Zoologists explain why there are no big hares and rabbits
Japanese zoologists from Kyoto University explained why there are no large lagomorphs. They published their research in the scientific publication Evolution.
Scientists have long been concerned about the question of why hare-like animals are represented only by small species, such as a hare or a rabbit, while even among rodents there are large representatives, such as a capybara.
Zoologists have studied the fossils of ancient lagomorphs and traced the stages of their evolution. Scientists have found that other herbivores prevented them from developing into large animals. The authors of the study found a direct relationship between the minimum size of hoofed herbivores and neighboring lagomorphs.
Experts calculated that if the lagomorphs gain weight more than six kilograms, then they begin to be significantly inferior to the ungulates in energy efficiency, so there was no sense in evolutionary development in this direction for the animals. Larger hares would need much more food to keep their bodies in optimum condition and successfully escape predators.
Earlier it became known that the largest rabbit in the world was stolen from the former Playboy model.
