Lagomorpha

​ **__Lagomorpha__**

The order of mammals including rabbits, hares, and pikes; differentiated from rodents by two pairs of upper incisors covered by enaml, vertical or transverse jaw motion, three upper and two lower premolars, fused tibia and fibula, and spiral valve in cecum.

Family: Pikas Family: Hares and Rabbits Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Number of families: 2 Nymber of genera, species:12 genera; 91 species All species native to Minnesota: Eastern Cottontail (sylvilagus flordanus) Snowshoe hare (Lepus americans) And White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendi)

Body Shape: Pikas are egg shapped, roughly 5-8in (13-20) long, and weigh 3-10oz (80-300g). Leporids are more angular and larger, ranging in length from 10-30 in (25-75cm) and in weight from 14oz to 13.2lbs (0.4-6.0)kg. __Habitat__: Pikas occupy two distinct habitats The first are rocks or boulder fields, these don't burrow. Vegetation found in meadows at the talus edge or growing in small patches within rocks. The second is in meadows, steppe, shrubs, or open desert enviorment. These do dig burrows. __Hares__: Live in open country, or in high artic tundra, steppe, agriculure pasture, tropical savana, and deserts.

Behavior: Behavior and reproduction differs widely between rabbits and hares, and pikas, and with in each group. Pikas are mainly diurnal meaning they are mostly active during the day. Rabbits and hares are generally nocturnal meaning they are are mostly active at night some species are puscular meaning they are most active at dawn or twilight.

Diet__:__ They eat mostly grasses and sometimes bark.

Fun Fact: Extinct lagomorphs such as the minorcan giant lagomorph, whose fossils were found on the mediterranean island of Minorca, ranged up to about three feet in height (not including the ears) with the weight of 23 Kg(50 lb)

Reproductive: The very high reproductive rate of most lagomorphs—particularly leporids (rabbits, hares) and burrowing pikas—is not only fundamental to the survival of the various species; it also allows them to provide a very important food resource for numerous mammals (such as the fox, lynx, and wesal and marten) and birds of prey (owls, hawks). Through a symbiotic relationship with various bacteria and other micro-organisms in their digestive tract, and the practice of coprophagy (feces-eating), they are able to extract sufficient nutrition from the plant matter that forms their diet and provides the base for such energy and nutrients for their predators.

Pictures of mammals native to minnesota: Eastern Cottontail

Snowshoe Hares

White-tailed jackrabbit