Ladak pika

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Ladak pika
Ladakh Pika 2007.jpg
at 5000 m near Tang Lang La
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Ochotonidae
Genus: Ochotona
Species:
O. ladacensis
Binomial name
Ochotona ladacensis
(Günther, 1875)
Ladak Pika area.png
Ladak pika range

The Ladak pika (Ochotona ladacensis), also known as the Ladakh pika, [2] is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae found in China, India, and Pakistan. Prior to identification as a separate species, specimens were thought to be of the plateau pika. Named for the Ladakh region, they are commonly found in valleys of the mountain ranges spanning from Pakistan through India to China at an elevation between 4,300 and 5,450 m (14,110 and 17,880 ft) and are herbivores.

Contents

Taxonomy

Specimens of the Ladak pika were originally identified as plateau pika [1] due to their color and the similarities in the narrow interorbital region on the skull of each species. However, differences were found between the two including the smaller auditory bulla found in the Ladak pika and a differently arched skull shape. [3] There are no subspecies of the Ladak pika. [1] Local names in the Ladakhi language include zabra, karin, and phisekarin. [4]

Description

The fur of the Ladak pika is a light brown/grey with a yellow/white underside. [3] The length of the body of an adult specimen measures between 7 and 9 inches (18 and 23 cm). [4] The outside areas of the ears are a color reminiscent of rust. The skull has a high arch. [3] They reproduce during late June and early July. [3]

Habitat

The Ladak pika is found in the mountain ranges of northern India, northeastern Pakistan, and western China including the provinces of Qinghai, Xizang and Xinjiang, as well as across the Tibetan Plateau. [1] [3] They inhabit valleys at elevations between 4,300 and 5,450 metres (14,110 and 17,880 ft), [3] and dig burrows. [1] They are herbivorous and are thought to eat roots throughout the winter such as those of the family Primulaceae. [1] [3] The Ladak pika lives in territorial family groups. [5] They have been recorded as being commonly found during surveys in these regions. [1]

Related Research Articles

Pika Genus of mammals in the family Ochotonidae of the order Lagomorpha

A pika is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal found in Asia and North America. With short limbs, very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative, the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The large-eared pika of the Himalayas and nearby mountains is found at heights of more than 6,000 m (20,000 ft), among the highest of any mammal.

Pallass cat Small wild cat species (Otocolobus manul)

The Pallas's cat, also known as the manul, is a small wild cat with long and dense light grey fur. Its rounded ears are set low on the sides of the head. Its head-and-body length ranges from 46 to 65 cm with a 21 to 31 cm long bushy tail. It is well camouflaged and adapted to the cold continental climate in its native range, which receives little rainfall and experiences a wide range of temperatures. The Pallas's cat has rounded rather than vertical slit pupils, a unique feature among small cats.

Tibetan fox Species of true fox

The Tibetan fox, also known as Tibetan sand fox, is a species of true fox endemic to the high Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh plateau, Nepal, China, Sikkim, and Bhutan, up to elevations of about 5,300 m (17,400 ft). It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List, on account of its widespread range in the Tibetan Plateau's steppes and semi-deserts.

Alpine pika Species of mammal

The alpine pika is a species of small mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. The summer pelage of different subspecies varies drastically but, in general, it is dark or cinnamon brown, turning to grey with a yellowish tinge during the winter. The alpine pika is found in western Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, and Russia, as well as in China, in very cold, mountainous regions. It is a generalist herbivore, and mainly forages on mosses, tree branches, pine nuts, and plant stems. It can emit three series of different vocalizations: a long call, a short call, and an alarm call. It is rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

Plateau pika Species of mammal

The plateau pika, also known as the black-lipped pika, is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae.

Chinese red pika Species of mammal

The Chinese red pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. Typical of a pika it has short limbs, a small tail and round ears. Specific to the Chinese red pika has distinctive red color in its pelt. The Chinese pika typically lives in rocky terrain at altitudes between 600–1200 meters. and is endemic to the East Qinghai, West Gansu and Northern Sichuan provinces of China and Eastern Tibet.

Forrests pika Species of mammal

The Forrest's pika is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, and Myanmar. The summer dorsal pelage and ventral pelage are dark rufous or blackish brown, and the winter dorsal pelage is a grayish brown, slightly lighter in tone than the ventral pelage. It is a generalist herbivore. It was assessed by the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species as insufficiently known in 1994, as near threatened in 1996, and re-assessed in 2008 as a species of least concern.

