Abstract
A new genus and species of rabbit is described from late Pleistocene (mid-Wis consinan) deposits of Dry Cave, southeastern New Mexico. Additional specimens are known from Anthony Cave, south-central New Mexico and adjacent Texas; V-Bar Cave, extreme southwestern New Mexico; and Jimenez Cave, southern Chihuahua, Mexico. This rabbit is characterized by its small size, nearing that of the dwarf rabbit, Sylvilagus leonensis Cushing; P, enamel pattern with similarities to that of Nekrolagus progressus (Hibbard); heavily crenulated reentrant folds on the lower dentition; long mandibular diastema with incisor terminating well anterior to P3 ; and limb proportions that imply a cursorial habit similar to that of Lepus caiijornicus. A close affinity with N. progressus is indicated by characters of P3 ; however, other features in the lower dentition could imply affinity with Eurasian taxa. The purpose of this paper is to describe a new genus and species of fossil rabbit from the Chihuahuan Desert of North America.
Published Version
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