Species of mammal
Helan Shan pika |
Conservation status |
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1] |
Scientific classification |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Lagomorpha |
Family: | Ochotonidae |
Genus: | Ochotona |
Species: | O. argentata |
Binomial name |
Ochotona argentata
Howell, 1928 |
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Helan Shan pika range |
Synonyms |
Ochotona helanshanensis Zheng, 1987 (found in Wang 1990) Ochotona pallasi ssp. helanshanensis Zheng, 1987 (found in Wang 1990) |
The Helan Shan pika or silver pika (Ochotona argentata) is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is endemic to China where it is found in a small region of the Helan Mountains. It is listed as "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as of 2016.
Description
Like other pikas, the Helan Shan pika has long, soft grayish-brown fur. It is related to rabbits and hares but unlike those animals, the limbs are all about the same length. The ears are small and rounded and the feet are covered with fur.[2] It grows to a length of about 22 cm (9 in).[1]
Distribution and habitat
The Helan Shan pika is known only from the Helan Mountains in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of China which lie between the semi-arid Ordos Desert and the Yellow River Valley to the east and the Badain Jaran Desert to the west. Upland areas are clad in coniferous forests of dragon spruce (Picea asperata) with a lower layer of birch (Betula spp.) and poplar (Populus spp.). On the more exposed, open slopes, scrub species include the Manchu rose (Rosa xanthina), Caragana spp., the Gansu elm (Ulmus glaucescens), the hazel-hornbeam (Ostryopsis davidiana), the yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolia) and the temple juniper (Juniperus rigida).[3] The Helan Shan pika occupies rocky outcrops among the trees and scrub and has been found up to 20 metres (66 ft) deep in the entrances of disused mines.[1]
Biology
The Helan Shan pika lives among boulders and scree and makes its home deep in the crevices between stones. It is a herbivore and feeds on grass and other vegetation which it gathers in meadow areas adjoining the scree. It does not hibernate and, to help provide for the winter when food is scarce, it makes "haypiles" of dried grass and foliage during the summer and stores them underground.[2]
Status
The Helan Shan pika is known only from a high altitude site of 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) in a single mountain range in China. Its population size is unknown but is likely to be decreasing as a result of logging activities within its range resulting in loss of habitat. It cannot tolerate high temperatures and any warming of the climate is likely to have negative impacts on the species. For these reasons, the IUCN in its Red List of Threatened Species lists this animal as being "Endangered".[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Smith, A.T.; Li, W. (2016). "Ochotona argentata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41986A45194521. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41986A45194521.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b Smith, Andrew T. "Pika". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
- ^ Carpenter, Chris (2013). "Helanshan montane conifer forests". Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
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Family Ochotonidae (Pikas) |
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Ochotona | - Subgenus Pika: Alpine pika (O. alpina)
- Helan Shan pika (O. argentata)
- Collared pika (O. collaris)
- Korean pika (O. coreana)
- Hoffmann's pika (O. hoffmanni)
- Northern pika (O. hyperborea)
- Manchurian pika (O. mantchurica)
- Kazakh pika (O. opaca)
- Pallas's pika (O. pallasi)
- American pika (O. princeps)
- Turuchan pika (O. turuchanensis)
- Subgenus Ochotona: Gansu pika (O. cansus)
- Plateau pika (O. curzoniae)
- Daurian pika (O. dauurica)
- Nubra pika (O. nubrica)
- Steppe pika (O. pusilla)
- Qionglai pika (O. qionglaiensis)
- Afghan pika (O. rufescens)
- Sijin pika (O. sikimaria)
- Tsing-ling pika (O. syrinx)
