Omilteme Cottontail
Encyclopedia
The Omilteme Cottontail (Sylvilagus insonus) is a cottontail rabbit
found only in the state of Guerrero
, Mexico in the mountain range of Sierra Madre del Sur
. Belonging to the family Leporidae
, it is one of fourteen species in the genus Sylvilagus, a genus restricted to the New World
. The Omilteme Cottontail is considered one of the most endangered rabbit species in the world and is only known and been described by very few specimens.
e with a length of less than 9.6mm. The shield bullae have a shallow depth of less than 21.4mm. The skull also has a narrow basioccipital and is very broad across the carotid foramina.
The mouth consists of a mandible whose height is less than 36.3mm with a mandible ramus depth of less than 11.3mm. The incisive foramen and the diastema
are short. The premaxillaries have dorsal extensions. They have large maxillary and mandibular toothrows. The Omilteme Cottontail is heterodont with a total of 28 teeth. They have incisors, premolars and molars, therefore lacking canines. The dental formula is I 2/1, C 0/0, P 3/2, M 3/3. The length of the first upper incisor is generally less than 7.5mm.
) in that it is larger in all features. In terms of anatomy it has longer ears and larger: skull, width of zygomatic bone, depth of rostrum, width of carotid foramina and dorsal extensions of the premaxillaries that extend posterior to the nasal instead. S. insonus; however, has a narrower basioocciptial and width of the post-dental. In terms of physical appearance, the Omilteme Cottontail has a longer bicoloured tail (rufous and black) instead of a uni-coloured (solely brown) as well as having hind feet with white and brown versus hind feet of only brown.
In contrast, S. inonus differs from S. cunicularius (Mexican Cottontail
) with whom it shares its habitat by being smaller in size. Most noteabley S. insonus is smaller in: length of upper incisors, skull length, nasal length, width of basioccipital, auditory bulla length, the depth of shiled bullae, skull depth, width across infraorbital canals, mandible height and mandible ramus depth. In terms of physical appearance, dorsally the Omilteme Cottontail is a rufous-black colour whereas the Mexican Cottontail is only grey dorsally.
It is a mainly nocturnal mammal.
Cottontail rabbit
The cottontail rabbits are among the 16 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas.In appearance, most cottontail rabbits closely resemble the wild European Rabbit...
found only in the state of Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
, Mexico in the mountain range of Sierra Madre del Sur
Sierra Madre del Sur
The Sierra Madre del Sur is a mountain range in southern Mexico, extending from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the Istmo de Tehuantepec in eastern Oaxaca.-Geography:...
. Belonging to the family Leporidae
Leporidae
Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. The leporids, together with the pikas, constitute the mammalian order Lagomorpha. Leporids differ from pikas in having short furry tails, and elongated ears and hind legs...
, it is one of fourteen species in the genus Sylvilagus, a genus restricted to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
. The Omilteme Cottontail is considered one of the most endangered rabbit species in the world and is only known and been described by very few specimens.
Description
The Omilteme Cottontail has a large body consisting of long ears (greater than 53mm from the base), hind feet of medium length (greater than 81mm) and a short tail This rabbit has a very distinct coat colouration. Around the nose and orbital area, the coat is a dull grey. The convex surface of the ears is a dark brown-black colour and the black is also very concentrated along the anterior border as well as on the tips of the ears. The dorsal side is rufous (a red-brown colour) mixed with black while the sides are grey-black in colour. The medium sized hind feet are white on the dorsal side and the soles are a dark brown. The dorsal side of the tail is reddish-black while the ventral side is whiteAnatomy
The literature available on the anatomy of Sylvilagus insonus mainly concentrates on the skull and therefore distinguishing features of the Omilteme’s skull have been well described. The skull is large being approximately 78.0mm in length and 32.0mm in depth with a large palate and a wide braincase. The supraorbital process is flat, attached to the braincase and has two extensions (anterior and posterior). The anterior extension of the supraorbital process is attached to the skull while the posterior extension is slender and can be free of the brain case or attached with a slit in-between the process and the braincase. The supraoccipital shield is square shaped. The tympanic bullae are small and less than 12.3mm in length. The width of the basioccipital is less than 9mm. The width of the infraorbital canals is very narrow being less than 18.3mm. The width across the nasals is very narrow and their length is less than 32.1mm. They have medium-sized auditory bullaAuditory bulla
The auditory bulla is a hollow bony structure on the ventral, posterior portion of the skull of placental mammals that encloses parts of the middle and inner ear. In most species, it is formed by the tympanic part of the temporal bone.In extant primates, the structure is found in tarsiers,...
