Pika

Pika is the common name for small mammals comprising the family Ochotonidae of the rabbit order Lagomorpha, characterized by relatively large round ears, the lack of a visible tail, similar length of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, and smaller size than the related rabbit. Pikas are found in the mountains and steppe of central Asia and the mountains of eastern Europe and western North America. There is one extant genus, Ochotonoa, with about thirty species. Other common names for members of this family are mouse hare, rock rabbit, and coneys, as well as whistling hare due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow.

small balls of fluff

Overview and description

The rabbit order, Lagomorpha, consists of two extant families, the pikas in Ochotonidae and the rabbits and hares in Leporidae. Based on molecular evidence, it is believed that these two families separated about 37 million years ago, in the early Oligocene.

The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae. Only one extant genus, Ochotona, is recognized within the family. Differentiating pika species on the basis of external characters is difficult because of their close resemblance (Smith 2004). While molecular techniques help in clarifying pika systematics, there remains much taxonomic uncertainly. Currently, thirty species of pikas are recognized (Smith 2004).

Pikas are small hamster-like animals, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tails that are not visible beneath the fur. They look like "small egg-shaped balls of fluff sporting thin, relatively large round ears" (Smith 2004). Pikas range in weight from just 80 grams (3 ounces) for the Gansu pika (Ochotonoa cansus) to 300 grams (10 ounces) for the Glover's pika (O. gloveri). They are about 18 to 20 centimeters (7-8 inches) in body length, with a tail less than 2 centimeters long (less than one inch). Most pikas have a brownish gray fur.

As with other lagomorphs, pikas have gnawing incisors and no canines, although they have fewer premolars than rabbits, giving them a dental formula of:

2.0.3.2

1.0.2.3

Like rabbits, after eating pikas initially produce soft green feces, which they eat again to extract further nutrition, before producing the final, solid, fecal pellets.

The name "pika" appears to be derived from the Tungus "piika", or perhaps from the Russian "pikat", to squeak. In the United States the pronunciation of the name is usually altered^[3] from /pika/(peeka) to /'paɪ·ka/, probably due to the spelling.

Distribution and habitat

Pikas are native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North America and parts of eastern Europe. Most species live on rocky mountain sides, where there are numerous crevices to shelter in, although some also construct crude burrows. A few burrowing species are instead native to open steppe land. In the mountains of Eurasia, pikas often share their burrows with snowfinches, which build their nests there^[4].

In an article in the Journal of Biogeography, archeologist Donald Grayson warned that human activity and global climate change appeared to be pushing the American pika population to ever-higher elevations and thus possibly toward extinction^[5]. Grayson studied pika habitation over the past 40,000 years in the region between the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) and Rocky Mountains. An earlier Journal of Mammalogy article reached a similar conclusion.

Activity

Vegetation pile, drying on rocks for subsequent storage. Gad valley, Utah

These animals are herbivores, and feed on a wide variety of plant matter. Because of their native habitat, they primarily eat grasses, sedges, shrub twigs, moss, and lichen.

Rock-dwelling pikas have small litters of less than five young, while the burrowing species tend to give birth to more young, and to breed more frequently, possibly due to a greater availability of resources in their native habitats. The young are born after a gestation period of between 25 and 30 days^[4].

Pikas are diurnal or crepuscular, with higher altitude species generally being more active during the daytime. They show their peak activity before the winter season. Pikas do not hibernate, so they rely on collected hay for warm bedding and food. Pikas gather fresh grasses and lay them in stacks to dry. Once the grasses dry out, the pikas take this hay back to the burrows for storage. It is not uncommon for pikas to steal hay from others; the resulting disputes are usually exploited by neighboring predators like ferrets and large birds.

Eurasian pikas commonly live in family groups and share duties of gathering food and keeping watch. At least some species are territorial. North American pikas (O. princeps and O. collaris) are asocial, leading solitary lives outside the breeding season.

