Reddish pika
| Reddish pika | ||||||||||||
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Reddish pika ( Ochotona rufescens ) |
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| Ochotona rufescens | ||||||||||||
| ( Gray , 1842) |
The reddish pipe hare ( Ochotona rufescens ) is a species of mammal belonging to the pipe hare family within the hare-like species . Its distribution area includes parts of the mountain regions of southwestern Turkmenistan as well as Afghanistan , Pakistan and Iran .
features
The reddish pika is one of the medium-sized representatives of the genus. Body weight is likely to be between 125 and 400 grams. The back color of the animals is gray-brown, the sides and the belly are white-gray to dirty white with a yellowish tinge. They have a cream-colored collar that is bordered above and below by rust-red fur. The winter fur is thicker and uniformly brown, the collar is only indistinctly visible. The females have four pairs of teats .
The skull of the reddish piping hare is large and domed. The area between the eyes is narrow with clearly pronounced bone ridges. He has no fenestration in the frontal bones and the bulla tympanica is relatively large. The genome consists of 2n = 60 chromosomes .
distribution
The distribution area of the reddish whistle hare covers large parts of the mountain regions of southwestern Turkmenistan as well as Afghanistan , Pakistan and Iran . It occurs at altitudes between 1900 and 3500 meters.
Way of life
The habitat of the red piping hare is of course formed by steppes and valleys. They often live in stony areas where the animals dig their burrows. In addition, it often lives in juniper forests and in agricultural areas, especially tree plantations and wheat fields. The areas in which they build their buildings usually have 30 to 60 percent vegetation.
The reddish pika is diurnal and has its main activity in the morning. They are sometimes sociable and can live together in larger groups and families, the regional population density is up to 70 animals per hectare, it can change significantly depending on the weather. The social structure is variable and depends primarily on the weather conditions, especially the drought in summer. In the spring, the males live alone and form territories that include the territories of several females. The young live with the females and, together with the mother, have a radius of about 30 meters in diameter. At the beginning of the dry season, all animals defend the immediate vicinity of their buildings against intruders. The territories are marked by secretions from the neck gland.
The predators and birds of prey are likely to be among the predators of the reddish pika . The main predator is assumed to be the Levant Otter ( Macrophia lebetina ) , especially for southern Turkmenistan .
nutrition
The reddish pika feeds mainly on thistles and other plants of dry vegetation such as ephedra and artemisia species. A total of 58 different plant species were found in the buildings. He forms piles of up to five kilograms in which the plants are dried and which he then brings into his burrow as stock. The stocks are usually replenished twice a year, in spring and autumn. The animals also steal food from other conspecifics.
Since the red piping hare also occurs in agricultural areas and feeds on the crops there, it is viewed regionally as a nuisance. In addition to wheat , this mainly affects apple and walnut trees .
Reproduction
Little information is available on the reproductive behavior of the reddish piping hare. Like other species in the genus, they are likely to be monogamous or polygynous, and the males are likely to form territories that overlap the territories of one or more females during the breeding season.
The reproduction rate of the reddish pigeon hares is high. During the breeding period from March to September, females give birth to up to five litters with one to eleven, on average five to seven, young animals each. The gestation period is likely to be around 30 days and the young will likely be suckled by the mother for 30 days as well. The pups weigh about nine grams at birth, they are naked and their eyes are closed. The females are sexually mature in the first year and can have their first litter in the same reproductive phase in which they were born.
Systematics
The first description of the reddish piphare comes from the naturalist John Edward Gray in 1842. It is assigned as an independent species to the piphare (genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Ochotona .
Currently, three subspecies are described with the nominate form Ochotona rufescens rufescens as well as Ochotona rufescens regina and Ochotona rufescens shukurovi .
Hazard and protection
The species is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as not endangered (least concern) due to its very large distribution area and large population. A decline in populations and an endangerment are not documented.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (ed.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF; 11.3 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990; Pp. 49-50. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .
- ↑ a b c d e Ochotona rufescens in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: E. Bewer, AT Smith, 2008. Accessed July 14, 2012 found.
- ↑ a b c d Michael Triepke: Ochotona pusilla in the Animal Diversity Net. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
- ↑ a b Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Ochotona rufescens ( 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).
literature
- Joseph A. Chapman, John EC Flux (Eds.): Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. (PDF; 11.3 MB) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Gland 1990; Pp. 49-50. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1 .
Web links
- Ochotona rufescens in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: E. Bewer, AT Smith, 2008. Accessed July 14, 2012 found.
- Michael Triepke: Ochotona pusilla in the Animal Diversity Net. Retrieved July 14, 2012.