Silver Pika
| Silver Pika | ||||||||||||
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| Ochotona argentata | ||||||||||||
| Howell , 1928 |
The silver pipe hare ( Ochotona argentata ) is a species of mammal from the family of the pipe hare (Ochotonidae) within the hare-like (Lagomorpha). Their distribution area is limited to the Helan Shan in the Ningxia autonomous region of the People's Republic of China.
features
The silver pipe bunny is a large pipe bunny with a body length of 20.8 to 23.5 centimeters and a weight of 176 to 236 grams. In summer it has a monochrome, light, reddish-brown fur and thus resembles the red pipe hare ( Ochotona rutila ) and the big-eared pipe hare ( Ochotona macrotis ). In winter, the color of the back, like the rest of the body, is silver, with the hair being pale steel gray with black tips; hence the English name "Silver Pika" and the type epithet argentata (from Latin argentum = silver). The feet are white on the top and gray on the underside and the peritoneum is interspersed with white and yellow-brown. The ears reach a length of 22 to 25 millimeters, the hind feet are 31 to 35 millimeters long.
The skull differs from that of the Altai pika in that it has significantly larger eye sockets and larger windows in the front palatal bone .
distribution
The silver pika is endemic to the People's Republic of China and is restricted to Helan Shan in the Ningxia Autonomous Region . The species lives in the high mountains on an area of only three square kilometers with a length of 2 kilometers and a width of 1.5 kilometers.
Way of life
Very little information is available about the way of life of this pika. The habitat is limited to the rocky edge areas of a forest area in the Helan Shan. He lives between the stones and also uses mine shafts with depths of up to 20 meters from the entrance. Like other species, this pika forms hay bales from available vegetation as a food reservoir. Compared to Ochotona pallasi and the Altai pigeon hare ( Ochotona alpina ), this species communicates very little.
Systematics
The silver pipe hare was assigned as a separate species to the pipe hare (genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Pika , subspecies are not known. Originally, the species was considered a subspecies of the Altai pigeon hare ( Ochotona alpina ) and at times described as O. helanshanensis .
On the basis of molecular data it was assumed that O. helanshanensis (= O. argentata ) should be regarded as a subspecies of Ochotona pallasi , but the genetic distance is classified as too great and the karyotype (2n = 38) of the two species differs . O. argentata is instead assigned to the alpina - hyperborea group, whose sister species is Ochotona pallasi . A final clarification of the species status is still pending, as more recent data recommend an assignment to O. pallasi again .
Hazard and protection
The species is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) due to its very limited range within a single forest area with an area of only three square kilometers. This forest area, and thus the habitat, was further reduced in size by logging in the past and it is assumed that deforestation will continue in the area of distribution.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g Silver Pika. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008; P. 277. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 .
- ↑ a b c d e Ochotona argentata in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012.2. Listed by: Andrew T. Smith , CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
- ↑ Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Ochotona argentata ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. in Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).
- ↑ Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Ochotona pallasi ( Memento of the original from February 1, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. in Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).
literature
- Silver pika. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008; P. 277. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 .
Web links
- Ochotona argentata inthe IUCN 2012 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Andrew T. Smith , CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2012.