Rabbits (Sylvilagus, Romerolagus) and hares (Lepus), both in the family Leporidae, represent an ecologically important group of morphologically conservative mammals with a complex evolutionary history shaped by rapid diversification, long-distance dispersal, incomplete lineage sorting, recurrent introgression/mitochondrial capture, and hybridization, largely in the absence of important morphological divergence. Advances in molecular and genomic research have greatly improved our understanding of leporid relationships, yet substantial taxonomic uncertainties remain, particularly in Middle and South America, where species diversity historically has been underestimated. Lepus and Sylvilagus show pronounced geographic structure and frequent gene flow, complicating species delimitation based on morphology or single genetic markers alone. Recent integrative studies reveal that many populations previously treated as widespread species in fact represent distinct evolutionary lineages, highlighting the need for comprehensive taxonomic and phylogenetic reassessments. Improving our understanding of leporid diversity in Central and South America is essential not only for reconstructing their evolutionary history but also for establishing accurate conservation priorities, because several lineages occupy restricted ranges and threatened habitats, for example: L. flavigularis, S. insonus, S. tapetillus, and Romerolagus diazi.