Moupin Whistler

Moupin Whistler
	Moupin Pika ( Ochotona thibetana )
Systematics
Subclass :	Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Superordinate :	Euarchontoglires
Order :	Hare-like (Lagomorpha)
Family :	Ochotonidae
Genre :	Pika ( Ochotona )
Type :	Moupin Whistler
Scientific name
	Ochotona thibetana
	( Milne-Edwards , 1871)

The Moupin-Pfeifhase , Tibetan Pfeifhase or Tibet-Pfeifhase ( Ochotona thibetana ) is a mammal from the family of the Pfeifhasen (Ochotonidae) within the hare-like (Lagomorpha). Their distribution area is in the Tibetan highlands and the Himalayas in parts of the People's Republic of China , India , Bhutan and the extreme north of Myanmar .

features

The Moupin pika is a comparatively small pika with a body length of 14 to 18 centimeters and a weight of 72 to 136 grams, making it slightly larger than Ochotona cansus . In summer it has a sandy brown, dark red to tea brown or dark brown fur, although the colors can vary regionally. There is a distinct sand-brown collar on the neck, which continues in the middle of the abdomen. The belly side is otherwise matt gray, matt gray-yellow, ocher-colored or white. The ears are dark brown with a narrow, white border. In winter the back color is dull brown to sand colored. The ears reach a length of 17 to 23 millimeters, the hind feet are 24 to 32 millimeters long and slightly hairy on the underside.

The skull is comparatively large in relation to the body size. Compared to Ochotona cansus , it is somewhat larger with a wider zygomatic arch . The incisor and palate windows merge into one another in this type and form a common window. The tympanic bladder is large. In profile, the skull is pear-shaped and slightly wider than that of Ochotona cansus .

distribution

Distribution area of the Moupin Pika

The Moupin Pika lives in the area of the Tibetan highlands and the Himalayas in parts of the People's Republic of China , India , Bhutan and the extreme north of Myanmar . In China the distribution area is limited to the provinces of Qinghai , Yunnan , Sichuan , Gansu and southern Tibet , in India the species only comes with the subspecies O. c. sikimaria in the state of Sikkim .

The altitude distribution of the animals is usually between 2400 and 4100 meters, but the species has also been documented at altitudes of 1800 meters.

Way of life

The habitat of the Moupin Whistle Hare consists mainly of rhododendron and bamboo forests at moderate heights to forests in the highlands and stony areas under stands of trees. The animals live in simple, self-dug structures. They are diurnal and sometimes also nocturnal and generally feed on parts of plants that they layer like other pigeon hares to make haystacks.

The breeding season extends from April to July. During this time the females give birth to several litters with 1 to 5 young animals each.

Systematics

The Moupin-Pfeifhase is assigned as a separate species to the Pfeifhasen (genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Ochotona . Historically, several taxa Ochotona thibetana, which were later recognized as independent species, were assigned to the Gansu pigeon hare ( Ochotona cansus ), Ochotona forresti , Ochotona huangensis and the nubra piper ( Ochotona nubrica ) .

A total of three to five subspecies are distinguished with the nominate form, depending on the source. In addition to the nominate form O. t. thibetana at O. t. nangqenica and O. c. sikimaria and, in some cases , also to O. t. osgoodi and O. t. sacraria . O. t. osgoodi has been described as a species in its own right and Ochotona pusilla has been assigned as a subspecies, but is currently considered a synonym for the Forrest pigeon hare ( Ochotona forresti ). The isolated populations of Ochotona sikimaria , formerly also assigned to Ochotona cansus , were surveyed for their own species in 2016 following molecular biological studies. It shows clear genetic differences to the Moupin-Pfeifhasen, the Gansu-Pfeifhasen and the black-lipped Pfeifhase ( O. curzoniae ).

Hazard and protection

The species is classified as not endangered (least concern) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) due to its large distribution area. The Moupin Pika is considered common in most of its range and in parts of the range, especially in the Gansu province, it is considered a pest and controlled. Deforestation of large areas in China is believed to be a possible threat to the species' populations .

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Moupin pika. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008; Pp. 286-287. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 .

↑ ^a ^b ^c Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Ed.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF file; 10.74 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990; Pp. 52-53. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ochotona thibetana in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012.2. Listed by: Andrew T. Smith , AF Boyer, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2012.

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Ochotona (Ochotona) thibetana in Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).

^ AA Lissovsky: Moupin Pika - Ochotona thibetana. In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (editors): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Lagomorphs and Rodents 1. (HMW, Volume 6), Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2016; P. 47. ISBN 978-84-941892-3-4

^ AA Lissovsky: Forrest's Pika - Ochotona forresti. In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (editors): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Lagomorphs and Rodents 1. (HMW, Volume 6), Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2016; 58. ISBN 978-84-941892-3-4

↑ Nishma Dahal, Andrey A. Lissovsky, Zhenzhen Lin, Katherine Solari, Elizabeth A. Hadly, Xiangjiang Zhan, Uma Ramakrishnan: Genetics, morphology and ecology reveal a cryptic pika lineage in the Sikkim Himalaya. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, September 15, 2016. DOI: 10.1016 / j.ympev.2016.09.015 .

literature

Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Eds.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF file; 10.74 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990; Pp. 52-53. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .
Moupin pika. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008; Pp. 286-287. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 .

Web links

Commons : Ochotona thibetana - collection of images, videos and audio files

Ochotona thibetana inthe IUCN 2012 Red List of Threatened Species . 2. Listed by: Andrew T. Smith , AF Boyer, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2012.

[Smith_&_Yan_Xie_2009-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Moupin pika. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008; Pp. 286-287. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 .

[Chapman_&_Flux-2] Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Ed.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF file; 10.74 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990; Pp. 52-53. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .