How Are Rabbits Classified?
Rabbits, in scientific classification, belong to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Mammalia, Order Lagomorpha and Family Leporidae. Rabbits share the common name of Old World rabbit, domestic rabbit, or simply rabbit. These creatures belong to different genera depending on their species classification.
Rabbits share a scientific classification, but vary widely in habitat, appearance and other physical characteristics. Most rabbits have coats of thick fur, which are more pronounced in the wintertime on rabbits living in cooler locations. Rabbit fur ranges widely in color; rabbits living in temperate locations have coats that have gray tints, and occasionally black and brown spots. Some rabbits have red tints to their coats, while others have coats that are lighter tan or brown. The underbellies of rabbits are generally soft white or pale gray in appearance, and have much finer layers of hair than their backs. All rabbits have tails, although their tails are quite short and appear more like stumps. Rabbits’ tails, like their torsos, have white undersides. Rabbits have small ears and pronounced hind legs, although their legs are much shorter than those of closely-related hares. Rabbits live on virtually every continent except for Asian and Antarctica, and classify as herbivores; their diets consist of grasses, leaves, tree bark, roots and buds.