Prolagidae is an extinct family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 within the order

Order (biology)

In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 of lagomorph

Lagomorpha

The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families, the Leporidae , and the Ochotonidae...

s, which also includes the Leporidae

Leporidae

Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. The leporids, together with the pikas, constitute the mammalian order Lagomorpha. Leporids differ from pikas in having short furry tails, and elongated ears and hind legs...

 (rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s and hare

Hare

Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...

s). One genus, Prolagus, is recognised within the family. This family as Prolaginae was previously considered a subfamily of Ochotonidae. Prolagus first appeared in the Early Miocene

Early Miocene

The Early Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages....

 in Europe, where it survived until historical times. In Africa and Asia, the genus is known from the Miocene

Miocene

The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...

 and Pliocene

Pliocene

The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...

.

Species

The genus Prolagus consists of several prehistoric species. Only one, the Sardinian Pika

Sardinian Pika

The Sardinian Pika was a primitive lagomorph native to the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica until its extinction around the year 1800...

, survived in historical time.

• Prolagus aeningensis
• Prolagus aguilari
• Prolagus apricenicus
• Prolagus crusafonti
• Prolagus fortis
• Prolagus imperialis
• Prolagus italicus
• Prolagus major
• Prolagus michauxi
• Prolagus oeningensis
• Prolagus osmolskae
• Prolagus praevasconiensis
• Prolagus sardus
• Prolagus schnaitheimensis
• Prolagus sorbinii
• Prolagus tobieni
• Prolagus vasconiensis