【摘要】 文章首次报道了纵纹腹小Athenenoctua不同亚种之间第1枚初级飞羽外及最外侧1枚小翼羽的斑纹特征，爪的累积长度及左脚中趾爪长的差异；增补了小在国内新的分布点。在国内的4个亚种中，An．ludlbowi栖息于最冷、多风的高海拔地区。它的羽色最深，体形最大，翅也最长；A．n．orientalis分布于较干热的沙漠地区，体色明显变白，是国内亚种中羽色最淡的；我国甘肃、青海一带的类群或多或少地处于A.n.ludlowi和An．plumipes之间；在北部地区，特别是在内蒙古的西北部，个体则显出在An．plumipes和An．orientalis之间。在羽色、大小和地理分布上，An．impasta明显地界于An．ludlowi和A．n．plumipes之间。随着分布区纬度的升高，翅长的变化略有缩短趋势，呈现出明显的梯度变异。在国内，这种小主要分布于山脚林缘、平原、草地、丘陵、荒坡及沟壑等生境。在歧山（陕西省）最合适的生境为具有稀树、土台或沟壑的开阔田野，常见于长江以北的广大地区，长江天险对小的向南扩散明显有阻限作用。更多还原

【Abstract】 The Litt;e owl Athene noctua has been found to be differentiated in 4 subspecies (A. n.plumipes, A. n. orientalis, A. n. ludlowi, A. n. impasta) in China. This paper reports distribution, habitat and clinal variations of the different subspecies.Athene noctua ludiowi, the darkest subspecies in body colouration and largest in body size and claw length, is distributed in the coldest, much windy and high-altitude areas. A.n. orientalis inhabits very arid and sunny desert regions; it is the palest race among the 4 subspecies. Specimen from Gansu and Qinghai Provinces are more or less intermediate be tween A. n. ludlowi and A. n. plumipes, whereas those from the northern area and the northwesten part of the Inner Mongolia, are intermediate between A. n. plumipes and A.n. oricntalis. A. n. impasta is intertnediate between A. n. ludlowi and A. n. plumipes in body coloration as well as in body size and claw length. In higher latitudes, wings and claws of races become shorter. Among the 4 subspecies, variations of body colouration, wing length and claw length are found to be clinal. In China, the Little Owls are mainly distributed at foothills near the forest, praire and hillside fields. The most suitable habitat in Qishan (Shaanxi Province) is found to be open country with scattered trees, earthbanks orcrevices. The Changjiang River appears to form a barrier in the dispersal of the species southward.更多还原