some mammalian [[insectivore]]s, they have a [[Gyrification|smooth-surfaced cerebrum]].<ref name=Ferrer1986>{{cite journal |author1=Ferrer, I. |author2=Fabregues, I. |author3=Condom, E. |year=1986 |title=A Golgi study of the sixth layer of the cerebral cortex I: The lissencephalic brain of Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Chiroptera, and Insectivora |journal=[[Journal of Anatomy]] |volume=145 |url=http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC1166506/pdf/janat00188-0215.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511153250/http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC1166506/pdf/janat00188-0215.pdf |archive-date=2021-05-11 |url-status=live |pages=217–234 |pmc=1166506 |pmid=3429306}}{{request quotation |date=July 2017 |reason= I didn't see anything about gross structure in the paper, only stuff about fine structure. The PDF of the paper doesn't allow text searching, however, so I may have missed it.}}</ref> Lagomorphs are unusual among terrestrial mammals in that the females are larger than males.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ralls |first1=Katherine |title=Mammals in Which Females are Larger Than Males |journal=[[The Quarterly Review of Biology]] |date=June 1976 |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=245–276 |doi=10.1086/409310 |pmid=785524 |s2cid=25927323}}</ref>

=== Differences between families of lagomorphs ===
Rabbits and hares move by jumping, pushing off with their strong hind legs and using their forelimbs to soften the impact on landing. Pikas lack certain skeletal modifications present in [[leporids]], such as a highly arched skull, an upright posture of the head, strong hind limbs and pelvic girdle, and long limbs.<ref name=Britanniapika/> Also, pikas have a short nasal region and entirely lack a [[supraorbital foramen]], while leporids have prominent supraorbital foramina and nasal regions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IUCN - Lagomorph specialist group |url=http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/who_we_are/ssc_specialist_groups_and_red_list_authorities_directory/mammals/lagomorph_specialist_group/ |website=www.iucn.org |access-date=2015-08-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150803095103/http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/who_we_are/ssc_specialist_groups_and_red_list_authorities_directory/mammals/lagomorph_specialist_group/ |archive-date=2015-08-03}}</ref>

=== Pikas ===
{{main|Pika}}
[[File:Pika.jpg|thumb|right|[[American pika]] in Alberta]]
[[Pika]]s, also known as conies,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lagomorphs - EnchantedLearning.com |url=http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/lagomorphs/ |website=www.enchantedlearning.com |access-date=2015-08-15}}</ref> are entirely represented by the family Ochotonidae and are small mammals native to mountainous regions of western North America and Central Asia. They are mostly about {{cvt|15|cm|0}} long and have greyish-brown, silky fur, small rounded ears, and almost no tail. Their four legs are nearly equal in length. Some species live in [[scree]], making their homes in the crevices between broken rocks, while others construct burrows in upland areas. The rock-dwelling species are typically long-lived and solitary, having one or two small litters each year contributing to stable populations. The burrowing species, in contrast, are short-lived, [[wiktionary:gregarious|gregarious]] and have multiple large litters during the year. These species tend to have large swings in population size. The gestation period of the pika is around one month long, and the newborns are altricial (eyes and ears closed, no fur).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/American-Pika |title=American Pika |website=National Wildlife Federation |language=en |access-date=2018-11-19}}</ref> The social behaviour of the two groups also differs: the rock dwellers aggressively maintain scent-marked territories, while the burrowers live in family groups, they interact vocally with each other and defend a mutual territory. Pikas are diurnal and are active early and late in the day during hot weather. They feed on all sorts of plant material. As they do not hibernate, they make "haypiles" of dried vegetation which they collect and carry back to their homes to store for use during winter.<ref name=Britanniapika>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/pika |title=Pika |author=Smith, Andrew T. |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2020-09-08}}</ref>

=== Hares ===
{{main|Hare}}[[File:Bushhase.jpg|thumb|right|[[Scrub hare]] in South Africa]]
Hares, members of genus ''[[Lepus]]'' of family Leporidae, are medium size mammals native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. North American [[jackrabbit]]s are actually hares. Species vary in size from {{cvt|40|to|70|cm|0}} in length and have long powerful back legs, and ears up to {{cvt|20|cm|0}} in length. Although usually greyish-brown, some species turn white in the winter. They are solitary animals.  Newborns are precocial (eyes and ears open, fully furred). Several litters are born during the year in a form (a nest above ground, usually under a bush). They are preyed upon by large mammalian carnivores and birds of prey.<ref name=Britanniahare>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/hare-mammal |title=Hare |last=Smith |first=Andrew T. |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2020-09-08}}</ref>

=== Rabbits ===
{{main|Rabbit}}
Rabbits, members of the Leporidae family (excluding ''Lepus'' (hares)) are generally much smaller than hares and include the [[Red rock hare|rock hares]] and the [[hispid hare]]. They are native to Europe, parts of Africa, Central and Southern Asia, North America and much of South America. They inhabit both grassland and arid regions. They vary in size from {{cvt|20|to|50|cm|0}} and have long, powerful hind legs, shorter forelegs and a tiny tail. The colour is some shade of brown, buff or grey and there is one black species and two striped ones. Domestic rabbits come in a wider variety of colours. Newborn rabbits are altricial (eyes and ears closed, no fur). Although most species live in burrows, the cottontails and hispid hares have forms (nests above ground, usually under a bush). Most of the burrowing species are colonial, and feed together in small groups. Rabbits play an important part in the terrestrial [[food chain]], eating a wide range of [[forb]]s, grasses, and herbs, and being part of the staple diet of many carnivorous species. Domestic rabbits can be litter box trained, and—assuming they are given sufficient room to run and a good diet—can live long lives as house pets.