Ochotona cansus, Lyon, 1907

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Ochotonidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 28-43 : 31

4.

Gansu Pika

Ochotona cansus

French: Pika du Gansu / German: Gansu-Pfeifhase / Spanish: Pica de Gansu

Other common names: Gray Pika

Taxonomy. Ochotona cansus Lyon, 1907 ,

“Taocheo, Kan-su, China [= Xincheng],” Lintan County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu, China.

According to mtDNA, O. cansus belongs to subgenus Ochotona and was recognized as a subspecies of O. thibetana for a long time. Wide sympatry between it and O. thibetana was found in the 1970s, which led to recognition of O. cansus as a full species. According to morphological studies, O. cansus includes stevensi, but subspecies morosa (with its synonym sorella) sharply differs from O. cansus in cranial morphology, despite similar mtDNA. Probably, morosa belongs to O. thibetana . Based on mtDNA, Yu Ning and colleagues in 2000 included annectens, albeit based on specimen misidentification. Subdivision into subspeciesis still provisional and needs further revision. Ochotona cansus is sympatric with O. thibetana in mountains of western Sichuan, with O. syrinx in Xunhua County, Qinghai, and, if morosa belongs to O. cansus , in Qinling Mountains. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

O.c.cansusLyon,1907—QilianMtsandMtsadjoiningNEedgeofTibetanPlateauinQinghai,EXizang,NGansu,andNWSichuan,China.O.c¢.morosaThomas,1912—QinLingMtsinGansuandShaanxi,andLuyashanMtsinShanxi,China.

O. c. stevenst Osgood, 1932 — high Hengduan Mts in W Sichuan, China.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 110-170 mm, ear 14-27 mm, hindfoot 22-30 mm; weight 45-95 g. Subspecies morosa: head-body 130-170 mm, ear 17-25 mm, hindfoot 25-32 mm; weight 656-110 g. Southern stevens: has slightly larger ears than the northern subspecies. The Gansu Pika is small-sized. Dorsal fur is brown or rufous brown, mixed with lighter or darker hair tips. Ventral furis grayish, dull brown, or ocherous. Throat and chest are darker. Winter fur is longer, softer, and grayer than during other seasons. Ears are small, rounded, gray at bases, and brown or rufous closer to edges, with narrow white margins. General variation in pelage color of the Gansu Pika widely overlaps with the Moupin Pika (O. thibetana) and the Tsing-ling Pika (O. syrinx). Skull of the Gansu Pika is small, with widely confluent incisive and palatal foramens. Auditory bullae are small. Condylobasal lengths are 29-36 mm, skull widths are 15-17 mm, and skull heights are 11-13 mm. In subspecies morosa, condylobasal lengths are 32-37 mm, skull widths are 16-19 mm, and skull heights are 11-13 mm. Subspecies morosa sharply differs in skull shape, being similar to the Moupin Pika. The Gansu Pika (subspecies cansus and stevensi) has narrower zygomatic arches and is more slender in general appearance than the Moupin Pika. The Gansu Pika and Thomas’s Pika (O. thomas) slightly overlap in general skull shape, but the Gansu Pika has a more prominent skull.

Habitat. Subalpine meadows, inhabiting sparse shrubs and thickets at forest edges. Gansu Pikas generally occur at elevations of 2500-3400 m, but subspecies stevensi lives up to 4700 m and morosa occurs at lower elevations of 1700-3200 m. Gansu Pikas are shrub dwellers that dig burrows near shrub stems under dense vegetative cover.

Food and Feeding. The Gansu Pika feeds on green plants and lichens not far from shrub cover, and it hoards hay. Dry hay piles are 93-980 g. Each pile consists of several species of plants. The Gansu Pika prefers dicotyledons and has some plant preferences. Usually hay piles are located in a special chamber of burrow. During cold periods, the Gansu Pika eats hay, seemingly a critical food source.

Breeding. Breeding of the Gansu Pika starts in May and lasts c.4 months. Adult females produce two litters per year, each with 4-6 bare young, born with their eyes closed. Fur appears after a few days; eyes open after 6-7 day.

Activity patterns. The Gansu Pika is diurnal; nocturnal activity has been reported in summer. It is active during rain and under snow. The Gansu Pika spends much ofits time on the surface but is barely visible because it lives under the cover of shrubs.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Gansu Pika forms monogamous or polygynous family groups. Home ranges of male and female Gansu Pikas overlap; sizes vary seasonally becoming larger during breeding and smaller in winter. Home ranges vary from ¢.772 m? (males) and 458 m? (females) in winter to 4000 m? (males) and 1088 m* (females) in summer. Young disperse in late summer. Densities in spring are 1000-2300 ind/km?®. Areas occupied by Gansu Pikas have well-marked trails and large latrines. It has severaltypes ofcalls including a song and alarm calls; but acoustic activity is quite low. The Gansu Pika digs temporary and breeding burrows. Breeding burrow has several branches, storage chambers, and breeding chamber;it is c.1-3 m long and has several entrances. Depth is only c¢.10 cm. Temporary burrows have up to three branches, each with entrances, and are 40-55 cm.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last.

Bibliography. Feng Zuojian & Kao Yuehting (1974), Feng Zuojian & Zheng Changlin (1985), Jiang Yongjin & Wang Zuwang (1991), Lissovsky (2014), Su Jianping & Liu Jike (2001), Su Jianping et al. (2004), Yu Ning et al. (2000), Zheng Changlin (1989).

Figures

On following pages: 3. Tsing-ling Pika (Ochotona syrinx); 4. Gansu Pika (Ochotona cansus); 5. Nubra Pika (Ochotona nubrica); 6. Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae); 7. Thomas's Pika (Ochotona thomasi); 8. Alpine Pika (Ochotona alpina); 9. Turuchan Pika (Ochotona turuchanensis): 10. Northern Pika (Ochotona hyperborea); 11. Manchurian Pika (Ochotona mantchurica); 12. Hoffmann's Pika (Ochotona hoffmanni); 13. Korean Pika (Ochotona coreana), 14. Pallas's Pika (Ochotona pallasii).

Subspecies and Distribution. O.c.cansusLyon,1907—QilianMtsandMtsadjoiningNEedgeofTibetanPlateauinQinghai,EXizang,NGansu,andNWSichuan,China.O.c¢.morosaThomas,1912—QinLingMtsinGansuandShaanxi,andLuyashanMtsinShanxi,China. O. c. stevenst Osgood, 1932 — high Hengduan Mts in W Sichuan, China.