The coastal tapeti (Sylvilagus tapetillus), also known as the Rio de Janeiro dwarf cottontail or dwarf tapeti, is a species of cottontail rabbit native to Brazil. Known from only three specimens, captured in the late nineteenth century in the Paraíba Valley, it was for a long time considered to be a subspecies of the common tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis). Slightly smaller than its close relative, analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right.[2] Due to destruction of its putative habitat in the densely populated Paraíba Valley, it is unclear whether or not the species still survives in the present day.[1]
| Coastal tapeti | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Sylvilagus |
| Species: | S. tapetillus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sylvilagus tapetillus Thomas, 1913
| |
| |
| Synonyms | |
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Sylvilagus brasiliensis tapetillus Thomas, 1913 | |
References
edit- ^ a b Ruedas, L.A.; Smith, A.T. (2019). "Sylvilagus tapetillus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T142542759A165117046. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T142542759A165117046.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Ruedas; French; Silva; Platt II; Salazar-Bravo; Mora; Thompson (2017). "A prolegomenon to the systematics of South American cottontail rabbits (Mammalia, Lagomorpha, Leporidae: Sylvilagus): designation of a neotype for S. brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758), and restoration of S. andinus (Thomas, 1897) and S. tapetillus Thomas, 1913". University of Michigan. 205. ISSN 0076-8405.