Previous Articles     Next Articles

A new subspecies of Ochotona forresti in southeastern Tibet,China

CHEN Xiaocheng,LI Wenjing   

  1. Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology,the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Xining 810001 ,China
  • Online:2009-03-09 Published:2009-03-08

西藏东南部灰颈鼠兔(Ochotona forresti)一新亚种

陈晓澄, 李文靖   

  1. 中国科学院西北高原生物研究所,西宁 810001)

Abstract: Three specimens of Ochotona forresti were collected from southeastern Tibet in 1977 and 1979. After a careful study,considered to be a new subspecies of Ochotona forresti. It is described as follows:
Ochotona forresti duoxionglaensis subsp. nov.
Holotype:
1♂,NIPB 77139,adult,collected from Duoxiongla Mountain (elevation:4 200 m),Motuo County,
southeastern Tibet, August 27,1977 by Prof. Cai Guiquan.
Paratypes: 2 ♀♀, NIPB 79072,adult,and NIPB 79071,subadult,collected from Bangzong valley (elevation:
4100 m), Milin County,southeastern,Tibet,September 14,1979 by Prof. Wu Jiayan.
Type specimens are deposited in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Museum of Biological Specimens,Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology,the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Diagnosis: Similar to Ochotona forresti osgoodi with larger bullae, (LAB 11.1 - 11.4 mm). Differences from other subspecies are as follows: O. f. duoxionglaensis is much bigger;greater skull length 40 7 - 41 4 mm;skull is much higher, height of skull 36.71% - 37.0% of greater skull length;Long hairs in front of ears are white. Forehead is black and brown,and sides of the faces are drabble grey. From back to buttocks are deep black,and the sides of the body are light black.
Remarks: Long hairs in front of the ears are white. Hairs inside ears are grey-white,back of ears chestnut,and edge of ear black and brown. Nape dark hoary grayish,belly and groin washed with buff,but middle of belly yellow. Fore and hind feet above grey,hind feet stouter. Fore claws longer than those of hind feet,terminal pads of toes blackish and not hidden by hair,conspicuous.
Skull: Relatively large,GLS 40.7 -41.4 mm. ; Comparatively convex in superior profile, BCH/ GLS about 36.71%- 37. 0% ; Bullae large,LAB 11.1 - 11.4 mm; Palatal and incisive foramina completely confluent,like a gourd or violin. There are no small vacuities at the anterior end of frontals. Nasal bone short but broad. The orbits are much bigger,and its greatest inner length is much longer than length of diastema.
Occurrence and habits:Found only in Motuo and Milin,southeastern Tibet. Habitats are in alpine shrub meadows,or in edge of forests.

Key words: New subspecies, Ochotona forresti, Southeastern Tibet

关键词: 灰颈鼠兔, 新亚种, 西藏东南部