Aztlanolagus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AztlanolagusTemporal range: Pliocene-Pleistocene
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| Scientific classification | |
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Aztlanolagus
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| Species: |
agilis
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Aztlanolagus was an extinct type of rabbit. It lived a very long time ago, during a period called the Quaternary. This period includes the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, which means it lived millions of years ago! Its fossils have been found in what is now the Southern United States and northern Mexico.
The only known species of this rabbit is Aztlanolagus agilis. Scientists named it after Aztlán, a legendary place from the stories of the Nahua peoples, like the Aztecs. Some traditions say Aztlán was located in the border areas of the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This is also where this ancient rabbit's fossils are found.
Where and When It Lived
Fossils of Aztlanolagus show it lived from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene epochs. This means it was around during a time when many large mammals roamed the Earth.
Its fossils have been found in many places across North America. These include southeastern Arizona, central Texas, and central Colorado in the United States. They have also been found in southern Chihuahua in Mexico.
Who Discovered It
The main fossil of Aztlanolagus agilis is kept at the University of Texas at El Paso. This important fossil was found by a person named Richard A. Smartt. It is a part of the rabbit's lower jaw, which includes some of its teeth.
Scientists Brett D. Russell and Arthur H. Harris were the ones who officially described and named this new type of rabbit in 1986.
