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Prolagidae

Prolagus
Temporal range: Early Miocene to Holocene
Prolagus skeleton SI.jpg
A Prolagus skeleton
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Prolagidae
Gureev, 1960
Genus: Prolagus
Pomel, 1853
Type species
Prolagus oeningensis
König, 1825
Species

See text

Pika Prolagus sp. fossil distribution map.png
Prolagus sp. fossils distribution map. P. oeningensis is red, P. michauxi blue, P. crusafonti green, P. sorbinii pink, P. vasconiensis yellow, other Prolagus species including indet. are black.

See text

Prolagidae is an extinct family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). One genus, Prolagus, is recognised within the family, which was previously considered a subfamily of Ochotonidae, as Prolaginae.

Prolagus first appeared in the Early Miocene in Europe, where it survived until historical times. In Africa and Asia, the genus is known from the Miocene and Pliocene. The scientific name may mean "before hares" or "primitive hares" (pro- meaning "before" and lagos meaning "hare").

The genus Prolagus consists of several prehistoric species. Only one, the Sardinian pika (P. sardus), survived to historical times.


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Wikipedia

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