Ochotonidae is a family of small mammals in the order Lagomorpha. A member of this family is called an ochotonid or, colloquially, a pika. They are widespread throughout Asia and western North America, and are generally found in grassland, shrubland, and rocky biomes. Pikas are all roughly the same shape and size, with no tails, ranging from the 11 cm (4 in) long Gansu pika to the 29 cm (11 in) long northern pika. No species have population estimates and many have not yet had their conservation status evaluated, though the Helan Shan pika, Hoffmann's pika, Ili pika, and Koslov's pika are considered endangered.
The 29 extant species of Ochotonidae are contained within a single genus, Ochotona, though that genus is sometimes split into four subgenera: Alienauroa, Conothoa (mountain pikas), Ochotona (shrub-steppe pikas), and Pika (northern pikas). Many extinct Ochotonidae species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed. [1]
Conservation status | |
---|---|
EX | Extinct (0 species) |
EW | Extinct in the wild (0 species) |
CR | Critically Endangered (0 species) |
EN | Endangered (4 species) |
VU | Vulnerable (0 species) |
NT | Near threatened (0 species) |
LC | Least concern (24 species) |
Other categories | |
DD | Data deficient (1 species) |
NE | Not evaluated (0 species) |
Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the ochotonid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "".
The family Ochotonidae consists of twenty-nine extant species in one genus which are divided into dozens of extant subspecies. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists. [2]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghan pika | O. rufescens Gray, 1842 Three subspecies
| Central Asia | Size: 15–24 cm (6–9 in) long [3] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and desert [4] Diet: Herbs and shrubs [4] | LC
|
Alpine pika | O. alpina Pallas, 1773 Four subspecies
| Northeastern Asia | Size: 15–26 cm (6–10 in) long [5] Habitat: Rocky areas [6] Diet: Variety of plants [6] | LC
|
American pika | O. princeps Richardson, 1828 Five subspecies
| Western North America | Size: 15–22 cm (6–9 in) long [7] Habitat: Rocky areas [8] Diet: Sedges, grass, forbs, and shrubs [7] | LC
|
Chinese red pika | O. erythrotis Büchner, 1890 | Central China | Size: 18–19 cm (7–7 in) long [9] Habitat: Rocky areas [10] Diet: Variety of plants [10] | LC
|
Collared pika | O. collaris Nelson, 1893 | Northwestern North America | Size: 14–21 cm (6–8 in) long [11] Habitat: Rocky areas [12] Diet: Variety of plants, as well as bird brains [12] | LC
|
Daurian pika | O. dauurica Pallas, 1776 Four subspecies
| Northeastern Asia | Size: 17–22 cm (7–9 in) long [13] Habitat: Grassland [14] Diet: Shrubs, grass, legumes, and flowers [13] | LC
|
Forrest's pika | O. forresti Thomas, 1923 | Southeastern Asia | Size: 15–19 cm (6–7 in) long [15] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [16] Diet: Variety of plants [16] | LC
|
Gansu pika | O. cansus Lyon, 1907 Four subspecies
| Central China | Size: 11–17 cm (4–7 in) long [17] Habitat: Shrubland and grassland [18] Diet: Shrubs and other plants [18] | LC
|
Glover's pika | O. gloveri Thomas, 1922 Three subspecies
| Central China | Size: 16–25 cm (6–10 in) long [19] Habitat: Rocky areas [20] Diet: Forbs, sedge, and grass [19] | LC
|
Helan Shan pika | O. argentata Howell, 1928 | Central China | Size: 20–24 cm (8–9 in) long [21] Habitat: Rocky areas [22] Diet: Variety of plants [22] | EN
|
Hoffmann's pika | O. hoffmanni Formozov, Yakhontov, Dmitriev, 1996 | Northern Mongolia | Size: 19–21 cm (7–8 in) long [23] Habitat: Rocky areas [24] Diet: Variety of plants [23] | EN
|
Ili pika | O. iliensis Li, Ma, 1986 | Western China | Size: 20–21 cm (8–8 in) long [25] Habitat: Rocky areas [26] Diet: Herbs and shrubs [25] | EN
|
Kazakh pika | O. opaca Argiropulo, 1930 | Central Asia | Size: 17–22 cm (7–9 in) long [27] Habitat: Grassland and rocky areas [28] Diet: Shrubs, herbs, and grass [27] | LC
|
Korean pika | O. coreana Allen, Andrews, 1913 | North Korea and southeastern China | Size: 16–21 cm (6–8 in) long [29] Habitat: Rocky areas [30] Diet: Herbs, shrubs, forbs, fungi, berries, seeds, and lichen [30] | DD
|
Koslov's pika | O. koslowi Büchner, 1894 | Western China | Size: 22–24 cm (9–9 in) long [31] Habitat: Grassland [32] Diet: Sedges and other plants [31] | EN
|
Ladak pika | O. ladacensis Günther, 1875 | Western China and northern India and Pakistan | Size: 18–25 cm (7–10 in) long [33] Habitat: Grassland [34] Diet: Shrubs, flowers, and roots [33] | LC
|
Large-eared pika | O. macrotis Günther, 1875 Five subspecies
