Chinese red pika

Species of mammal

Chinese red pika

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Lagomorpha
Family:  | Ochotonidae
Genus:  | Ochotona
Species:  |

O. erythrotis

Binomial name
Ochotona erythrotis

(Büchner, 1890)

Chinese red pika range

The Chinese red pika (Ochotona erythrotis) 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.[2] The Chinese pika typically lives in rocky terrain at altitudes between 600 and 1200 meters.[3] and is endemic to the East Qinghai, West Gansu and Northern Sichuan provinces of China and Eastern Tibet.[4]

## Description[edit]

The Chinese red pika is one of the largest pika species,[5] averaging a length of 18 to 29 cm.[1] This pika has both a winter and summer pelt. The winter pelt is thicker for the cooler weather, and is a grey color with a slight tint of red in the ear region. In the summer, this species has a coat that is a rusty-red color at the head and chest and progressively becomes more grey at the tail end of the animal. The stomach region of O. erythrotis is a white color in both pelts.[5]

## Speciation[edit]

The Chinese red pika was formerly regarded as a subgenus of Pika, included first with Ochotona gloveri and later with Ochotona rutila until they were determined to be separate species (mammal species). The pika species O. gloveri is believed to be the closest relative to O. erythrotis. The two species are considered to have an allopatric relationship.[5] Differences between O. erythrotis, O. gloveri, and O. rutila are primarily seen in the shape of the skull and in fur color. The Chinese Red Pika has larger auditory bullae, a shorter nasals cavity, and a broader rostrum than O. gloveri.[5] It has a smaller, and more arched skull than O. rutila and additionally has frontal fenestrae.[5] Additionally, these subspecies have different fur colorations. O. gloveri has darker fur than O. erythrotis. Its summer fur is darker with more of a brown tint with a distinct rusty red color on the nose, forehead and ear region. In the winter, its coat is much lighter than O. erythrotis.[6]

## Reproduction[edit]

O. erythrotis have an average of two litters per year, usually averaging 3–7 young per litter.[1] Their reproductive season is between May and August.[1]

## Geography[edit]

O. erythrotis is found in China and East Tibet. Specifically in China, O. erythrotis can be found in East Qinghai, West Gansu and Northern Sichuan.[4]

## Habitat[edit]

The Chinese red pika is primarily a rock-dwelling pika. It can be found in cliff and rock terrain [5] or in the alpine shrubland and meadows near rock formations[1] primarily at an altitude of 600–1,200 metres (2,000–3,900 ft).[3] This species has been observed to be adaptable and opportunistic in where it lives. This pika species is a burrowing species, which makes burrows that are 1–2 meters in length.[5]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Smith, A.T.; Lissovsky, A. (2016). "Ochotona erythrotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41260A45183115. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41260A45183115.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. ^ Chapman, J.A., Flux, J.C.E. 1990, "Rabbits, Hares and Pikas:Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
3. ^ a b Smith, Andrew T. "Pika". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2013-08-15
4. ^ a b Hoffman, R.S.; Smith, A.T. (2005). "Order Lagomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 187–188. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
5. ^ a b c d e f g Ochotona erythrotis – Chinese Red pika. “Wildpro – The Electronic Encyclopaedia and Library for Wildlife. Archived 25 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine”
6. ^ Yu, Ning; Zheng, Changlin; Shi, Liming (1997). "Variation in mitochondrial DNA and phylogeny of six species of pikas (Ochotona)". Journal of Mammalogy. 78 (2): 387–396. doi:10.2307/1382892. JSTOR 1382892.

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Extant Lagomorpha species

* Kingdom Animalia
* Phylum Chordata
* Class Mammalia
* Infraclass Eutheria
* Superorder Euarchontoglires

Family Ochotonidae (Pikas)

| 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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Family Leporidae (Rabbits and Hares)

| Pentalagus|

* Amami rabbit (P. furnessi)

|

Bunolagus|

* Riverine rabbit (B. monticularis)

Nesolagus|

* Sumatran striped rabbit (N. netscheri)
* Annamite striped rabbit (N. timminsi)

Romerolagus|

* Volcano rabbit (R. diazi)

Brachylagus|

* Pygmy rabbit (B. idahoensis)

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)

Oryctolagus|

* European rabbit (O. cuniculus)

Poelagus|

* Bunyoro rabbit (P. marjorita)

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)

Caprolagus|

* Hispid hare (C. hispidus)

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)

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q311593
* Wikispecies: Ochotona erythrotis
* ADW: Ochotona_erythrotis
* BOLD: 899496
* EoL: 984320
* GBIF: 2437001
* iNaturalist: 43182
* IRMNG: 10862128
* ITIS: 625316
* IUCN: 41260
* MSW: 13500025
* NCBI: 130830
* Observation.org: 86043

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