What is the difference between the Cape hare and the Rex rabbit? One article tells the two rabbits apart
The Cape hare and the Rex rabbit are both animals of the family Leporidae, only their breeds differ.So what is the difference between the Cape hare and the Rex rabbit?
1. What is the difference between the Cape hare and the Rex rabbit?
1. Rabbit fur
The Rex rabbit, also known as the Rex, is a world-famous large short-haired rabbit breed, generally with a fur length of about 15-18 mm, and its most distinctive feature is the fur on its body. Its fur is extremely dense and upright, feels elastic to the touch, and comes in a variety of coat colors and markings; its fur is of high value, and in European and American countries it is mostly kept as a meat rabbit.
The Cape hare has short fur, and the coat color on its back varies greatly, from sandy yellow to dark brown, usually with black ripples.
2. Morphology
The Cape hare's skull has obvious anterior and posterior notches on the supraorbital process. The posterior end of the nasal bone slightly exceeds the posterior end of the premaxilla, and the anterior end exceeds the vertical line of the posterior margin of the upper incisors. The braincase is slightly wider than that of the Chinese hare. The posterior end of the zygomatic arch is about as wide as the anterior end or slightly wider than the anterior end. The internal nares are distinctly wider than the narrowest part of the palatal bridge in the anteroposterior direction. The length of the auditory bulla is about 13.8-14.2% of the cranial length. The upper margin of the posterior part of the mandible is more slanted than that of the Chinese hare. The condyle is less developed than that of the Chinese hare. There are 3 pairs of nipples.
Young Rex rabbits have short, fine, straight and glossy toe claws hidden among the fur on their feet; in white rabbits, the base of the toe claws is pink and the tips are white, with more red than white. The incisors are pure white, short and neat.
3. Coat color
The coat color on the back of the Cape hare varies greatly, from sandy yellow to dark brown, usually with black ripples; some have back fur that is cinnamon, light camel, or gray-camel; the sides near the belly are brownish yellow; the neck is light earth yellow; the throat is dark earth yellow or light cinnamon; the rump is usually lighter than the back, and the outer side of the ear tips is black; the back of the tail has a large black patch, with the rest pure white; the ventral surface is pure white except for the throat; the back of the feet is earth yellow.
The Rex rabbit already has more than ninety colors, with more than 20 color types including beaver, white (including extra white), red, blue, and chinchilla.