Gansu pika
The Gansu pika ( Ochotona cansus ) is a mammal of the family of pikas ( Ochotonidae ) among lagomorphs ( Lagomorpha ). Its distribution area is located in the People's Republic of China from the north of the provinces of Xizang and Sichuan over the central and eastern Qinghai to the south of Gansu and Shaanxi Province.
Features
The Gansu pika is a relatively small pika with a body length from 11.6 to 16.5 inches with a weight of 50 to 100 grams. He has in summer a dark red to teebraunes or dark brown to dull gray - brown fur, the coloring can vary greatly by region. From chest to the abdomen is an unassuming, light strip attracts. The belly is bright white, partly yellowish brown in color. In winter, the back color is uniform gray to reddish brown. The ears reach a length of 14 to 24 mm, the hind feet are 22 to 29 millimeters long.
The skull is relatively large for the small body length, though smaller and with a narrower zygomatic arches than the frequently used for comparison Moupin pika ( Ochotona thibetana ). The incisor and palatal window go with this type over another and form a common window. The tympanic bladder is made large. In profile, the skull is pear-shaped and wider than that of Ochotona thomasi.
Dissemination
The Gansu pika lives endemic in the People's Republic of China and there comes from the north of the provinces of Xizang and Sichuan over the central and eastern Qinghai to the south of Gansu before. The subspecies O. c. morosa lives isolated in Shaanxi Province.
The height distribution of animals is typically 2700-3800 meters.
Way of life
The habitat of Gansu pikas consists of open areas with a bushy vegetation along upland pastures or in the grass under spruce. In the areas where it occurs sympatrically with the Schwarzlippigen pikas ( Ochotona curzoniae ), but you will not find it on open meadows. The animals but also to avoid dense bushes and prefer slightly open hill or mound grave of Blindmulle. The zone is characterized by finger shrubs ( Dasiphora fruticosa ) and Mane pea shrub ( Caragana jubata ), which are characteristic of the altitudes 2700-3800 meters. The animals live in simple, self-dug buildings of about one meter in length, with few inputs. Occasionally, they also use old empty buildings of the Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana ). They are diurnal and feed on generalist plant parts.
The animals are monogamous, the males mate only in accordance with a female. They live as a family group from the parents and the pups in a shared building. The breeding season extends from early April to late August. The females give birth to three litters per year with up to 6 pups each, the gestation period is about 20 days. The female cycle within the population is not synchronous. The female offspring can get even boy in the first year of life.
The communication takes place mainly within the family instead, with four different calls are known: long whistles that emit only the males, short blasts as a sign of danger and defend the territories as well as " whining " and trills. The size of the territory depends on the season.
System
The Gansu pika was assigned as an independent species the pikas ( genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Ochotona. Historically, stocks Ochotona roylei and later mainly Ochotona thibetana have been assigned. With the latter, the species occurs in large parts before overlapping ( sympatric ), the two species use each different ecological niches.
A total of four subspecies are distinguished, the nominate O. c. cansus, O. c. morosa, O. c. sorella and O. c. stevensi. Individual authors organize O. c. morosa Ochotona thibetana to happen to the animals sympatric in the Tsing Ling Shan in Shaanxi Province. According to current data is excited also to Ochotona dauurica belonging subspecies O. annectens to provide d to Ochotona cansus.
Threats and conservation
The species is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) due to their large distribution area as not at risk ( least concern ). Exact data for the stock variables are not available, the species is, however, considered to be relatively common. In particular, the status of the subspecies O. c. sorella, which was not released alive observed for more than 70 years, as well as the isolated living resources of the subspecies O. c. morosa is unclear. Larger threats to the stocks are not known, but it is assumed that the subspecies O. c. sorella was greatly reduced by the use of pesticides for pest control.