The Ladak pika (''Ochotona ladacensis''), also known as the Ladakh pika, is a species of

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

in the family Ochotonidae found in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. Prior to identification as a separate species, specimens were thought to be of the plateau pika. Named for the

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...

region, they are commonly found in valleys of the mountain ranges spanning from Pakistan through India to China at an elevation between and are herbivores.

Taxonomy

Specimens of the Ladak pika were originally identified as plateau pika due to their color and the similarities in the narrow

interorbital region The interorbital region of the skull is located between the eyes, anterior to the braincase. The form of the interorbital region may exhibit significant variation between taxonomic groups. In oryzomyine rodents, for example, the width, form, an ...

on the skull of each species. However, differences were found between the two including the smaller

auditory bulla The tympanic part of the temporal bone is a curved plate of bone lying below the squamous part of the temporal bone, in front of the mastoid process, and surrounding the external part of the ear canal. It originates as a separate bone (tympanic ...

found in the Ladak pika and a differently arched skull shape. There are no subspecies of the Ladak pika. Local names in the

Ladakhi language The Ladakhi language is a Tibetic language spoken in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. It is the predominant language in the Buddhist-dominated district of Leh. Though a member of the Tibetic family, Ladakhi is not mutually intelligible wi ...

include ''zabra'', ''karin'', and ''phisekarin''.

Description

The fur of the Ladak pika is a light brown/grey with a yellow/white underside. The length of the body of an adult specimen measures between . The outside areas of the ears are a color reminiscent of

rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH ...

. The skull has a high arch. They reproduce during late June and early July.

Habitat

The Ladak pika is found in the mountain ranges of northern India, northeastern Pakistan, and western China including the provinces of

Qinghai Qinghai (; alternately romanized as Tsinghai, Ch'inghai), also known as Kokonor, is a landlocked province in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. It is the fourth largest province of China by area and has the third smallest po ...

Xizang The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China in Southwest China. It was overlayed on the traditional Tibetan regions of Ü ...

and

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...

, as well as across the

Tibetan Plateau The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central, South and East Asia covering most of the Ti ...

. They inhabit valleys at elevations between , and dig burrows. They are herbivorous and are thought to eat roots throughout the winter such as those of the family

Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...

. The Ladak pika lives in territorial family groups. They have been recorded as being commonly found during surveys in these regions.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q534801 Pikas Mammals of Pakistan Mammals of India Mammals of Tibet Mammals described in 1875 Taxa named by Albert Günther Taxonomy articles created by Polbot