What is the scientific name of the Arctic hare?

The scientific name of the Arctic hare is Lepus arcticus.

This species is a true hare in the family Leporidae, rather than a rabbit. It is adapted to the far northern regions of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, where temperatures are low and vegetation is sparse. Its compact body, short ears, and thick fur help reduce heat loss.

Arctic hares can change colour seasonally in some parts of their range, becoming white in winter and brownish or greyish in summer. Their diet includes woody plants, mosses, lichens, and other tundra vegetation. They may also gather in large groups, sometimes numbering in the hundreds.

The species name arcticus means “of the Arctic.” Arctic hares are distinct from mountain hares and snowshoe hares, although all belong to the same genus, Lepus.