Subspecies and Distribution. O.c.cuniculusLinnaeus,1758—N,NE&EIberianPeninsula(Spain). O.c.algirusLoche,1858—S,SW&WIberianPeninsula(Spain,Portugal),NMorocco,NAlgeria(includingHabibasI). O.c.brachyotusTrouessart,1917—SFrance. O.c.cnossiusBate,1906—CreteI. O.c.habetensisCabrera,1923—Tanger-Tetouan-AlHoceimaRegion(NMorocco). O. c. huxleyi Haeckel, 1874 — Mediterranean Is (Balearic Is, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily and Macaronesia (Azores, Madeira, and Canary Is). Original distribution after last Ice Age restricted to Iberian Peninsula, W France, and N Africa. Ancient introductions of the nominate subspecies probably during the Ro- man period have spread it throughout Europe, and now it is present in most of W, C & E Europe and the Mediterranean and Macaronesian Is (these mostly old introductions are also shaded on the map). During the 20" century it has been released into the steppes of the Black Sea in Ukraine and Russia (N Caucasus); introduced into Australia in 1788 and again in 1859 where it is now widespread; it is found on many Pacific Is, islands off the coast of South Africa and Namibia, and in New Zealand; successfully introduced only since 1936 into South America, nowadays with a limited range in Chile, Argentina, and Falkland Is, it is also present in the Caribbean Is (all these modern introductions not shaded in the map). Worldwide as domesticated forms. in Leporidae