Morphological characteristics of the European hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) in the steppe zone of Ukraine

Abstract

Our studies did not reveal any significant differences in the exterior between males and females of the European hare (Lepus europaeus transivanicus Mattshi, 1901) The most changeable was tail length, varying in males within 75.0% between minimum and maximum values, and in females within 74.2%. The same applies to ear length (48.4% in males and 75.0% in females). Nowadays, in the steppe zone of Ukraine, individuals with body mass amounting to 3.0-4.5 kg dominate (88.9 % of males and 86.7 % of females). In the steppe zone of Ukraine, where the reproduction processes start earlier than in the central or northern parts of the range, the increase of body mass in relation to body length is much more impetuous in females than in males. The linear regression confidence interval with a probability threshold of P = 0.05; t = 4.3 in animals of both sexes lies within the values of 52.5 and 55.5 cm. Thus, the correlation between the body mass and body length is closer in females (r = 0.89) than in males (r = 0.67). A closer relationship between these important characteristics during the reproduction process in females surely exists in other populations as well. It can be interpreted as an adaptive reaction of an organism of the European hare to the influence of different ecological factors in the most responsible period of the species life cycle. Despite the considerable changes in the agrarian sector of the country, occurred during 1966-2018, which dramatically deteriorated habitats of field game, minimal, maximum and average values of exterior and craniological parameters of the European hare remain surprisingly stable.