A pika ( or ; archaically spelled pica) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal found in Asia and North America. With short limbs, very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative, the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The

large-eared pika The large-eared pika (''Ochotona macrotis'') is a species of small mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is found in mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Tibet, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan where it nests ...

of the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...

and nearby mountains is found at heights of more than , among the highest of any mammal. Pikas prefer rocky slopes and graze on a range of plants, mostly grasses, flowers and young stems. In the autumn they pull hay, soft twigs and other stores of food into their burrows to eat during the long, cold winter. The pika is also known as the whistling hare because of its high-pitched

alarm call In animal communication, an alarm signal is an antipredator adaptation in the form of signals emitted by social animals in response to danger. Many primates and birds have elaborate alarm calls for warning conspecifics of approaching predator ...

when diving into its burrow. The name ‘pika’ appears to be derived from the

Tungus Tungusic peoples are an ethno-linguistic group formed by the speakers of Tungusic languages (or Manchu–Tungus languages). They are native to Siberia and Northeast Asia. The Tungusic phylum is divided into two main branches, northern (Evenic or ...

''piika'', and the scientific name ''Ochotona'' is from the Mongolian word ''ogutun-a, оготно'', which means pika. It is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

within the order of

lagomorph The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and the Ochotonidae (pikas). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek ''lagos'' (λαγ� ...

s which also includes the

Leporidae Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 60 species of extant mammals in all. The Latin word ''Leporidae'' means "those that resemble ''lepus''" (hare). Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the mammalian order ...

(rabbits and hares). Only one

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

, ''Ochotona'', is extant within the family, covering 37 species, though many fossil genera are known. Another species, the

Sardinian pika The Sardinian pika (''Prolagus sardus'') is an extinct species of pika that was endemic to the islands of Sardinia, Corsica and neighbouring Mediterranean islands until its extinction likely in Roman times. Unlike living pikas, which all belong ...

, belonging to the separate genus ''

Prolagus ''Prolagus'' is an extinct genus of pika within the order Lagomorpha. Over 20 species of ''Prolagus'' have been named, beginning in the Early Miocene in Europe 20 million years ago, where it ranged widely for most of the epoch; by the end of the ...

'', has become extinct within the last 2000 years owing to human activity. The two species found in North America are the

American pika The American pika (''Ochotona princeps''), a diurnal species of pika, is found in the mountains of western North America, usually in boulder fields at or above the tree line. They are herbivorous, smaller relatives of rabbits and hares. Pikas ...

, found primarily in the mountains of the western United States and far southwestern Canada, and the

collared pika The collared pika (''Ochotona collaris'') is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, and part of the order Lagomorpha, which comprises rabbits, hares, and pikas. It is a small (about 160 g) alpine lagomorph that lives in bould ...

of northern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, the

Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...

, western Northwest Territories and

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

Habitat

Pikas are native to cold climates in

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

and North America. Most species live on rocky mountainsides, where numerous crevices are available for their shelter, although some pikas also construct crude burrows. A few burrowing species are native to open steppe land. In the mountains of

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...

pikas often share their burrows with

snowfinch Snowfinches are a group of small passerine birds in the sparrow family Passeridae. At one time all eight species were placed in the genus ''Montifringilla'' but they are now divided into three genera: * ''Montifringilla'' (3 species) ** In Europe, ...

es, which build their nests there. Pikas require cold temperatures to live, and can die if exposed to temperatures above . Changing temperatures have forced some pika populations to restrict their ranges to even higher elevations.

Characteristics

Pikas are small mammals, with short limbs and rounded ears. They are about in body length and weigh between , depending on species. Like rabbits, after eating they initially produce soft green feces, which they eat again to take in further nutrition before producing the final solid fecal pellets. Collared pikas have been known to store dead birds in their burrows for food during winter and eat the feces of other animals. These animals are herbivores and feed on a wide variety of plant matter, including

forb A forb or phorb is an herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid (grass, sedge, or rush). The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation to grasslands and understory. Typically these are dicots without woo ...

grasses Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns ...

sedge The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus '' Carex'' ...

s, shrub twigs, moss and lichens. As with other lagomorphs, pikas have gnawing

incisor Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, wher ...

s and no canines, although they have fewer

molars The molars or molar teeth are large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammals. They are used primarily to grind food during chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, ''molaris dens'', meaning "millstone to ...

than rabbits; they have a

dental formula Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiolog ...

of: . Another similarity that pikas share with other lagomorphs is that the bottom of their paws are covered with fur and therefore lack paw pads. Rock-dwelling pikas have small litters of fewer than five young, whilst the burrowing species tend to give birth to more young and to breed more frequently, possibly owing to a greater availability of resources in their native habitats. The young are born after a gestation period of between 25 and 30 days.

