Erinaceidae is a family of small mammals in the order Eulipotyphla. A member of this family is called an erinaceid, and the family includes hedgehogs and gymnures. Erinaceidae is one of four families in the order Eulipotyphla. [1] They are found in Africa, Europe, and Asia, primarily in forests, shrublands, savannas, and grasslands, though some species can also be found in deserts, rocky areas, or caves. They range in size from the gymnures in the Hylomys genus, at 9 cm (4 in) plus a 1 cm (0.4 in) tail, to the moonrat, at 46 cm (18 in) plus a 30 cm (12 in) tail. Erinaceids are omnivorous and primarily eat insects and small vertebrates such as lizards, though they also consume plants, eggs, and fungi. Hedgehogs all have spines on their backs, while gymnures have fur. No erinaceids have population estimates, but the Hainan gymnure and Dinagat gymnure are categorized as endangered species.
The twenty-four extant species of Erinaceidae are divided into two subfamilies: Erinaceinae, containing sixteen hedgehog species in five genera, and Galericinae, containing eight gymnure species in five genera. A few extinct prehistoric Erinaceidae species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed. [2]
Conservation status | |
---|---|
EX | Extinct (0 species) |
EW | Extinct in the wild (0 species) |
CR | Critically Endangered (0 species) |
EN | Endangered (2 species) |
VU | Vulnerable (1 species) |
NT | Near threatened (1 species) |
LC | Least concern (19 species) |
Other categories | |
DD | Data deficient (1 species) |
NE | Not evaluated (0 species) |
Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the erinaceid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.
The family Erinaceidae consists of two subfamilies: Erinaceinae, containing sixteen hedgehog species in five genera, and Galericinae, containing eight gymnure species in five genera.
Family Erinaceidae
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists. [1] The range shown is only for wild populations; domesticated hedgehogs, which are usually four-toed hedgehogs, North African hedgehogs, or hybrids of the two, may live outside these areas.
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Four-toed hedgehog | A. albiventris (Wagner, 1841) | Western, central, and eastern Africa | Size: 17–23 cm (7–9 in) long [4] Habitat: Savanna and grassland [5] Diet: Invertebrates, as well as plants and small vertebrates [4] | LC
|
North African hedgehog | A. algirus (Lereboullet, 1842) Three subspecies
| Northern Africa | Size: 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long [6] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and grassland [7] Diet: Omnivorous, including arthropods, small vertebrates, carrion, and fungi [6] | LC
|
Somali hedgehog | A. sclateri Anderson, 1895 | Somalia | Size: 20–27 cm (8–11 in) long, plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail [8] Habitat: Grassland and savanna [9] Diet: Believed to be omnivorous; primarily insects [8] | LC
|
Southern African hedgehog | A. frontalis (Smith, 1831) | Southern Africa | Size: 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long, plus 2 cm (1 in) tail [10] Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, and grassland [11] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily insects, as well as carrion, vegetables, fungi, and small vertebrates [10] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amur hedgehog | E. amurensis Schrenk, 1859 | Eastern Asia | Size: 15–29 cm (6–11 in) long, plus 1–5 cm (0.4–2.0 in) tail [12] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [13] Diet: Earthworms and other ground invertebrates, as well as small vertebrates and fruit [13] | LC
|
European hedgehog | E. europaeus Linnaeus, 1758 | Europe, northwestern Asia, and New Zealand | Size: 13–27 cm (5–11 in) long, plus 2 cm (1 in) tail [14] Habitat: Forest and grassland [15] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily insects, as well as other invertebrates, eggs, small vertebrates, and carrion [14] | NT
|
Northern white-breasted hedgehog | E. roumanicus Barrett-Hamilton, 1900 | Eastern Europe and western Asia (in blue) | Size: 13–30 cm (5–12 in) long, plus 1–5 cm (0.4–2.0 in) tail [16] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [17] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily insects, as well as other invertebrates, eggs, small vertebrates, and carrion [18] | LC
|
Southern white-breasted hedgehog | E. concolor Martin, 1838 | Western Asia (in orange) | Size: 13–30 cm (5–12 in) long, plus 1–5 cm (0.4–2.0 in) tail [16] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [19] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily insects, as well as other invertebrates, eggs, small vertebrates, and carrion [18] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Indian long-eared hedgehog | H. collaris (Gray, 1830) | Western India and Pakistan | Size: 15–28 cm (6–11 in) long, plus 1–6 cm (0.4–2.4 in) tail [20] Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, and desert [21] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily invertebrates and insects, as well as small vertebrates, eggs, carrion, fruit, and seeds [20] | LC
