| 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 | |
|
Sylvilagus brasiliensis tapetillus Thomas, 1913 | |
The coastal tapeti (Sylvilagus tapetillus), also known as the Rio de Janeiro dwarf cottontailordwarf 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]
| Sylvilagus tapetillus |
|
|---|---|