Activity

Pikas are active during daylight ( diurnal) or twilight hours ( crepuscular), with higher-elevation species generally being more active during the daytime. They show their peak activity just before the winter season. Pikas do not

hibernate Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...

so they generally spend time during the summer collecting and storing food for the winter. Each rock-dwelling pika stores its own ‘haypile’ of dried vegetation, whilst burrowing species often share food stores with their burrow mates. Haying behavior is more prominent at higher elevations. Many of the vocalizations and social behaviors that pikas exhibit are related to haypile defense. The impact of human activity on the

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless mou ...

ecosystems where pikas live has been recorded dating back to the 1970s. Rather than hibernate during winter, pikas forage for grasses and other forms of plant matter and stash these findings in protected dens in a process called 'haying' which they sustain themselves with during winter seasons. Sometimes pikas think that humans are predators, so they sometimes respond to humans as they do to other species that may actually be preying on the pikas. Such interactions with humans have been linked to pikas having reduced amounts of foraging time, consequentially limiting the amount of food they can stockpile for winter months. Pikas are unable to withstand surrounding temperatures above so they must spend their time in shaded regions and out of direct sunlight when temperatures are high. A link has also been found between temperature increases and lost foraging time, where for every increase of 1°C to the ambient temperature in alpine landscapes home to pikas those pikas lose 3% of their foraging time. Eurasian pikas commonly live in family groups and share duties of gathering food and keeping watch. Some species are territorial. North American pikas ('' O. princeps'' and '' O. collaris'') are

asocial Asociality refers to the lack of motivation to engage in social interaction, or a preference for solitary activities. Asociality may be associated with avolition, but it can, moreover, be a manifestation of limited opportunities for social relati ...

, leading solitary lives outside the breeding season.

Dialects

Pikas have distinct calls, which vary in duration. The call can be short and quick, a little longer and more drawn out or long songs. The short calls are an example of geographic variation. The pikas determine the appropriate time to make short calls by listening for cues for sound localization. The calls are used for individual recognition, predator warning signals, territory defense, or as a way to attract the opposite sex. There are also different calls depending on the season. In the spring the songs become more frequent during the breeding season. In late summer the vocalizations become short calls. Through various studies, the acoustic characteristics of the vocalizations can be a useful taxonomic tool.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of pikas in the wild is roughly seven years. A pika's age may be determined by the number of adhesion lines on the periosteal bone on the lower jaw. The lifespan does not differ between the sexes.

Species

The 34 species currently recognized are: * Order Lagomorpha ** Family Ochotonidae: pikas *** Genus ''Ochotona'' **** Subgenus ''Conothoa'': mountain pikas ***** Chinese red pika, ''O. erythrotis'' ***** Forrest's pika, ''O. forresti'' ******

Gaoligong pika The Gaoligong pika (''Ochotona gaoligongensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is endemic to China. Many of the general physical characteristics of the pika species, are shared by Gaoligong pikas. However, the Gaoligong pik ...

(''O. gaoligongensis'') and

black pika The black pika or silver pika (''Ochotona nigritia'') is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was thought to be common to the Yunnan Province of China where it was first discovered in 2000, it is only known from four specimens. The ...

(''O. nigritia'') are now thought to be conspecific with ''O. forresti'' *****

Glover's pika Glover's pika (''Ochotona gloveri'') is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was first described in 1922, by Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas. The summer dorsal pelage is grayish rufous, grayish brown, or tea brown in colour. The win ...

, ''O. gloveri'' ****** Muli pika (''O. muliensis'') is now thought to be conspecific with ''O. gloveri'' *****

Ili pika The Ili pika (''Ochotona iliensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae, endemic to northwest China. After its discovery in 1983, it was not documented again until 2002. Increased temperatures, likely from global warming, and incr ...

, ''O. iliensis'' ***** Koslov's pika, ''O. koslowi'' ***** Ladak pika, ''O. ladacensis'' *****

Large-eared pika The large-eared pika (''Ochotona macrotis'') is a species of small mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is found in mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Tibet, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan where it nests ...

