Lagomorpha+Block+3


 * [[image:http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/weblog/images/lagomorpha.jpg align="right"]]__Lagomorpha__

Physical characteristics:** They have large ears and have no canines. Their eyes are high up on their head so they have a wide field of view. Their teeth grow constantly throughout their life. They have a short tail and long fur. They have a second peg like upper incisor behind the primary incisor. With a single layer of enamel. They also have generally some hair on the sole of their feet.


 * Behavioral characteristics:** They live in pine and decidoues forests, desert, mountainiouss area, scrubland, tropical rainforest, near rivers and streams, rocky outcrops, grassland, and areas of dense brush or other low-lying vegetation. They are mostly nocturnal and do not hibernate and are active all year round. They sometimes eat their own feces to get all the nutrients (coprophagy). They are usually by themselves but they do gather up in groups to feed and breed. They are non-terretorial. They have a very high reproduction rate. They produce several litters of 2-8 babies and the young get weened at 1-2 months and able to reproduce at 4-7 months.


 * Family**: There is only one lagomorpha family in MN; Leporidae.


 * Diet**: They are all herbivores in Minnesota other than pikas living in colorado that eat brains of birds that fall out of trees. In Minnesota they eat plants like grasses, herbs and also might eat fruits,seeds, leaves, shoots and bark.

There are only three species of lagomorpha in Minnesota and they are Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii).


 * Size**: They size of lagomorphs tend to range in length from 13 to 75 centimeters. They weigh from 3 oz. to 13.2 pounds.

There is a total of 87 species of lagomorpha worldwide. Which is less then most of the other orders.

The name lagomorpha means relativily large gnawing animals.


 * Lagomorpha facts:** The european hare is the largest species of lagomorph that can weigh 15 pounds and is 27 inches long. Pikas are the smallest species of lagomorpha, they are 13-20 cm in lengthand weigh 3-10 ounces. Some species can change color seasonally. They run up to 35 mph. They can swim in water to escape from predators. They redigest thier first droppings to gain the most nutrition from plants. Their teeth grow throughout thier life.




 * Cites:** [], [|www.experiencefestival.com], [|www.animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site.com].

by; Dennis Matveyev, Cole Douvier, BranDan Larsen-Miller.