pika

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pi·ka

 (pī′kə, pē-)
n.
Any of several small, tailless, furry mammals of the genus Ochotona of mountains or grasslands of North America and Eurasia, resembling guinea pigs but being more closely related to hares and rabbits. Also called coney1, rock rabbit.

[Evenki piika, perhaps from Russian pikat', to squeak.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pika

(ˈpaɪkə)
n
(Animals) any burrowing lagomorph mammal of the family Ochotonidae of mountainous regions of North America and Asia, having short rounded ears, a rounded body, and rudimentary tail. Also called: cony
[C19: from Tungusic piika]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pi•ka

(ˈpaɪ kə)

n., pl. -kas.
any short-eared, short-legged, tailless lagomorph of the genus Ochotona, of western mountains of North America and parts of E Europe and Asia.
[1820–30; said to be < Evenki; compare Evenki (N Baikal dial.) pikačān the tree creeper (Certhia familiaris)]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.pika - small short-eared burrowing mammal of rocky uplands of Asia and western North Americapika - small short-eared burrowing mammal of rocky uplands of Asia and western North America
gnawing mammal, lagomorph - relative large gnawing animals; distinguished from rodents by having two pairs of upper incisors specialized for gnawing
family Ochotonidae, Ochotonidae - pikas and extinct forms
little chief hare, Ochotona princeps - North American pika
collared pika, Ochotona collaris - similar to little chief hare and may be same species
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in periodicals archive ?
They present updated range maps of all species of pikas, rabbits, and hares; high-quality images of most species; and current information on identification, systematics, ecology, behavior, reproduction, genetics, physiology, and conservation and management.
The temporary burrow was used to avoid predators in emergency situations, and probably was the initial stage of construction of more complex burrows of some dispersing pikas. Permanent burrows were used for avoiding predators, resting and rearing offsprings.
Little pikas pack away stacks of wildflower hay, bears gobble berries, grackles flock on trees, pronghorns parade and prance across the prairie by twos, geese fill the skies in formations of ten, whales swim, flowers and seeds and fruits fall, and acorns are stashed by busy squirrels.
In Visayan, the netizen commented, 'Bahalaaag mag cgeg padungog ang pikas campo nimo elleeeeeen.
This study tests the predictions of the episodic host-switching model for Nearctic pikas (Ochotonidae), small lagomorphs that inhabit rocky alpine habitats in western North America, and a diverse suite of their endoparasitic helminths.
The burrows, apart from being a home to the pikas, is also home for plateau birds as well as lizards.
There are also chimps who could teach Bear Grylls a thing or two about finding water, ants who use grubs as glue-guns to stick their houses together and the cutest argument ever involving two pikas - which are like round-eared rabbits.
The researchers also found that species with higher latitudinal and elevation ranges, like polar bears, American pikas and shadow chipmunks, were more likely to respond to climate change than mammals living lower in latitude and elevation.
During the recent years, the various methods are applied to manage the number of plateau pikas. In the first stage, since people are lacking enough understanding about the plateau pika, they directly poisoned the plateau pike with botulin of models C and D.
Lagomorphs include rabbits, hares and pikas. Both orders, however, posses the characteristic of continuously growing incisor teeth.
Most of the text is devoted to the Eimeriidae family of parasites in various genera of rabbits and the related pikas in the Family Ochotonidae.