European rabbits are members of the Order Lagomorpha, which emerged in the fossil record during the late Paleocene. Only two extant families remain: Leporidae, comprising rabbits and hares, and Ochotonidae, of which only pikas remain. Oryctolagus emerged as a distinct genus of Leporidae in the early Pleistocene, and is now represented only by the species O. cuniculus [2].

O. cuniculus is currently found in the wild across Europe, however as a domesticated form it occurs worldwide. Natural predators of O. cuniculus include buzzards, foxes, stoats and weasels [5]. Wild forms are found in sandy regions with shrubbery and woody plants, at altitudes of no more than 600 meters. Their diet typically consists of grasses and herbaceous plants, supplemented by woody plants when these food sources are scarce. O. cuniculus is a nocturnal species believed to be relatively gregarious, with dominance hierarchies and territoriality especially prominent during the mating season. Burrowing is a distinguishing behavioral characteristic of this species. Burrows are used for daily dwelling and may be up to 45 meters in length and may extend as many of 5 meters deep. Males reach sexual maturity at 8 to 9 months, and females at 3 to 4 months. Slight variations are seen from region to region, breeding usually occurs over a five-month period, from January or February to June or July. After a gestation period that can last from 28 to 33 days, females can give birth to a liter ranging from one to nine young, five to six being the average. With an almost immediate return to estrus, females are capable of producing as many as seven litters per mating season [4].

Anatomical Considerations

O. cuniculus has a head and body length ranging from 350 mm to 450 mm, with tail length ranging from 40 to 70 mm. Typical weight estimates range from 1,350 to 2,250 grams [4]. The hind limbs are long and more robust than the forelimbs, a condition believed to be related to hopping. While little research has examined hopping in O. cuniculus specifically, data from Lagomorpha may provide general insight into the anatomical adaptations for this form of locomotion. The half-bound is typical for this group, with the hind limbs landing in unison but the forelimbs landing one after the other, in quick succession. This allows for greater maneuverability in jumping, but reduces the speeds which can be reached [3]. With this type of locomotion, the forelimbs, "act mainly to absorb the shock on landing, and the hind limbs and spine work to impart the necessary acceleration…" [3]. Robust hind limbs may also be useful in the hind limb thumping behavior commonly used to warn of danger. Large, straight, semi-retractile claws are present on the rabbit's pentadactyl, plantigrade feet, which are used in digging, self-defense, and attack of other rabbits. The anterior incisors have enamel almost wholly on the front surfaces, resulting in continuous self-sharpening [1].

References

1. Bensley, B.A. Practical Anatomy of the Rabbit. Toronto: The University Press, 1910.

2. Dawson, Mary R. "Lagomorph History and the Stratigraphic Record." Reprinted from: Essays in Paleontology & Stratigraphy. University of Kansas
Department of Geology Special Publication 2, 1967.

3. Gambaryan, P. P. How Mammals Run: Anatomical Adaptations. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1974.

4. Thompson, Harry V. "The Rabbit in Britain." The European Rabbit: The History and Biology of a Successful Colonizer (pp.79-84). Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1994.

5. Nowak, Ronald M. "Old World Rabbit, or Domestic Rabbit." Walker's Mammals of the World. John Hopkins University Press, 1997.