Gaoligong pika Species of mammal

The Gaoligong pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is endemic to China. Many of the general physical characteristics of the pika species, are shared by Gaoligong pikas. However, the Gaoligong pika is specifically characterized by unique physical characteristics, including a red-brown colored crown around the neck and black behind the ears. They can produce one litter per year and can live up to three years. Their behavior is currently undetermined due to limited information available about the species. This is due to the inaccessibility of their habitat.

Glovers pika Species of mammal

Glover's pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was first described in 1922, by Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas. The summer dorsal pelage is grayish rufous, grayish brown, or tea brown in colour. The winter pelage is similar to the summer pelage, but is lighter in tone. Endemic to China, it is found in high altitudes of northeastern Tibet, southwestern Qinghai, western Sichuan, and northwestern Yunnan. It is a generalist herbivore, and is known to construct haypiles. It is rated as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is also regionally red listed as least concern in China.

Ili pika Species of mammal

The Ili pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae, endemic to northwest China. After its discovery in 1983, it was not documented again until 2002. The Ili pika population is declining and is currently considered to be endangered, with approximately fewer than 1,000 left.

Koslovs pika Species of mammal

Koslov's pika or Kozlov's pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is endemic to China. Its natural habitat is tundra. It is threatened by habitat loss. Kozlov's pika are herbivores, they are known as "ecosystem engineers" as they're known to promote diversity of different plants species. Specifically, this species of Pikas has been enlisted as "endangered" in China. Kozlov Pikas are estimated to be within the Northern edge of the Arkatag Range in China.

Nubra pika Species of mammal

The Nubra pika is a species of mammal of the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Royles pika Species of mammal

Royle's pika, also called the Himalayan mouse hare or hui shutu, is a species of pika. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Afghan pika Species of mammal

The Afghan pika is a species of small mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Turkmenistan and the IUCN lists it as being of "least concern".

Turkestan red pika Species of mammal

The Turkestan red pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. The summer fur at its back is bright rufous and the ventral fur is white or ochraceous. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is white or light ochraceous in colour. It is found in the mountains of western Xinjiang in China, and sporadically also in the central Asian mountains in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The female has a low fertility rate, and gives birth to offspring during the breeding season from spring to summer. She generally produces two litters each year, with two to six young. It is rated as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species, but it is considered to be near-threatened within the China part of its range.

Moupin pika Species of mammal

The Moupin pika, also known as Ribetischer Pika, Moupin-Pika, Pika del Tibet, and Manipuri pika, is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. It has many subspecies, some of which may be distinct species. Its summer pelage is dark russet-brown with some light spots on the dorsal side, and ochraceous buff tinged on the belly. In winter it is lighter, with buff to dull brown dorsal pelage. A generalist herbivore, it is found in the mountains of the eastern Tibetan Plateau in China, Bhutan, India (Sikkim), and northern Myanmar. Both the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species and the Red List of China's Vertebrates classify it as a species of least concern; although one subspecies may be endangered.

Thomass pika Species of mammal

Thomas's pika, also known as the Thomas-pika, is a species of small mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. The fur on its upper body is reddish brown in summer, and mouse grey in winter. It is a generalist herbivore threatened by habitat loss, being found on isolated peaks of the eastern Qilian Mountains in Qinghai, Gansu, and northwestern Sichuan, in China. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species assessed the animal as insufficiently known in 1994, as near threatened in 1996, and as a species of least concern in 2008.

Black pika Species of mammal

The black pika or silver pika is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was thought to be common to the Yunnan Province of China where it was first discovered in 2000, it is only known from four specimens. The validity of the species has been questioned, with some studies suggesting that the known specimens represent melanistic individuals of Forrest's pika.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Smith, A.T.; Li, W. (2016). "Ochotona ladacensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41264A45183725. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41264A45183725.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Li, Weidong; Zhang, Huibin; Liu, Zhihu (2006). "Brief report on the status of Kozlov's pika, Ochotona koslowi (Büchner), in the east Kunlun mountains of China". Integrative Zoology . 1 (1): 22–24. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2006.00008.x . PMID   21395987.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Chapman, Joseph A.; Flux, John E.C. (1990). Rabbits, Hares and Pikas: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Gland, Switzerland: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. pp. 38–39. ISBN   9782831700199.
  4. 1 2 Sterndale, Robert Armitidge (1929). Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon. Calcutta, India: Simla, Thacker, Spink. ISBN   9781465545176.
  5. Smith, Andrew T.; Xie, Yie (2008). A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. p. 283. ISBN   9780691099842.