orders Information

The order Lagomorpha (rabbits) consists of three families and 92 currently recognized species worldwide. North America has 20 species with two species (family Leporidae) found in Mississippi. Several key characters are used to define (and in most cases distinguish) Lagomorpha. The major characters include peg-like teeth (small incisors lacking a cutting edge) located behind the large, front incisors, members possessing large ears and elongated hind limbs for their saltatorial (jumping) locomotion, and having fully furred feet (Feldhamer et. al. 2007).