NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Ili Pika
Ochotona (Conothoa) iliensis Li & Ma, 1986
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Ili pika or magic rabbit (Ochotona iliensis) is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae, endemic to northwest China. After its discovery in 1983, it was studied for a decade.
Increased temperatures and increased grazing pressure may have caused the rapid decline in population, along with air pollution.
According to IUCN last assessed in 2018, the Ili pika is now considered an endangered species, with approximately fewer than 1,000 left.
Wikipedia contributors, Ili pika; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T01:38:30.544392+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Ochotona (Conothoa) iliensis Li & Ma, 1986
- Name authority
- Li & Ma, 1986
- Common name
- Ili Pika
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Lagomorpha
- Family
- Ochotonidae
- Genus
- Ochotona
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderLagomorpha Brandt, 1855
- familyOchotonidae Thomas, 1897
- genusOchotona Link, 1795
- subgenusConothoa Lyon, 1904
- speciesOchotona (Conothoa) iliensis Li & Ma, 1986
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Ochotona. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine PikaOchotona (Pika) alpina (Pallas, 1773) | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Gansu PikaOchotona (Ochotona) cansus Lyon, 1907 | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Black-lipped PikaOchotona (Ochotona) curzoniae (Hodgson, 1858) | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Forrest's PikaOchotona (Conothoa) forresti Thomas, 1923 | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Glover's PikaOchotona (Conothoa) gloveri Thomas, 1922 | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Northern PikaOchotona (Pika) hyperborea (Pallas, 1811) | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Large-eared PikaOchotona (Conothoa) macrotis (Günther, 1875) | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Ochotona (Pika) mantchurica Thomas, 1909 | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Nubra PikaOchotona (Ochotona) nubrica Thomas, 1922 | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Ochotona (Pika) opaca Argyropulo, 1939 | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Mongolian PikaOchotona (Pika) pallasi (Gray, 1867) | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Little PikaOchotona (Lagotona) pusilla (Pallas, 1769) | OchotonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=625322 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:6SF3Z. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.