Distribution and Systematics of the Rabbits (Sylvilagus) of West-Central Mexico
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Distribution and Systematics of the Rabbits (Sylvilagus) of West-Central Mexico VICTOR E. DIERSING and DON E. WILSON SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 297 SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of "diffusing knowledge" was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoo/ogy Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report the research and collections of its various museums and bureaux or of professional colleagues in the world cf science and scholarship. The publications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institutions throughout the world. Papers or monographs submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Press, subject to its own review for format and style, only through departments of the various Smithsonian museums or bureaux, where the manuscripts are given substantive review. Press requirements for manuscript and art preparation are outlined on the inside back cover. S. Dillon Ripley Secretary Smithsonian Institution SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 297 Distribution and Systematics of the Rabbits {Sylvilagus) of West-Central Mexico Victor E. Diersing and Don E. Wilson SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1980 ABSTRACT Diersing, Victor E., and Don E. Wilson. Distribution and Systematics of the Rabbits (Sylvilagus) of West-Central Mexico. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 297, 34 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables, 1980.—Distribution patterns of Sylvilagus cunicularius, S. floridanus, S. graysoni, and S. audubonii are docu- mented for west-central Mexico including the states of Sinaloa, Durango, Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Colima, and Michoacan. A taxo- nomic revision of the four species in this area is presented recognizing two sub- species of S. cunicularius, three of S. floridanus, two of S. graysoni, and two of 5. audubonii. Two subspecies of S. floridanus (S. /. restrictus and S. /. subcinctus) are relegated to the synonomy of S. /. orizabae. Two subspecies are described as new, one each of 5. graysoni and S. floridanus. The karyotype of S. graysoni is presented and figured. External and cranial measurements for all species and subspecies are presented. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress cataloging in Publication Data Diersing, Victor E Distribution and systematics of the rabbits (Sylvilagus) of west-central Mexico. (Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 297 Bibliography: p. 1. Cottontails—Classification. 2. Cottontails—Geographical distribution. 3. Mammals—Classi- fication. 4. Mammals—Geographical distribution. 5. Mammals—Mexico. I. Wilson, Don E., joint author. II. Title. III. Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 297. QL737.L32D53 599'.322 79-607046 Contents Page Introduction 1 Acknowledgments 1 Methods 2 Recognition of Species 3 Evolution of Sylvilagus graysoni 6 Sylvilagus cunicularius insolitus (J. A. Allen) 7 Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius (Waterhouse) 8 Sylvilagus floridanus macrocorpus, new subspecies 8 Sylvilagus floridanus holzneri (Mearns) 12 Sylvilagus floridanus orizabae (Merriam) 13 Sylvilagus graysoni graysoni (J. A. Allen) 14 Sylvilagus graysoni badistes, new subspecies 15 Sylvilagus audubonii parvulus (J. A. Allen) 15 Sylvilagus audubonii goldmani (Nelson) 17 Summary 17 Appendix: Measurements and Discriminant Multipliers 19 Literature Cited 34 in Distribution and Systematic's of the Rabbits {Sylvilagus) of West-Central Mexico Victor E. Diersing and Don E. Wilson Introduction Many individuals of S. floridanus and S. cuni- cularius from mainland Nayarit and adjacent areas, There has been no comprehensive account of the could not be assigned to either species using pub- rabbits of west-central Mexico since Nelson's (1909) lished methods. Also, the rabbits from San Juanito revision of North American rabbits. More recent Island differ markedly from those on adjacent regional studies within west-central Mexico include Maria Madre Island. This report presents distribu- a survey of the rabbits of Sinaloa by Armstrong and tional data and methods for recognizing all species Jones (1971) and notes on the rabbits of Jalisco by of Sylvilagus throughout west-central Mexico. The Genoways and Jones (1973). insular 5. graysoni is compared to the mainland Presently, four species of rabbits are known from species. westeentral Mexico: Mexican cottontail, Sylvilagus ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.—The research on which this cunicularius (Waterhouse, 1848); eastern cottontail, S. floridanus (J. A. Allen, 1890); Tres Marias cotton- report is based was assisted by a Smithsonian Insti- tail, 5. graysoni (J. A. Allen, 1877); and desert cot- tution summer fellowship awarded to Diersing in tontail, S. audubonii (Baird, 1857). West-central 1975. In addition, funds for Diersing's travel to Mexico is that area including Sinaloa and Durango examine rabbits housed in collections throughout southward through Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalien- the United States and Canada were made available tes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Colima, and Michoacan. by the Theodore Roosevelt Fund of the American Recent collecting in Nayarit by personnel of the Museum of Natural History. Our appreciation is National Fish and Wildlife Laboratory, and on the extended to those people who gave their permission Tres Marias Islands (approximately 86 km west of to examine specimens under their care. These mainland Nayarit), has yielded specimens repre- people and their institutions (abbreviations used senting three of the four species known from west- in listing specimens examined follow the name of central Mexico. This material, combined with that each collection) are: Sidney Anderson, American available in other collections, makes it possible to Museum of Natural History (AMNH), New York; more clearly define the distribution and relation- Richard D. Estes, Philadelphia Academy of Natural ships of members of the genus Sylvilagus in west- Sciences (ANSP); Robert T. Orr, California Aca- central Mexico. demy of Sciences (CAS), Golden Gate Park, San Francisco; David G. Huckaby, Biology Department, Victor E. Diersing, Museum of Natural History, University California State University (CSLB), Long Beach; of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801. Don E. Wilson, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Laboratory, Luis de la Torre, Field Museum of Natural History National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C. (FMNH), Chicago; Robert S. Hoffmann, Museum 20560. 1 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY of Natural History (KU), University of Kansas, length, greatest length of a nasal bone; greatest nasal Lawrence; Donald R. Patten, Los Angeles County breadth, greatest breadth across both nasals; maxil- Museum (LACM), Los Angeles; James S. Findley, lary toothrow, alveolar length of the toothrow, Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), University PM2-M3; maxillary toothrow breadth, taken across of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Rollin H. Baker, both toothrows at the labial alveolus of PM3; The Museum, Michigan State University (MSU), postdental breadth, least breadth across the ptery- East Lansing; William Z. Lidicker, Jr., Museum goid processes posterior to the maxillary toothrows; of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ), University of Cali- incisive foramen, greatest length of an incisive fora- fornia, Berkeley; J. Mary Taylor, Vertebrate Muse- men; basioccipital length, midventral length of the um, University of British Columbia (UBC), Van- basioccipital; basioccipital breadth, greatest breadth couver; William H. Burt, University of Colorado between the auditory bullae; diastema length, pos- Museum (UCM), Boulder; Donald F. Hoffmeister, terior alveolar border of I2 to the anterior alveolar Museum of Natural History, University of Illinois border of PM2; rostrum depth, taken from the most (UIMNH), Urbana; Emmet T. Hooper, Museum ventral point of the rostrum (the point where the of Zoology, University of Michigan (UMMZ), Ann suture is formed by the premaxillary and maxillary) Arbor; National Museum of Natural History, dorsally in a line perpendicular to the length of the Smithsonian Institution (USNM, collection of the ventral surface of the rostrum to the most dorsal former United States National Museum). surfaces of the nasals; bullar length, greatest antero- Our studies in Mexico were facilitated by permits posterior length of the bulla; bullae breadth,