, ''O. macrotis'' ***** Royle's pika, ''O. roylei'' ****** Himalayan pika (''O. himalayana'') is now thought to be conspecific with ''O. roylei'' *****

Turkestan red pika The Turkestani red pika (''Ochotona rutila'') is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. The summer fur at its back is bright rufous and the ventral fur is white or ochraceous. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is ...

, ''O. rutila'' ****Subgenus ''Alienauroa'' ***** Yellow pika, ''O. huanglongensis'' ***** Sacred pika, ''O. sacraria'' ***** Flat-headed pika, ''O. flatcalvariam'' ****Subgenus ''Ochotona'': shrub-steppe pikas ***** Gansu pika or gray pika, ''O. cansus'' ***** Plateau pika or black-lipped pika, ''O. curzoniae'' *****

Daurian pika The Daurian pika (''Ochotona dauurica'') is a small relative of rabbits and hares in the order Lagomorpha. It is well known for its “barking” alarm call, and for its peculiar habit of making hay to help survive the winter. There are 4 recogn ...

, ''O. dauurica'' ***** Nubra pika, ''O. nubrica'' *****

Steppe pika The steppe pika (''Ochotona pusilla'') is a small mammal of the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in the steppes of southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan. General description Ochotonidae includes only one genus - ''Ochotona'', formed by ...

, ''O. pusilla'' ***** Qionglai pika, ''O. qionglaiensis'' ***** Afghan pika, ''O. rufescens'' ***** Sijin pika, ''O. sikimaria'' ***** Tsing-ling pika, ''O. syrinx'' ***** Moupin pika, ''O. thibetana'' ***** Thomas's pika, ''O. thomasi'' ****Subgenus ''Pika'': northern pikas *****

Alpine pika 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 ti ...

or Altai pika, ''O. alpina'' ***** Helan Shan pika or silver pika, ''O. argentata'' *****

Collared pika The collared pika (''Ochotona collaris'') is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, and part of the order Lagomorpha, which comprises rabbits, hares, and pikas. It is a small (about 160 g) alpine lagomorph that lives in bould ...

, ''O. collaris'' ***** Korean pika, ''O. coreana'' *****

Hoffmann's pika Hoffmann's pika (''Ochotona hoffmanni'') is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, that is endemic to Mongolia. It is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Etymology The word � ...

, ''O. hoffmanni'' ***** Northern pika or Siberian pika, ''O. hyperborea'' ***** Manchurian pika, ''O. mantchurica'' ***** Kazakh pika, ''O. opaca'' ***** Pallas's pika, ''O. pallasii'' *****

, ''O. princeps'' ***** Turuchan pika, ''O. turuchanensis''

Extinct species

Many fossil forms of ''Ochotona'' are described in the literature, from the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

epoch to the early

Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togeth ...

( extinct species) and present (16.4-0 Ma). They lived in Europe, Asia, and North America.Some species listed below are common for Eurasia and North America (''O. gromovi'', ''O. tologoica'', ''O. zazhigini'', and probably ''O. whartoni''). * Eurasia ** large forms *** †'' Ochotona chowmincheni'' ( China:

Baode Baode () is a county in the northwest of Shanxi province, China, bordering Shaanxi province to the west. It is under the administration of Xinzhou, Shanxi, Xinzhou city, and is its westernmost county-level division. Baode is known for Jujube oil. ...

area, late Miocene) *** †'' Ochotona gromovi'' (

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58 *** †'' Ochotona gudrunae'' (China: Shanxi, early

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...

) *** †'' Ochotona guizhongensis'' (

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa, Taman ...

, late Miocene) *** †'' Ochotona lagreli'' (China:

Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its border includes most of the length of China's border with the country of Mongolia. Inner Mongolia also accounts for a ...

, late Miocene to late Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona magna'' (China, early Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona tologoica'' (

Transbaikal Transbaikal, Trans-Baikal, Transbaikalia ( rus, Забайка́лье, r=Zabaykalye, p=zəbɐjˈkalʲjɪ), or Dauria (, ''Dauriya'') is a mountainous region to the east of or "beyond" (trans-) Lake Baikal in Far Eastern Russia. The steppe and ...

ia, Pliocene, see also North America) *** †'' Ochotona transcaucasica'' (

Transcaucasia The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...

