Definition

Noun 1. A species of hare: Lepus townsendi is the scientific name for a specific, large species of hare native to North America. It is commonly known as the white-tailed jackrabbit. * Key identifying characteristics include its large size, seasonal color change (brownish-grey in summer, pale grey in winter), and a tail that is nearly always completely white.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The biologist studied the adaptation of Lepus townsendi to the harsh prairie winter.
  • Unlike the snowshoe hare, Lepus townsendi does not turn pure white in winter.
  • A distinguishing feature is the all-white tail of Lepus townsendi.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Context: The term is primarily used in zoological, ecological, and scientific writing to precisely identify the species, as opposed to the common name "white-tailed jackrabbit."
  • The study compared the foraging behavior of Lepus townsendi with that of Lepus americanus.

Variants and Related Words

• White-tailed jackrabbit (n): The common name for .
• Jackrabbit (n): A general term for several large hare species in North America, which includes .
• Hare (n): A type of mammal closely related to but distinct from rabbits, belonging to the genus .

Synonyms

• White-tailed jackrabbit: The direct common name synonym.

Noun

1. largest hare of northern plains and western mountains of United States; brownish-grey in summer and pale grey in winter; tail nearly always all white