Robust Cottontail

The Davis Mountains cottontail, robust cottontail or Holzner's cottontail (Sylvilagus holzneri) is a species of cottontail rabbit native to high-altitude regions of the southwestern United States and western Mexico. == Taxonomy == This species and the subspecies comprising it were long considered to be subspecies of the eastern cottontail (S. floridanus), but were promoted to species level due to morphological analysis. Genetic data have confirmed the uniqueness of S. holzneri. S. holzneri and S. floridanus are distinguished primarily by size, dental, and cranial differences. === Subspecies === According to genetic analysis, there are three subspecies of S. holzneri: S. h. hesperius: endemic to northwestern and central Arizona, from the Hualapai Mountains south to the Sierra Ancha. S. h. holzneri: The most widespread subspecies, ranging throughout mountains from southeastern Arizona and south-central New Mexico (aside from the Guadalupe Mountains) south through Mexico along the Sierra Madre Occidental to Sinaloa. S. h. robustus or Davis Mountains cottontail: historically, this subspecies was known to be endemic to four mountain ranges. In Texas, it was known in the Guadalupe Mountains, Davis Mountains and Chisos Mountains. In New Mexico it was also known from the Guadalupe Mountains. In Coahuila, Mexico, it is known from the…