The identification of pika and hare through tricho-taxonomy (Mammalia: Lagomorpha)

Authors

  • Manokaran Kamalakannan Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, Block M, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053, India.
  • Kailash Chandra Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, Block M, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053, India.
  • Joy Krishna De Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, Block M, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053, India.
  • Chinnadurai Venkatraman Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, Block M, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4014.11.10.14301-14308

Keywords:

Cuticular, dorsal guard hairs, lagomorphs, medullary character, microphotographs

Abstract

The macroscopic and microscopic characters of dorsal guard hairs of Indian lagomorphs (four species of pikas and three species of hare) are described; the cuticular and medullary characters are similar between the species studied.  The cuticular and medullary characters, however, are dissimilar between the family Ochotonidae and Leporidae.  The cross-section of hair of the species had shown two identical shapes between the family Ochotonidae and Leporidae.  The cross-section was observed as an oval shape in all the four ochotonid species, whereas there was a dumb-bell shape in all three leporid species.  The hair of the Indian lagomorphs can easily be differentiated up to the family level on the basis of their unique cuticula, medulla and cross-section of the dorsal guard hair.  The high-resolution microphotographs and key characteristics of hair that are presented here can be used as an appropriate reference for family-level identification of Indian lagomorphs.

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Published

26-08-2019

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 10 (2019)

Section

Communications

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