The Diversity of Lowland Representatives of the Highest‐Altitude Mammals: The Elusive Pikas of the Subgenus Alienauroa

Abstract

The pikas of the subgenus Alienauroa were discovered merely 25 years ago, with the principal diversity of this group described only in 2017. This study integrates genomic, morphological, and distributional data from all specimens collected to date to advance the understanding of phylogeny, taxonomy, and distribution within these pika species. Our analyses delineate four distinct species: O. syrinx , O. sacraria , O. huanglongensis, and O. flatcalvariam . The entire group is restricted to a limited geographic area situated between the Huanghe and Yangtze rivers. All species exhibit strict ecological association with dark coniferous forests. Two sister species, O. syrinx and O. sacraria , display disjunct distributions and significant genetic divergence, indicative of relict range fragmentation. In contrast, the second sister pair, O. huanglongensis and O. flatcalvariam , exhibit restricted distributions and lower levels of genetic variation. The species generally demonstrate allopatric distribution, with the exception of O. syrinx and O. sacraria in the Qinling and Dabashan mountains, where they exhibit sympatry.

Bibliographic Information