Andean tapeti

The Andean tapeti (Sylvilagus andinus) or Andean cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit native to Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis). It serves an important ecological role as a pervasive herbivore consuming a wide variety of plant species as well as an important food source for several predators.^[2] Some characteristics of the species is a head and body length of 326-353 mm, a small tail 6-7% of its head and body length, long hindfeet of 64-81 mm, dusky appearance, a forehead suffused with brown, ashy gray cheeks and neck sides, and a whitish chin and belly.^[2] Living at high elevations in the treeless Páramo of the Andes, analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right.^[3] Although widespread, it remains poorly known, as few studies have been conducted on its biology and habits as distinct from those of the tapeti^[1]

Andean tapeti
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Lagomorpha
Family:	Leporidae
Genus:	Sylvilagus
Species:	S. andinus
Binomial name
Sylvilagus andinus (Thomas, 1897)
Synonyms
Sylvilagus brasiliensis andinus Thomas, 1897