Royle's pika
Ochotona roylei is a mammal of the family of pikas ( Ochotonidae ) among lagomorphs ( Lagomorpha ). Its distribution area is located in the Himalayas, ranging from Pakistan across northern India and Nepal to the People's Republic of China.
Features
Ochotona roylei is a medium sized pika with a body length from 15.0 to 20.4 inches with a weight of 130 to 180 grams. He has in summer a dark to iron-gray or dark gray -brown fur on the shoulders are brown to reddish-brown spots. The belly is white to off-white or dark gray and the top of the feet is white, off-white or white with sand-colored twist. In winter, the back light gray coloring. Ears reach a length from 26 to 32 mm and are therefore relatively large. You are macrotis slightly narrower and on the inside equipped only with short hair compared to O.. The hind feet are 25 to 34 millimeters long.
The incisor and palatal window of the skull fuse in this type into a single window. In size and shape of the skull corresponds to that of Ochotona macrotis, however, is somewhat less curved.
Dissemination
Ochotona roylei is widespread in the Himalayas, the range extends from northern Pakistan through northern India in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and Nepal to the province of Xizang in the People's Republic of China.
The height distribution of animals reaches 2400-4300 meters, with common occurrence with Ochotona macrotis preferred the latter to higher altitudes.
Way of life
Ochotona roylei lives in the valley regions of the mountains, the habitat is characterized by soil rich in humus with rhododendrons, Himalayan cedar or pine forests. It is largely crepuscular in the evening and morning, feeding generalist plant parts, where he invests less frequently than other types haystack. He lives in territorial family groups from a set of parents and their offspring in densities of about 12.5 animals per hectare. The vocal communication is pronounced and consists primarily of silent calls; however, animals can emit and high whistles.
Reproduction
In comparison to other types of reproduction is small. The females have a gestation period of about 30 days and take you from spring to late summer one to two litters with an average of two to three pups per litter born. The animals reach an age of up to three years, after one year they produce their own offspring.
Relationship to other species
Ochotona roylei lives in Nepal in a close relationship ( symbiosis ) with the Schuppentimalie ( Pnoepyge albiventer ). Both types share the haystack of pikas and live close together. In this case, both types use different food sources in the environment of the bunch.
System
Ochotona roylei was assigned as an independent species the pikas ( genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Conothoa. At times, the kind Ochotona macrotis Ochotona roylei was slammed as a subspecies, due to morphological and ecological differences in the regions where both species occur in sympatry, the species status of Ochotona macrotis was confirmed. Ochotona Also himalayana and Ochotona forresti and Ochotona nubrica ( as a synonym O. hodgsoni ) were sometimes treated as a subspecies of Ochotona roylei, but today regarded as separate species. On the basis of molecular biological data, it is assumed that O and O. Macrotis are sister roylei species.
A total of two subspecies are distinguished, the nominate O. r. roylei and O. r. nepalensis.
Threats and conservation
Information about the size of the portfolio are not yet available. The species is, however, widespread and serious threat causes are yet to be discerned, so that the stock is considered stable. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) classifies Ochotona roylei therefore as uncritical ( least concern ) a.