Ochotona syrinx, Thomas, 1911

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

3.

Tsing-ling Pika

Ochotona syrinx

French: Pika des Qinling / German: Tsing-Ling-Pfeifhase / Spanish: Pica de Tsing-ling

Taxonomy. Ochotona syrinx Thomas, 1911 ,

“Tai-pei-san [= Taibai Shan],” Taibai County, Baoji, Shaanxi, China.

According to mtDNA, O. syrinx occupies a separate position in the Ochotona genus. Morphology, ecology, and distribution suggest, however,its close relations with O. thibetana and O. cansus , thus, it is included here in subgenus Ochotona . Ochotona syrinx was recognized as a separate taxon in 1992; before that, it was included in O. thibetana .

Elevated to a full species under the name huangensis, O. syrinx was mentioned underthis name in all consequent studies. Although the type specimen of huangensis has not yet been found,its initial description contains skull measurements and skin characterization undoubtedly pointing to O. dauurica . Having a wide distribution, O. syrinx has great genetic variation. According to morphological study, it includes sacraria and xunhuaensis. The name sacraria was usually listed a subspecies of O. thibetana , but the type specimen of sacraria belongs to O. syrinx . Ochotona syrinx is sympatric with O. cansus in Xunhua County, Qinghai, the doubtful taxon O. cansus morosain Qin Ling Mountains, and O. thibetana in Sichuan. Spatial segregation among these taxa is unclear, and major parts of their distributions have not been studied. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

O.s.syninxThomas,1911—SichuanBasinbordersinQinLing,peripheralHengduan,andDabaMtsinSichuan,SGansu,Shaanxi,WHenan,WHubei(China).

O. s. xunhuaensis Shou Zhongcan & Feng Zuojian, 1984 — Xunhua County, Qinghai (China).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-170 mm, ear 15-26 mm, hindfoot 23-32 mm; weight 60-110 g. The Tsing-ling Pika is small-sized. Dorsal fur is brown or rufous brown, mixed with darker hair tips. Ventral fur is dull brown or ocherous. Throat and chest are rufous. Winter fur is longer, softer, and grayer than during other seasons. Ears are small, rounded, gray inside at bases, and brown closer to edges, with narrow white margins. General variation in pelage color of the Tsing-ling Pika widely overlaps with the Gansu Pika ( O. cansus ) and the Moupin Pika ( O. thibetana ). Skull of the Tsingling Pika is small, with widely confluent incisive and palatal foramens. Auditory bullae are relatively small. Condylobasal lengths are 32-37 mm, skull widths are 16-20 mm, and skull heights are 10-13 mm. Skull of the Tsing-ling Pika is wider than skulls of the (ansu Pika and the Moupin Pika; the Tsing-ling Pika can be easily recognized among wed species by its flat skullcap.

Habitat. Forests at elevations of 1800-3100 m. The Tsing-ling Pika is a burrowing species.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but all pikas feeds on green plants.

Breeding. Young Tsing-ling Pikas are born in May-September; subadults are observed in June-December.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

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

Bibliography. Lissovsky (2014), Lu Jigi et al. (1997), Vakurin et al. (2012), Yu Ning & Zheng Changlin (1992), Yu Ning et al. (2000).

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.s.syninxThomas,1911—SichuanBasinbordersinQinLing,peripheralHengduan,andDabaMtsinSichuan,SGansu,Shaanxi,WHenan,WHubei(China). O. s. xunhuaensis Shou Zhongcan & Feng Zuojian, 1984 — Xunhua County, Qinghai (China).