: eastern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

, Transbaikal and probably southern Europe, early to late Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona ursui'' (

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona zasuchini'' (Transbaikalia, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona zazhigini'' (Asia, Pliocene, see also North America) *** †'' Ochotona zhangi'' (China, Pleistocene) **medium-sized forms *** †'' Ochotona agadjianiani'' (Asia, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona antiqua'' (

Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and for ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

, and the

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

n Plain,

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...

, and probably

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the S ...

, late Miocene to Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona azerica'' (Transcaucasia: Azerbaijan, middle Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona lingtaica'' (Asia, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona dodogolica'' (Asia: western Transbaikalia, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona nihewanica'' (China:

Hebei Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...

, early Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona plicodenta'' (Asia, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona polonica'' (Europe:

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, Pliocene) ** small-sized forms *** †'' Ochotona bazarovi'' (Asia, upper Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona dehmi'' (Germany: Schernfeld, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona filippovi'' (

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...

, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona gracilis'' (Asia, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona horaceki'' (

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

Honce Honce ( hu, Kisgencs) is a village and municipality in the Rožňava District in the Košice Region of eastern Slovakia. Genealogical resources The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Kosice, S ...

, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona minor'' (China, late Miocene) *** †'' Ochotona sibirica'' (Asia, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona valerotae'' (

: Valerots site, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona youngi'' (Asia, Pliocene)
and others. ** other examples *** †'' Ochotona agadzhaniani'' (Transcaucasia:

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...

, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona alaica'' (Asia:

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

, Pleistocene) *** † ''Ochotona'' (''Proochotona'') ''eximia'' (

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...

, Ukraine, Russia,

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

, Miocene to Pliocene) *** † ''Ochotona'' (''Proochotona'') ''gigas'' (Ukraine, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona gureevi'' (Transbaikalia, middle Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona hengduanshanensis'' (China, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona intermedia'' (Asia, Pliocene) *** † ''Ochotona'' (''Proochotona'') ''kalfaense'' (Europe:

, Miocene) *** † ''Ochotona'' (''Proochotona'') ''kirgisica'' (Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona kormosi'' (

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...

, Pleistocene) *** † ''Ochotona'' (''Proochotona'') ''kurdjukovi'' (Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona largerli'' (Georgia, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona lazari'' (Ukraine, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona mediterranensis'' (

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

, Pliocene) *** †'' Ochotona ozansoyi'' (Turkey, Miocene) *** †'' Ochotona pseudopusilla'' (Ukraine and Russian Plain, Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona spelaeus'' (Ukraine, late Pleistocene) *** †'' Ochotona tedfordi'' (China: Yushe Basin, late Miocene) *** †'' Ochotona cf. whartoni'' (

Irkutsk Oblast Irkutsk Oblast (russian: Ирку́тская о́бласть, Irkutskaya oblast; bua, Эрхүү можо, Erkhüü mojo) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in southeastern Siberia in the basins of the Angara, Lena, and N ...

and

Yakutia Sakha, officially the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia),, is the largest republic of Russia, located in the Russian Far East, along the Arctic Ocean, with a population of roughly 1 million. Sakha comprises half of the area of its governing Far E ...

, Pleistocene, see also North America) *** †'' Ochotona zabiensis'' (southern

, early Pleistocene) *** †''Ochotona'' sp. (

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of , *** †''Ochotona'' sp. (Hungary: Ostramos, Pleistocene) *** †''Ochotona'' sp. (Siberia, Pleistocene) *** †''Ochotona'' sp. (Yakutia, Pleistocene) * North America ** †'' Ochotona gromovi'' ( US:

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

, Pliocene, see also Eurasia) ** †'' Ochotona spanglei'' (US, late Miocene or early Pliocene) ** †'' Ochotona tologoica'' (US: Colorado, Pliocene, see also Eurasia) ** †''Ochotona whartoni'' ( giant pika, US,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, Pleistocene to early Holocene, see also Eurasia) ** †'' Ochotona wheatleyi'' (US:

, Pliocene, late Pleistocene) ** †'' Ochotona zazhigini'' (US: Colorado, Pleistocene, see also Eurasia) ** extinct small pikas similar to the '' O. pusilla'' group (Pleistocene) Paleontologists have also described multiple forms of pika not referred to specific species (''Ochotona'' indet.) or not certainly identified (''O.''

cf. The abbreviation ''cf.'' (short for the la, confer/conferatur, both meaning "compare") is used in writing to refer the reader to other material to make a comparison with the topic being discussed. Style guides recommend that ''cf.'' be used onl ...