Species

ORDER LAGOMORPHA^[1]
- Family Ochotonidae: pikas
  - Genus Ochotona
    - Subgenus Pika: northern pikas
      - Alpine Pika/Altai Pika, Ochotona alpina
      - Collared Pika, Ochotona collaris
      - Hoffmann's Pika, Ochotona hoffmanni
      - Northern Pika/Siberian Pika, Ochotona hyperborea
      - Pallas's Pika, Ochotona pallasi
        Subspecies
        Helan Shan Pika, Ochotona pallasi helanshanensis
      - American Pika, Ochotona princeps
      - Turuchan Pika, Ochotona turuchanensis
    - Subgenus Ochotona: shrub-steppe pikas
      - Gansu Pika/Gray Pika, Ochotona cansus
      - Plateau Pika/Black-lipped Pika, Ochotona curzoniae
      - Daurian Pika, Ochotona dauurica
      - Tsing-ling Pika, Ochotona huangensis
      - Nubra Pika, Ochotona nubrica
      - Steppe Pika, Ochotona pusilla
      - Afghan Pika, Ochotona rufescens
      - Moupin Pika, Ochotona thibetana
      - Thomas's Pika, Ochotona thomasi
    - Subgenus Conothoa: mountain pikas
      - Chinese Red Pika, Ochotona erythrotis
      - Forrest's Pika, Ochotona forresti
      - Gaoligong Pika, Ochotona gaoligongensis
      - Glover's Pika, Ochotona gloveri
      - Himalayan Pika, Ochotona himalayana
      - Ili Pika, Ochotona iliensis
      - Kozlov's Pika, Ochotona koslowi
      - Ladak Pika, Ochotona ladacensis
      - Large-eared Pika, Ochotona macrotis
      - Muli Pika, Ochotona muliensis
      - Black Pika, Ochotona nigritia
      - Royle's Pika, Ochotona roylei
      - Turkestan Red Pika, Ochotona rutila

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 R. S. Hoffmann, and A. T. Smith, "Ochotonidae," pages 185-193 in D. E. Wilson, and D. M. Reeder, eds., Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition. (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005) ISBN 0801882214.
↑ R. J. G., Savage, and M. R. Long, Mammal Evolution: An Illustrated Guide (New York: Facts on File, 1986). ISBN 081601194X.
↑ Google Books: Dictionary of American Regional English, Published by Harvard University Press, 1985, Page 145, http://books.google.com/books?id=i33BWgxbvXgC&pg=PA145&lpg=PA145&dq=pronounce+pika&source=web&ots=QvpQ80MvJ_&sig=omBHaKm4mAeD_FEE4I42yf95i2M&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result#PPA145,M1
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Kawamichi, Takeo (1984). in Macdonald, D.: The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File, 726-727. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
↑ Grayson, Donald K. (2005). A brief history of Great Basin pikas. Journal of Biogeography 32 (12): 2103-2111.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

R. S. Hoffmann, and A. T. Smith, "Ochotonidae," pages 185-193 in D. E. Wilson, and D. M. Reeder, eds., Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition. (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005) ISBN 0801882214.

R. J. G., Savage, and M. R. Long, Mammal Evolution: An Illustrated Guide (New York: Facts on File, 1986). ISBN 081601194X.

Smith, A. T. 2004. Pikas (Ochotonidae). Pages 491-503 in B. Grzimek et al., Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Detroit, MI: Thomson/Gale. ISBN 0787657921.

External links

The Trek of the Pika "A story complete with sounds of pika calls" 2002-10-30
[1] "A radio feature on how Pikas in the Rockies are coping with climate change. " 2007-07-31

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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[MSW-1] 1.0 ^1.1 R. S. Hoffmann, and A. T. Smith, "Ochotonidae," pages 185-193 in D. E. Wilson, and D. M. Reeder, eds., Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition. (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005) ISBN 0801882214.

[2] R. J. G., Savage, and M. R. Long, Mammal Evolution: An Illustrated Guide (New York: Facts on File, 1986). ISBN 081601194X.

[3] Google Books: Dictionary of American Regional English, Published by Harvard University Press, 1985, Page 145, http://books.google.com/books?id=i33BWgxbvXgC&pg=PA145&lpg=PA145&dq=pronounce+pika&source=web&ots=QvpQ80MvJ_&sig=omBHaKm4mAeD_FEE4I42yf95i2M&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result#PPA145,M1

[EoM-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Kawamichi, Takeo (1984). in Macdonald, D.: The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File, 726-727. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.

[GraysonD-5] Grayson, Donald K. (2005). A brief history of Great Basin pikas. Journal of Biogeography 32 (12): 2103-2111.

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