Ochotona coreana Allen and Andrews, 1913 — Korean Pika

Ochotona (Pica) coreanus Allen and Andrews, 1913 p.429; Type locality- Pochong, North Korea.

O. hyperborea coreana: Kuroda, 1938 p.42; Tate, 1947 p.209; Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.455; Jones & Johnson, 1965 p.361; Won, 1958 p.443; Won, 1967 p.157; Won & Smith 1999 p.28.

O. alpina coreana: Won, 1968 p.141 .

O. alpine: Corbet, 1978 p.69 .

O. alpina alpine: Corbet, 1978 p.69; Yoon, 1992 p.59.

O. hyperborea: Han, 1994 p.46; Won & Smith, 1999 p.28; Han, 2004b p.97.

O. coreana: Smith & Jo, 2018 p.39 .

Range: The distribution of Korean pika extends throughout northern alpine, talus habitats near Hamgyeongbuk Province, Hamgyeongnam Province, Ryanggang Province and Jagang Province in North Korea (Won 1968; Kim et al. 2015; Fig. 2). With a recent report of the species at Mt. Myohyang, (Smith & Jo 2018a) the distribution of Korean pika in Korea is expanding.

Remarks: The Korean pika was formerly considered a subspecies of the northern pika, O. hyperborea (Jones & Johnson 1965) . However, Lissovsky et al. (2008) proposed elevating O. h. coreana to the species level based on analysis of the cytochrome b gene. Despite morphological similarity with sibling species, Lissovsky (2014) suggested O. coreana as a species with the provision that the taxonomic status depended on the application of the species concept.

Conservation status: In 1980, North Korea designated the habitat at Sanyang, Beagam County, Ryanggang Province a Natural Monument. North Korea classified this species as ‘Rare’ in the Red Data Book (MAB National Committee of DPR Korea 2002).