Abstract

In North America, pikas (mammal genus Ochotona) are distributed throughout the western mountain ranges where they are mostly restricted to higher elevation talus slides. There are two species in North America, the Alaskan or Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris Nelson) and the American Pika (Ochotona princeps Richardson). The former is found north of 58 degrees north latitude and has no subspeciation, while the latter occurs south of 58 degrees latitude and consists of 35 subspecies isolated on various mountain ranges (Hall and Kelson 1959). In Utah there are nine subspecies, which are mostly distributed in the Wasatch range that runs northeast to southwest through Utah. They are also found in the LaSal Mountains and the Uinta Mountains, where this study was conducted. This subspecies of pika, Ochotona princeps uinta (Hollister) is found in the entire Uinta range and extends west into the central Wasatch Mountains.

Degree

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

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