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The European hare (''Lepus europaeus''), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Western Asia and Central Asia. It is a mammal adapted to temperate, open country. It is related to and looks very similar to the European rabbit, which is in the same family but in a different genus. Hares are larger than the European rabbit, have longer ears and hind legs and breed on the ground rather than in a burrow. They rely on speed to escape from predators. Generally nocturnal and shy in nature, hares change their behaviour in the spring, when they can be seen in broad daylight chasing one another around fields and meadows. During this spring frenzy, they can be seen striking one another with their paws ("boxing"). For a long time, this had been thought to be competition between males, but closer observation has revealed it is usually a female hitting a male, either to show she is not yet ready to mate or as a test of his determination. This species has a fairly long breeding season which lasts from January to August. Hares are herbivorous and feed on grasses, herbs, twigs, buds, bark and field crops. Their natural predators include birds of prey, canids and felids. The European hare is listed as being of Least Concern by the IUCN. However it is declining in mainland Europe because of changes in farming practices. The hare has been a traditional symbol of fertility and reproduction in some cultures, and its courtship behaviour in the spring inspired the English idiom ''mad as a March hare''. == Taxonomy and genetics == The European hare was first described by German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1778. It shares the genus ''Lepus'' with other hares and jackrabbits. These animals are distinguished from other leporids by their longer legs, wider nostrils and precocial young. The former two are adaptations for long distance running. Historically, up to 30 subspecies of European hare have been classified, although their status has been variable. These subspecies have been distinguished by differences in pelage colouration, body size, external body measurements, and skull and tooth shape. The Corsican hare, Broom hare and Granada hare were at some points considered to be subspecies of the European hare, however DNA sequencing and morphological analysis has supported them as separate species. There is some debate as to whether the European hare and Cape hare are the same species. A 2005 nuclear gene pool study supported this position. However, a 2006 study of the mtDNA of these same animals concluded they had diverged enough to be considered separate species. A 2008 study claims that in the case of ''Lepus'' hares, with their rapid evolution, species designation cannot be based solely on mtDNA but should also include an examination of the nuclear gene pool. It is possible that the genetic differences between the European and Cape hare is due to geographic distance rather than actual divergence. It has been speculated that in the Near East, hare populations are intergrading and experiencing gene flow.〔 Another 2008 study suggests that more research is needed before a conclusion is reached as to whether there is a species complex. As of 2008, the European hare remains classified as a single species until further data shows otherwise.〔 There appears to be genetic diversity in the European hare in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. However, it is possible that restricted gene flow could change this within populations that become isolated.〔 Based on molecular phylogenetic studies, the Cantabric population in Spain has unique mtDNA in relation to other European populations. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「European hare」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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