Turkestan red pika
Ochotona rutila
Ochotona rutila is a mammal of the family of pikas ( Ochotonidae ) among lagomorphs ( Lagomorpha ). Its distribution area is located in parts of the Pamirs in Tajikistan and in the Tian Shan in the southeast of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and south-east of Kazakhstan to the Xinjiang province in the People's Republic of China.
Features
Ochotona rutila is a medium sized pika with a body length from 19.6 to 23 centimeters with a weight 220-320 grams. He has a bright reddish-brown coat in summer. The belly is ocher to white with a diagonal red stripe rust under the throat. The ears are gray-black on the outside, the neck has white spots behind the ears, which can form a yellowish white collar. In winter, the back color is light brown. The ears grow to a length 27 to 29 mm. The hind feet are 36 to 39 millimeters long.
The skull is large and curved. Incisor and palate window in the skull, in this way not merged into a single window. In size and shape of the skull corresponds to that of Ochotona macrotis, however, is somewhat less curved. The genome consists of 2n = 62 chromosomes.
Dissemination
Ochotona rutila is widespread in parts of the Pamirs in Tajikistan and in the Tian Shan in the southeast of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and south-east of Kazakhstan to the Xinjiang province in the People's Republic of China. Also in northern Afghanistan could exist occurrences.
The height distribution of animals is not above 3000 meters usually.
Way of life
Ochotona rutila lives in the rocky slopes and screes with larger rocks as cover. It is diurnal and primarily crepuscular and feeds generalist plant parts, especially peat moss, and forms like other kinds hay bales. He lives in territorially larger family groups from a set of parents and their offspring, the density is 12 to 20 animals and 3 to 3.5 families per hectare. Unlike other species, there is little or no vocal communication between family members.
The females give birth from early spring to late summer two litters per year with an average of four pups per litter born.
System
Ochotona rutila was assigned as an independent species the pikas ( genus Ochotona ) and the subgenus Conothoa. At times, the species was synonymized with Ochotona himalayana, and at times Ochotona erythrotis was considered conspecific with Ochotona rutila. Subspecies are not distinguished.
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 ). It is assumed that there is a regularly occurring type, threats to the stocks are not known.