However, this taxon is a relic in a more general sense, as along with the Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris) it is one of the only remaining members of the group found in the New World - there are several extinct pika taxa, along with a small number of Old World taxa which are still extant, which were once found in North America.
Equally, the fact that Old World pikas are restricted to Asia is itself a relic of what was once a much larger range, with numerous extinct taxa once endemic to Europe and the ranges of many "Asian" pika once extending into Europe. For instance, the extant Steppe Pika (Ochotona pusilla) once ranged from the British Isles to the Amur peninsula.
