The lagomorphs (/ˈlæɡəmɔːrf/) are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae (rabbits and hares) and the Ochotonidae (pikas).

The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek lagos (λαγώς, "hare") + morphē (μορφή, "form").

[3] Examination of the fossil evidence in the 21st century suggested that the lagomorphs may have instead descended from mimotonids, mammals present in Asia during the Paleogene with similar body size and dental structure to early European rabbits such as Megalagus turgidus,[4] while Eurymylus was more closely related to rodents (although not a direct ancestor).

[5] The leporids first appeared in the late Eocene and rapidly spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere; they show a trend towards increasingly long hind limbs as the modern leaping gait developed.

[7] A 2008 study suggests an Indian origin for the order, having possibly evolved in isolation when India was an island continent in the Paleocene.

[18] Rabbits and hares move by jumping, pushing off with their strong hind legs and using their forelimbs to soften the impact on landing.

[20] Pikas, also known as conies,[21] are entirely represented by the family Ochotonidae and are small mammals native to mountainous regions of western North America and Central Asia.

Some species live in scree, making their homes in the crevices between broken rocks, while others construct burrows in upland areas.

The rock-dwelling species are typically long-lived and solitary, having one or two small litters each year contributing to stable populations.

The gestation period of the pika is around one month long, and the newborns are altricial (eyes and ears closed, no fur).

As they do not hibernate, they make "haypiles" of dried vegetation which they collect and carry back to their homes to store for use during winter.

[19] Hares, members of genus Lepus of family Leporidae, are medium size mammals native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.

The young of rabbits and pikas (called kits) are born after a short gestation period and the mother can become pregnant again almost immediately after giving birth.

In some species, the mother only visits and feeds the litter once a day but the young grow rapidly and are usually weaned within a month.

They approach and depart from the nesting site in a series of immense bounds, sometimes moving at right angles to their previous direction.