Rabbit

As rabbits are referred to several genera and species of the family of hares ( Leporidae ), they are among the mammals. However, the rabbits are no systematic group ( taxon ), because it has identified several other closely related species not as a rabbit next to the wild and domestic rabbits.

In the commercial rabbit production rabbits are kept in soil or cages either. Animal rights activists criticize the welfare not in cages.

Etymology

Latin cuniculus ( ancient Greek κόνικλος kóniklos ) > altfrz. conin > Middle Low German kanin, rabbit ( ostmitteldeutsch caninichen ) > Rabbits

Rabbit comes from Old French via conin of cuniculus, meaning " rabbit " is Latin, but also " underground passage, Stollen" (rabbit dig transitions in the ground and lay underground burrows to ). The Greek Polybius describes the rabbit in the middle of the second century BC as kuniklos.

The origin of the expression cuniculus itself is very controversial. Maybe the Romans have taken him by the Iberians or Ligurians ( as a non- Indo-European loan word ), this means, for example, The Roman writer Pliny. The Latin cuniculus would be a so-called cultural hiking word that the Romans together with the animal ( they did not know and came to know only in Spain) have taken over. Also Duden suspects a Iberian origin. Others derive conin and cuniculus from one ( only inferred, not traditional ) Gallic word form Kuniko that would be of Indo-European Kuon "dog" derive (Greek kyon, Latin canis).

Bear witness is the German word rabbits since the 16th century, formed from Middle Low German kanin and the suffix - chen. In the Bible translation of 1534 Luther Caninichen mentioned as unclean animals, as they do not split the -mouth " cud " but.

Besides kanin there was the variant künglein and the southern German names kün ( i) g ( Swabian ), chüngel ( Swiss ) and chinigl ( South Bavarian ). These secondary to "king" -related names were lehnübersetzt eg in the Polish Krolik. In the Central and North German forms Kanickel and created ( with inserted r) rabbits. The term rabbit is still in the fur industry familiar ( rabbit fur, Kaninmantel ).

The country Spain owes its name to the rabbits. This reminded the Phoenicians in their voyages to the - unrelated - Hyrax ( Phoenician Shaban ) in their home. Therefore, they called the land Ishapan what the Romans transformed in Hispania.

System

Within the family of hares ( Leporidae ) are referred to more than one class as " Rabbit " and more as a "rabbit". Neither " rabbit " or "rabbit" are systematic groups, that is, they are not specifically related to each other than with the other animals of the family of rabbits. This is also evident from the fact that the Rotkaninchen are sometimes referred to as a wool tail rabbits.

As rabbits are called:

• The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus ) and its cultivated form, the popular as a pet house rabbit
• The Ryukyu Rabbit ( Pentalagus furnessi )
• The Rotkaninchen ( Pronolagus ) with three types
• The rabbit strip ( Nesolagus ) with two types
• The volcano rabbit ( Romerolagus diazi )
• The dwarf rabbits ( Brachylagus idahoensis ) - the dwarf rabbits offered in the pet trade are not agents of this type, but a variant of domestic rabbits
• The cottontail rabbit ( Sylvilagus ) with 17 species
• The bush rabbits ( Poelagus marjorita )
• The bristle rabbits ( Caprolagus hispidus )

The Ryukyu Rabbit and the Rotkaninchen together with the Riverine Rabbit ( Bunolagus monticularis ) the Palaeolaginae, one of the two subfamilies of the Leporidae. All other species are the second subfamily, the Leporinae, combined with the genuine Hare ( Lepus ), which is one example, and the hare ( Lepus europaeus).

It is possible to cite some of the characteristics that determine whether a species as hare or rabbit is called:

• Rabbits usually have longer ears (relative to the head) and stronger hind legs ( in relation to total body length) than rabbits. In general, they are slightly larger.
• In the area of the skull have rabbits over a shorter zygomatic extension compared to rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus of the genus, also the roof of the mouth is wider in rabbits.
• Some rabbits are naked and blind to the world and are altricial, whereas newborn rabbits have fur and open eyes and are precocial.
• Some rabbits live in groups, rabbits are loners.

Behavior

Rabbits are naturally pack animals and need each other to warn off enemies, their ( sometimes complex and expansive ) to service tunnel systems and to purify each other ( grooming ).

The persistence of the proverbial " rabbit caught in the headlights " probably has a real basis. Certain movement patterns that are not necessarily carried out by a snake, but also by a raccoon or similar animal, the rabbit cause it to remain motionless. Thus, it falls prey to an animal that can not reach the escape velocity of the rabbit.

If you feel threatened rabbit, knock with the hind legs on the ground to warn other pack members.