Genus for Leporidae family

Genus: Oryctolagus

• European Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus

*All breeds of Domestic Rabbits are descendants of the European wild rabbit, ‘Oryctolagus cuniculus’

Genus: Sylvilagus (Cottontails)

• Swamp Rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus
• Marsh Rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris
• Eastern Cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
• New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis
• Mountain Cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
• Desert Cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii

Genus: Lepus(Hares)

• White-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii
• Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
• Snowshoe Hare, Lepus americanus
• Artic Hare, Lepus arcticus

*Both Snowshoe and Arctic Hares turn brown in summer, white in winter 

 

Cottontail and Domestic rabbits cannot be crossbred, nor can hares and rabbits. This is because of differences in chromosome numbers between them.They can mate all they want, no babies will ever be produced.

When you see people who claim they caught a "wild" rabbit and mixed it in with their domestic rabbits. Most often then not they have caught a domestic rabbit that had been let loose, or they're lying.