Ochotona coreana Allen and Andrews, 1913

Jo, Yeong-Seok, Baccus, John T. & Koprowski, John L., 2018, Mammals of Korea: a review of their taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zootaxa 4522 (1), pp. 1-216 : 12

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).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Range map of Ochotona coreana in Korea.