''antiqua'', ''O.'' cf. ''cansus'', ''O.'' cf. ''daurica'', ''O.'' cf. ''eximia'', ''O.'' cf. ''gromovi'', ''O.'' cf. ''intermedia'', ''O.'' cf. ''koslowi'', ''O.'' cf. ''lagrelii'', ''O.'' cf. ''nihewanica''). The statuses of ''Ochotona'' (''Proochotona'') ''kirgisica'' and ''O. spelaeus'' are uncertain. The "''pusilla''" group of pikas is characterized by archaic ( plesiomorphic) cheek teeth and small size. The North American species migrated from Eurasia. They invaded the New World twice: * ''O. spanglei'' during the latest Miocene or early Pliocene, followed by a roughly three-million-year-long gap in the known North American pikas record *''O. whartoni'' (giant pika) and small pikas via the

Bering Land Bridge Beringia is defined today as the land and maritime area bounded on the west by the Lena River in Russia; on the east by the Mackenzie River in Canada; on the north by 72 degrees north latitude in the Chukchi Sea; and on the south by the tip of ...

during the earliest Pleistocene ''Ochotona''

''whartoni'' and small pikas of the ''O. pusilla'' group are also known from Siberia. The extant,

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

North American species appeared in the Pleistocene. The North American collared pika (''O. collaris'') and

(''O. princeps'') have been suggested to have descended from the same ancestor as the steppe pika (''O. pusilla''). The range of ''Ochotona'' was larger in the past, with both extinct and extant species inhabiting Western Europe and Eastern North America, areas that are currently free of pikas. Pleistocene fossils of the extant steppe pika ''O. pusilla'' currently native to Asia have been found also in many countries of Europe from the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

to Russia and from

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to Poland, and the Asiatic extant northern pika ''O. hyperborea'' in one location in the middle Pleistocene United States. Pika Ochotona sp

Other genera of ochotonids (currently living only Ochotonidae) include except ''Ochotona'' (pika) extinct †'' Albertona'', †'' Alloptox'', †'' Amphilagus'', †'' Australagomys'', †'' Austrolagomys'', †'' Bellatona'', †'' Bellatonoides'', †'' Bohlinotona'', †'' Cuyamalagus'', †'' Desmatolagus'', †'' Eurolagus'', †'' Gripholagomys'', †'' Gymnesicolagus'', †'' Hesperolagomys'', †'' Heterolagus'', †'' Kenyalagomys'', †'' Lagopsis'', †'' Marcuinomys'', †'' Ochotonoides'', †'' Ochotonoma'', †'' Oklahomalagus'', †'' Oreolagus'', †'' Paludotona'', †'' Piezodus'', †'' Plicalagus'', †'' Pliolagomys'', †''

'', †'' Proochotona'' ( syn. ''Ochotona''), †'' Pseudobellatona'', †'' Ptychoprolagus'', †'' Russellagus'', †'' Sinolagomys'' and †'' Titanomys''. The earliest one is ''Desmatolagus'' (middle Eocene to Miocene, 42.5–14.8 Ma), usually included in the Ochotonidae, sometimes in

or in neither ochotonid nor leporid stem- lagomorphs. Ochotonids appeared in Asia between the late Eocene and the early Oligocene, and continued to develop along with increased distribution of C₃ grasses in previously forest dominated areas under the "climatic optimum" from the late Oligocene to middle Miocene. They thrived in Eurasia, North America, and even Africa. The peak of their diversity occurred during the period from the early Miocene to middle Miocene, most of them became extinct during the transition from the Miocene to Pliocene, what was accompanied by diversity increase in the '' leporids''. It has been proposed that this switch between ochotonids and larger leporids was caused by expansion of C₄ plants (particularly the Poaceae) related to global cooling in the late Miocene, since extant pikas reveal a strong preference for C₃ plants (

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

, Rosaceae, and Fabaceae, many of them C₃). Replacement of large areas of forests by open grassland first started probably in North America and is called sometimes "nature's green revolution".

Notes

References

Additional references of the Paleobiology Database

External links

The trek of the pika
by Michael Morris, Parks Canada, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. (includes sound file) {{Authority control Extant Burdigalian first appearances