ochotona
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Definition
Noun 1. A genus of mammals: Ochotona is the genus name for pikas, small mountain-dwelling mammals that resemble rodents but are actually lagomorphs (the order that includes rabbits and hares). It is the type genus (the genus that serves as the reference point) for the family Ochotonidae.
Usage Examples
- The Ochotona is well-adapted to cold climates and rocky habitats.
- Scientists studied several Ochotona species to understand their survival strategies.
- The collared pika, Ochotona collaris, is found in North America.
Advanced Usage
- In taxonomic and biological texts, is always italicized as it is a genus name. The plural form is or, more formally, species within the genus .
- The research compared the alarm calls of different Ochotonas.
Variants and Related Words
- Ochotonidae (noun): The biological family containing only the pikas, for which is the type genus.
- pika (noun): The common name for any member of the genus .
Synonyms
- pika (common name)
- rock rabbit (colloquial name)
- whistling hare (colloquial name, referencing their high-pitched calls)
Different Meanings
This word has a single, specific meaning in biological taxonomy. It does not have idiomatic or phrasal verb uses.
Noun
- type genus of the Ochotonidae