Alta Mira Jackrabbit

It has a very small range, being found from the coastal plain of southern Tamaulipas south to extreme north Veracruz and west to the eastern border of San Luis Potosí. It is an endemic of the Tamaulipan mezquital ecosystem. The first specimens of the species were found in 1898 in a scrubland consisting primarily of guava (Psidium guajava), mesquites (Prosopis juliflora), acacias, and cactuses of various species. No other specimens have been collected since, and it has been feared that the species has at least suffered a significant reduction in range similar to that faced by L. flavigularis and L. callotis, with the latter species being replaced over most of its range by L. californicus. However, a putative individual was photographed with a trail camera near the Laguna Madre in 2016, with the images being posted to Facebook and Twitter. In addition, another putative individual was photographed in Soto la Marina in 2014, with the images being posted to iNaturalist and initially identified as a black-tailed jackrabbit. These sightings indicate that L. altamirae may still be extant despite the threats it faces. …