- Moupin pika (O. thibetana)
- Thomas's pika (O. thomasi)
- Subgenus Conothoa: Chinese red pika (O. erythrotis)
- Forrest's pika (O. forresti)
- Glover's pika (O. gloveri)
- Ili pika (O. iliensis)
- Koslov's pika (O. koslowi)
- Ladak pika (O. ladacensis)
- Large-eared pika (O. macrotis)
- Royle's pika (O. roylei)
- Turkestan red pika (O. rutila)
- Subgenus Alienauroa: Yellow pika (O. huanglongensis)
- Sacred pika (O. sacraria)
- Flat-headed pika (O. flatcalvariam)
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Pentalagus | - Amami rabbit (P. furnessi)
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Bunolagus | - Riverine rabbit (B. monticularis)
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Nesolagus | - Sumatran striped rabbit (N. netscheri)
- Annamite striped rabbit (N. timminsi)
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Romerolagus | - Volcano rabbit (R. diazi)
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Brachylagus | - Pygmy rabbit (B. idahoensis)
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Sylvilagus (Cottontail rabbits) | - Subgenus Tapeti: Andean tapeti (S. andinus)
- Bogota tapeti (S. apollinaris)
- Swamp rabbit (S. aquaticus)
- Common tapeti (S. brasiliensis)
- Ecuadorian tapeti (S. daulensis)
- Dice's cottontail (S. dicei)
- Fulvous tapeti (S. fulvescens)
- Central American tapeti (S. gabbi)
- Northern tapeti (S. incitatus)
- Omilteme cottontail (S. insonus)
- Nicefor's tapeti (S. nicefori)
- Marsh rabbit (S. palustris)
- Suriname tapeti (S. parentum)
- Colombian tapeti (S. salentus)
- Santa Marta tapeti (S. sanctaemartae)
- Western tapeti (S. surdaster)
- Coastal tapeti (S. tapetillus)
- Venezuelan lowland rabbit (S. varynaensis)
- Subgenus Sylvilagus: Desert cottontail (S. audubonii)
- Mexican cottontail (S. cunicularis)
- Eastern cottontail (S. floridanus)
- Tres Marias rabbit (S. graysoni)
- Mountain cottontail (S. nuttallii)
- Appalachian cottontail (S. obscurus)
- Robust cottontail (S. holzneri)
- New England cottontail (S. transitionalis)
- Subgenus Microlagus: Brush rabbit (S. bachmani)
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Oryctolagus | - European rabbit (O. cuniculus)
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Poelagus | - Bunyoro rabbit (P. marjorita)
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Pronolagus (Red rock hares) | - Natal red rock hare (P. crassicaudatus)
- Jameson's red rock hare (P. randensis)
- Smith's red rock hare (P. rupestris)
- Hewitt's red rock hare (P. saundersiae)
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Caprolagus | - Hispid hare (C. hispidus)
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Lepus (Hares) | - Subgenus Macrotolagus: Antelope jackrabbit (L. alleni)
- Subgenus Poecilolagus: Snowshoe hare (L. americanus)
- Subgenus Lepus: Arctic hare (L. arcticus)
- Alaskan hare (L. othus)
- Mountain hare (L. timidus)
- Subgenus Proeulagus:
- Black jackrabbit (L. insularis)
- Desert hare (L. tibetanus)
- Tolai hare (L. tolai)
- Subgenus Eulagos: Broom hare (L. castroviejoi)
- Yunnan hare (L. comus)
- Korean hare (L. coreanus)
- European hare (L. europaeus)
- Manchurian hare (L. mandshuricus)
- Ethiopian highland hare (L. starcki)
- Subgenus Sabanalagus: Ethiopian hare (L. fagani)
- African savanna hare (L. victoriae)
- Subgenus Indolagus: Hainan hare (L. hainanus)
- Indian hare (L. nigricollis)
- Burmese hare (L. peguensis)
- Subgenus Sinolagus: Chinese hare (L. sinensis)
- Subgenus Tarimolagus: Yarkand hare (L. yarkandensis)
- Subgenus incertae sedis: Tamaulipas jackrabbit (L. altamirae)
- Japanese hare (L. brachyurus)
- Black-tailed jackrabbit (L. californicus)
- White-sided jackrabbit (L. callotis)
- Cape hare (L. capensis)
- Corsican hare (L. corsicanus)
- Tehuantepec jackrabbit (L. flavigularis)
- Granada hare (L. granatensis)
- Abyssinian hare (L. habessinicus)
- Woolly hare (L. oiostolus)
- Scrub hare (L. saxatilis)
- White-tailed jackrabbit (L. townsendii)
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Taxon identifiers |
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Ochotona argentata | |
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