| Central Asia and central China | Size: 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long [35] Habitat: Rocky areas [36] Diet: Grass, legumes, sedges, herbs, berries, twigs, moss, and lichen [37] | LC
|
Manchurian pika | O. mantchurica Thomas, 1909 | Northeastern China | Size: 13–22 cm (5–9 in) long [38] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and rocky areas [39] Diet: Variety of plants [38] | LC
|
Moupin pika | O. thibetana Milne-Edwards, 1871 Five subspecies
| Central China | Size: 14–18 cm (6–7 in) long [40] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [41] Diet: Variety of plants [41] | LC
|
Northern pika | O. hyperborea Pallas, 1811 Seven subspecies
| Northeastern Asia | Size: 13–29 cm (5–11 in) long [42] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and rocky areas [43] Diet: Herbs, shrubs, forbs, fungi, berries, seeds, and lichen [42] | LC
|
Nubra pika | O. nubrica Thomas, 1922 Two subspecies
| South Asia | Size: 14–19 cm (6–7 in) long [44] Habitat: Shrubland and grassland [45] Diet: Variety of plants [44] | LC
|
Pallas's pika | O. pallasi Gray, 1867 Four subspecies
| Central and Eastern Asia | Size: 19–23 cm (7–9 in) long [46] Habitat: Grassland and rocky areas [47] Diet: Grass and herbs [48] | LC
|
Plateau pika | O. curzoniae Hodgson, 1858 | Western China and Northern India | Size: 16–21 cm (6–8 in) long [29] Habitat: Grassland and desert [49] Diet: Variety of plants [49] | LC
|
Royle's pika | O. roylei Ogilby, 1839 Two subspecies
| Western China and Northern India | Size: 13–21 cm (5–8 in) long [50] Habitat: Rocky areas [51] Diet: Forbs, as well as other plants [50] | LC
|
Steppe pika | O. pusilla Pallas, 1769 Two subspecies
| Central Asia | Size: 15–21 cm (6–8 in) long [52] Habitat: Shrubland and grassland [53] Diet: Grass and above-ground vegetation [52] | LC
|
Thomas's pika | O. thomasi Argiropulo, 1948 | Central China | Size: 13–16 cm (5–6 in) long [54] Habitat: Shrubland and grassland [55] Diet: Variety of plants [55] | LC
|
Tsing-ling pika | O. syrinx Matschie, 1908 | Central China | Size: 13–18 cm (5–7 in) long [56] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [57] Diet: Variety of plants [57] | LC
|
Turkestan red pika | O. rutila Sévertsov, 1873 | Central Asia | Size: 18–26 cm (7–10 in) long [58] Habitat: Rocky areas [59] Diet: Grass and other plants [59] | LC
|
Turuchan pika | O. turuchanensis Naumov, 1934 | Central Russia | Size: 15–22 cm (6–9 in) long [60] Habitat: Rocky areas [61] Diet: Variety of plants [61] | LC
|
The Gansu pika or gray pika is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is endemic to China.
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.
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.
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.
Hoffmann's pika is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, that is endemic to Mongolia. It is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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.
The Ladak pika, also known as the Ladakh pika, 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 and are herbivores.
The large-eared pika is a species of small mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is found in mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Tibet, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan where it nests among boulders and scree.
The Nubra pika is a species of mammal of the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
The steppe pika is a small mammal of the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in the steppes of southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan.
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.
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".
The Turkestani 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.
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.
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.
Pallas's pika, also known as the Mongolian pika, is a species of small mammals in the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found mainly in the mountains of western Mongolia.
The Tsing-ling pika is a species of pika endemic to the mountains in Central China. It inhabits mountainous forests and shrublands. It is a poorly known species.
The Turuchan pika is a species of pika found in isolated regions in the Central Siberian Plateau. It is a small (16–19 cm) rock dwelling species that is active during the day due to the low temperature at night. It was previously thought to be a subspecies of the Northern pika. Little is known about this species, but is known to be locally abundant.