Helan Shan pika
Ochotona argentata is a mammal of the family of pikas ( Ochotonidae ) among lagomorphs ( Lagomorpha ). Its distribution area is limited to the Helan Shan in the Chinese province of Ningxia.
Features
Ochotona argentata is a great pika with a body length from 20.8 to 23.5 inches with a weight 176-236 grams. He has a solid color bright, reddish-brown coat in the summer and is thus similar Ochotona rutila and Ochotona macrotis. In winter, the back color is just like the rest of the body finish silver, where the hairs are pale steel gray with black tips; hence comes the English name " Silver Pika ". The feet are white on the upper side and lower side gray and the belly fur is white and yellow brown interspersed. The ears reach a length of 22 to 25 millimeters, the hind feet are 31 to 35 millimeters long.
The skull differs from that of the Altai pikas by significantly larger eye sockets and larger windows in the front palate leg.
Dissemination
Ochotona argentata is endemic in the People's Republic of China and restricted there to the Helan Shan in the province of Ningxia. The species lives in the area of high mountains in an area of only three square kilometers with a length of 2 kilometers and a width of 1.5 kilometers.
Way of life
Over the life of this pikas are very few information. The habitat is limited to the rocky edge areas of a forest in Helan Shan. He lives between the stones and also uses mine shafts with depths of up to 20 meters from the entrance. Like other types also makes this pika hay bales from available vegetation as a food reservoir. Compared to Ochotona pallasi and the Altai pikas ( Ochotona alpina) communicates this way very little.
System
Ochotona argentata was assigned as an independent species the pikas ( genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Pika, subspecies are not known. Originally the species as a subspecies of the Altai pikas ( Ochotona alpina ) was considered, and occasionally described as O. helanshanensis.
On the basis of molecular data was assumed that O. helanshanensis ( = O. argentata ) should be regarded as a subspecies of Ochotona pallasi, the genetic distance, however, it considered too large and the karyotype (2n = 38 ) of the two species differs. O. argentata is instead associated with the alpina - hyperborea group, as its sister species Ochotona pallasi applies. A final clarification of the species status is still pending, as recent data suggest association once again to O. pallasi.
Threats and conservation
The type is determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) due to its very limited distribution area within a single forest reserve with an area of only three square kilometers as threatened with extinction ( critically endangered ) classified. This forest area and thus the habitat has also been reduced by logging in the past continue and it is believed that deforestation in the distribution area progresses.