| Scientific Name | Specimen Records |
|
|||
| Sylvilagus obscurus Chapman | ATBI Database | ||||
| Common Name | |||||
| Appalachian Cottontail | |||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | |
| Animalia | Chordata | Mammalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | |
| Animals | Vertebrates | Mammals | Rabbits,
Hares, & Pikas |
Rabbits, Hares | |
Appalachian cottontails are secretive, forest-dwelling rabbits that are not abundant over most of their range. The Appalachian cottontail occurs only within the Appalachian Mountain chain, almost exclusively in dense conifers and deciduous cover at high elevations. The Appalachian cottontail closely resembles the eastern cottontail. It differs only in its slightly smaller size, shorter ears, and greater amount of black on the back. Kellogg (1939) recorded the first specimen from the park near Low Gap. Only two other verified Appalachian cottontails, one from Pine Knot Branch in 1957, and one from the Alum Cave parking area in 1960, have ever been recorded (Linzey, 1995b).
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
- Adult Total Length: 350-450 mm (14-18 in.)
- Tail: 40-52 mm (1⅝-2⅛ in.)
- Hind Foot: 86 mm (3⅜ ⅜ in.)
- Weight: 0.9-1.5 kg (2-3¼ lb.)
- Physical Characteristics: The Appalachian cottontail closely
resembles the eastern cottontail. It differs only in its slightly smaller size,
shorter ears, and greater amount of black on the back. A narrow black patch
is present on top of the head between the ears. The rufous or rusty nape patch
characteristic of the eastern cottontail is missing. Due to the similarity
of these two forms, most park records refer simply to "cottontail". This species
was formerly known as the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis).
It was reclassified by Chapman et al. (1992).
Skull Drawings:
| Skull lateral view. | Skull dorsal view. | Skull ventral view. |
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| Click illustrations to enlarge. The Mammals of Virginia, by Donald W. Linzey. Copyright 1998. All rights reserved. |
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DISTRIBUTION
North America:
 |
The Appalachian cottontail occurs only within the Appalachian Mountain chain, its marginal plateau and mountain balds, from the Hudson River southwest through Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama (Chapman et al.,1992). |
In Park:
 Click maps to enlarge. |
Kellogg (1939) recorded the first specimen from the park near Low Gap. Only two other verified Appalachian cottontails, one from Pine Knot Branch in 1957, and one from the Alum Cave parking area in 1960, have ever been recorded (Linzey, 1995b). |
NATURAL HISTORY
Habitat:
The Appalachian cottontail inhabits woods, shrubby areas, and brushy areas. It occurs almost exclusively in dense conifers and deciduous cover at high elevations. It is associated with conifer/heath habitat, especially mountain laurel and blueberry, and prefers thicker wooded cover than the eastern cottontail.
Reproduction:
The breeding season of the Appalachian cottontail lasts from early March to early September. Like all cottontails it is a synchronous breeder. Gestation lasts about 28 days. Litter size is between four and eight, with females producing an average of about 24 young annually. The young are weaned at 3 to 4 weeks of age.
Longevity:
Most cottontails die before they are a year old, but there are reports of wild Appalachian cottontails surviving for several years.
Terrestrial Ecology:
Appalachian cottontails are secretive, forest-dwelling rabbits that are not abundant over most of their range. The Appalachian cottontail eats a variety of grasses, ferns, forbs, and shrubs. It appears to be the only cottontail that feeds extensively on conifer needles. Rabbit cuttings are easily identified because they are made at a sharp 45 degree angle from the vertical axis, which looks like they had been cut with pruning shears, as compared with deer cuttings, which are pulled off, leaving a ragged edge.
Rabbits and hares expel two types of fecal pellets - greenish and brown. The greenish pellets contain partially digested vegetation and are commonly reingested, a process known as coprophagy. Greenish pellets have a high protein content, and contain large amounts of B vitamins produced by intestinal bacteria (Hansen and Flinders, 1969). Reingestion allows the animals to spend relatively little time exposed to predators while in the field feeding. They consume green vegetation rapidly, and then make optimum use of it in the safety of their brushpile or burrow. It is somewhat analogous to cud-chewing in cows and other ruminant animals.
Predators and Defense:
Snakes and weasels are potential predators.
Parasites:
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Special Protection Status:
- Rangewide: The Appalachian cottontail is a game animal
and is protected as a game species, except during hunting seasons.
- In Park: All plants and animals are protected within Great
Smoky Mountains National Park. Collection requires a permit which is usually
granted only for research or educational purposes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Field work:
N/A
Supporting Institutions:
N/A
Text:
Dr. Donald W. Linzey, Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, VA (wclinzd@wcc.vccs.edu)
Christy Brecht, Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, VA (wcbrecc@wcc.vccs.edu)
Photographs:
Rob Simpson. All rights reserved.
Drawings:
The Mammals of Virginia, by Donald W. Linzey. Copyright 1998. All rights reserved.
Maps:
North America: The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals, edited by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff. Copyright 1999. All rights reserved.
In Park: Discover Life in America - All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. 2007. The ATBI Database. http://tremont22.campus.utk.edu/ATBI_start.cfm, Discover Life in America, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738.
Web page:
REFERENCES
Chapman, J.A. 1975. Sylvilagus transitionalis. Mammalian Species No. 55: 1-4. American Society of Mammalogists.
Chapman, J.A. 1999. Appalachian Cottontail. Pages 690-691. In: D.E. Wilson, and S. Ruff (eds.). The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
Chapman, J.A., K.L. Cramer, N.J. Dippenaar and T.J. Robinson. 1992. Systematics and Biogeography of the New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis (Bangs, 1895), with the Description of a New Species from the Appalachian Mountains. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 105(4): 841-866.
Hansen, R.M. and J.T. Flinders. 1969. Food Habits of North American Hares. Colorado State University Range Science Department Science Series 31.
Kellogg, R. 1939. Annotated List of Tennessee Mammals. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 86 (3051): 245-303.
Komarek, E. V. and R. Komarek. 1938. Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences 5(6): 137-162.
Linzey, D. W. 1995a. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc., Blacksburg, Virginia.
Linzey, D. W. 1995b. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park-1995 Update. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111(1): 1-81.
Linzey, D. W. 1998. The Mammals of Virginia. The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc., Blacksburg, Virginia.