e with a length of less than 9.6mm. The shield bullae have a shallow depth of less than 21.4mm. The skull also has a narrow basioccipital and is very broad across the carotid foramina.
The mouth consists of a mandible whose height is less than 36.3mm with a mandible ramus depth of less than 11.3mm. The incisive foramen and the diastema
Diastema
Diastema may refer to:*Diastema , from the family Gesneriaceae*Diastema , a gap between the front teeth...
are short. The premaxillaries have dorsal extensions. They have large maxillary and mandibular toothrows. The Omilteme Cottontail is heterodont with a total of 28 teeth. They have incisors, premolars and molars, therefore lacking canines. The dental formula is I 2/1, C 0/0, P 3/2, M 3/3. The length of the first upper incisor is generally less than 7.5mm.
Differences from other members of the genus Sylvilagus
Sylvilagus insonus differs from S. brasiliensis (Forest Rabbit) and S. dicei (Dice's CottontailDice's Cottontail
Dice's Cottontail is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama, in páramo and cloud forest habitats....
) in that it is larger in all features. In terms of anatomy it has longer ears and larger: skull, width of zygomatic bone, depth of rostrum, width of carotid foramina and dorsal extensions of the premaxillaries that extend posterior to the nasal instead. S. insonus; however, has a narrower basioocciptial and width of the post-dental. In terms of physical appearance, the Omilteme Cottontail has a longer bicoloured tail (rufous and black) instead of a uni-coloured (solely brown) as well as having hind feet with white and brown versus hind feet of only brown.
In contrast, S. inonus differs from S. cunicularius (Mexican Cottontail
Mexican Cottontail
The Mexican Cottontail is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry forests, and pastureland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
) with whom it shares its habitat by being smaller in size. Most noteabley S. insonus is smaller in: length of upper incisors, skull length, nasal length, width of basioccipital, auditory bulla length, the depth of shiled bullae, skull depth, width across infraorbital canals, mandible height and mandible ramus depth. In terms of physical appearance, dorsally the Omilteme Cottontail is a rufous-black colour whereas the Mexican Cottontail is only grey dorsally.
Taxonomy and systematics
There is no fossil evidence of Sylvilagus insonus and it is only known from its type locality in the province of Guerroro, Mexico. The exact phylogenetic relationship between S. insonus to other species in the genus Sylvilagus is still unknown but the only other member of the genus living in Guerrero is S. cunicularius.Distribution
S. insonus is endemic to Mexico found only in Sierra Madre del Sur of the State of Guerrero. It is only known from its type locality, located in a wooded summit of a semi-isolated mountain range. Its habitat range is 2,133-3048m elevation. Surrounding the wooded area is the village of Omiltemi at 2,332m above sea level (in Municipio Chilpancingo). The Omilteme is therefore restricted to a region of less than 500 square kilometres.Ecology
The Omilteme Cottontail lives at the summit of a mountain range which has steep slopes and ravines covered with dense cloud forests. Some pine and pine-oak forests are present as well. It shares its habitat with 37 other mammal species. In the dense cloud forests, the rabbit lives amongst the undergrowth where it makes runways and burrows under objects such as rocks.It is a mainly nocturnal mammal.