Northern pika

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Northern pika
Northern pika

Northern pika

Systematics
Subclass : Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Superordinate : Euarchontoglires
Order : Hare-like (Lagomorpha)
Family : Ochotonidae
Genre : Pika ( Ochotona )
Type : Northern pika
Scientific name
Ochotona hyperborea
Pallas , 1811
Distribution map of the Northern Pika

The Northern Pfeifhase ( Ochotona hyperborea ) belongs to the family of the Pfeifhasen . It is a Palearctic species, for which several subspecies are distinguished.

Appearance

An adult animal has a body length of 12 to 18 centimeters and a small 0.5 to 1.2 centimeter long tail. The weight varies between 55 and 200 grams. The Northern Pika wears a reddish-brown coat in summer and a greyish-brown one in winter. The feet are slightly darker than the body fur. The tail is inconspicuous, the whiskers are very long and can measure up to 5.5 centimeters, which is an essential distinguishing feature from the other Ochotona species.

Occurrence

The distribution area extends in Asia from the mountains of the Urals , through Mongolia and Manchuria to northern Japan and North Korea . The Northern Pika is absent on the Taimyr Peninsula , but occurs on the Chukchi Peninsula and Kamchatka .

Way of life

Northern pika mainly eat grass , herbs and plant stems. While eating, the jaws move sideways, which is reminiscent of the jaw movements of a feeding rabbit. There is no other species that has jaw movement like rabbits. For the winter time they create food supplies from hay.

The Northern Pika lives in colonies that can occasionally include very large numbers of individuals. They dig burrows, but also occasionally use natural caves under stones or fallen trees.

The mating season begins in May. Two, three or more times a year the female gives birth to up to twelve young animals. The gestation period lasts about 30 days. The young are weaned after three to four weeks. They reach the size of an adult animal by around forty to fifty days of age. The young often reach sexual maturity in their first year of life.

Systematics

Northern Pika ( Ochotona hyperborea yesoensis ) on Mount Nipesotsu , Japan

The Northern Pfeifhase is assigned as an independent species to the Pfeifhasen (genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Ochotona . The first scientific description of the species comes from Peter Simon Pallas in 1811.

Several subspecies are distinguished within the species:

  • Ochotona hyperborea hyperborea ( Pallas , 1811)
  • Ochotona hyperborea cinereoflava Schrenk , 1858
  • Ochotona hyperborea cinereofusca Schrenk , 1858
  • Ochotona hyperborea ferruginea Schrenk , 1858
  • Ochotona hyperborea naumovi Formozov & Yakhonton , 2003
  • Ochotona hyperborea uralensis Flerov , 1927
  • Ochotona hyperborea yesoensis Kishida , 1930
  • Ochotona hyperborea yoshikurai Kishida , 1932

Another subspecies is sometimes described with Ochotona hyperborea normalis Schrenk , 1858. The Ochotona coreana and Ochotona mantchurica, which were formerly also regarded as subspecies, are regarded as an independent species due to the molecular biological characteristics of the mitochondrial DNA by Andrei Alexandrowitsch Lissowski in his revision from 2013 and in its processing in the Handbook of the Mammals of the World from 2016.

Danger

The entire population of this species is currently not considered threatened. In the Red List of the World Conservation of Nature Union , the Northern Pika is therefore listed in the "LC" (least concern - not endangered) category.

supporting documents

  1. ^ Sale, p. 367
  2. ^ Sale, p. 367
  3. ^ Sale, p. 367
  4. ↑ Sale, p. 368
  5. ↑ a b c A.A. Lissovsky: Korean Pika - Ochotona coreana. 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. 52. ISBN 978-84-941892-3-4 .
  6. ↑ Hoffman, RS; Smith, AT (2005). " Order Lagomorpha ". In Wilson, DE; Reeder, DM Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.)
  7. ^ Andrey A. Lissovsky: Taxonomic revision of pikas Ochotona (Lagomorpha, Mammalia) at the species level. Mammalia 78 (2), 2013; Pp. 199-216. doi : 10.1515 / mammalia-2012-0134
  8. ↑ Ochotona hyperborea in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Lagomorph Specialist Group, 1996. Accessed October 31, 2015.

literature

  • Richard Sale: A Complete Guide to Arctic Wildlife , published by Christopher Helm, London 2006, ISBN 0-7136-7039-8

Web links

Commons : Northern Pika  album with pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Northern Pfeifhase  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations