Alpine pika

Alpine pika
In the Saylyugem Mountains in Mongolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Ochotonidae
Genus: Ochotona
Species:
O. alpina
Binomial name
Ochotona alpina
(Pallas, 1773)
Subspecies[2]
  • O. a. alpina Pallas, 1773
  • O. a. changaica Ognev, 1940
  • O. a. cinereofusca Schrenk, 1858
  • O. a. sushkini Thomas, 1924
Alpine pika range
Synonyms[2]
  • Ochotona ater Eversmann, 1842
  • Ochotona nitida Hollister, 1912
  • Ochotona scorodumovi Skalon, 1935

The alpine pika (Ochotona alpina) is a species of small mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. The summer pelage of different subspecies varies drastically but, in general, it is dark or cinnamon brown, turning to grey with a yellowish tinge during the winter. The alpine pika is found in western Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, and Russia (Tuva, Irkutsk, Altai, and Krasnoyarsk), as well as in China (northern Xinjiang and Heilongjiang), in very cold, mountainous regions. It is a generalist herbivore, and mainly forages on mosses, tree branches, pine nuts, and plant stems. It can emit three series of different vocalizations: a long call, a short call, and an alarm call. It is rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

  1. ^ Smith, A.T.; Cook, J. (2016). "Ochotona alpina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41255A45182115. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41255A45182115.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Hoffman, R.S.; Smith, A.T. (2005). "Order Lagomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 185–186. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.