|
Long-eared hedgehog | H. auritus (Gmelin, 1770) | Western and central Asia | Size: 12–27 cm (5–11 in) long, plus 1–5 cm (0.4–2.0 in) tail [22] Habitat: Shrubland and desert [23] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily invertebrates and insects, as well as eggs, fruit, vegetables, and small vertebrates [22] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Daurian hedgehog | M. dauuricus (Sundevall, 1842) | East-central Asia | Size: About 24 cm (9 in) long, plus 3 cm (1 in) tail [20] Habitat: Forest and grassland [24] Diet: Beetles and other invertebrates, as well as small reptiles, bird eggs and nestlings, rodents, and carrion [24] | LC
|
Hugh's hedgehog | M. hughi (Thomas, 1908) | Central China | Size: About 24 cm (9 in) long, plus 3 cm (1 in) tail [20] Habitat: Grassland [25] Diet: Omnivorous; primarily invertebrates and insects, as well as small vertebrates, eggs, carrion, fruit, and seeds [20] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bare-bellied hedgehog | P. nudiventris (Horsfield, 1851) | Southern India | Size: 14–28 cm (6–11 in) long, plus 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in) tail [26] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [27] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates, eggs, and scorpions [20] | LC
|
Brandt's hedgehog | P. hypomelas (Brandt, 1836) | Western Asia | Size: 14–28 cm (6–11 in) long, plus 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in) tail [26] Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland, and desert [28] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates, eggs, and scorpions [20] | LC
|
Desert hedgehog | P. aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1832) | Northern Africa and Arabian Peninsula | Size: 14–23 cm (6–9 in) long [29] Habitat: Desert, inland wetlands, grassland, shrubland, and savanna [30] Diet: Insects, as well as other invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and eggs [29] | LC
|
Indian hedgehog | P. micropus (Blyth, 1846) | Western India and Pakistan | Size: 14–28 cm (6–11 in) long, plus 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in) tail [31] Habitat: Shrubland and desert [32] Diet: Insects, as well as other invertebrates, small vertebrates, and eggs [31] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Moonrat | E. gymnura (Raffles, 1822) Two subspecies
| Southeast Asia | Size: 26–46 cm (10–18 in) long, plus 16–30 cm (6–12 in) tail [33] Habitat: Forest [34] Diet: Invertebrates, as well as frogs, fish, and fruit [35] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dwarf gymnure | H. parvus Robinson & Kloss, 1916 | Sumatra island in Indonesia | Size: 9–15 cm (4–6 in) long, plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail [36] Habitat: Forest [37] Diet: Invertebrates, as well as fruit [36] | VU
|
Long-eared gymnure | H. megalotis Jenkins & Robinson, 2002 | Laos | Size: 9–15 cm (4–6 in) long, plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail [36] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and rocky areas [38] Diet: Invertebrates, as well as fruit [36] | DD
|
Short-tailed gymnure | H. suillus Müller, 1840 Seven subspecies
| Southeastern Asia | Size: 9–15 cm (4–6 in) long, plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail [36] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [39] Diet: Invertebrates, as well as fruit [39] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hainan gymnure | N. hainanensis Shaw & Wong, 1959 | Hainan island, China | Size: 12–15 cm (5–6 in) long, plus 3–5 cm (1–2 in) tail [40] Habitat: Forest and caves [41] Diet: Insects, worms, and plants [40] | EN
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Shrew gymnure | N. sinensis Trouessart, 1909 | Southern China | Size: 10–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 4–7 cm (2–3 in) tail [40] Habitat: Forest [42] Diet: Insects, worms, and plants [40] | LC
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Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dinagat gymnure | P. aureospinula Heaney & Morgan, 1982 | Philippines | Size: 19–22 cm (7–9 in) long, plus 5–8 cm (2–3 in) tail [16] Habitat: Forest [43] Diet: Insects, worms, and birds [16] | EN
|
Mindanao gymnure | P. truei Mearns, 1905 | Philippines | Size: 13–15 cm (5–6 in) long, plus 4–7 cm (2–3 in) tail [44] Habitat: Forest [45] Diet: Insects, worms, and carrion [44] | LC
|
A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction. There are no hedgehogs native to Australia and no living species native to the Americas. However, the extinct genus Amphechinus was once present in North America.
Erinaceidae is a family in the order Eulipotyphla, consisting of the hedgehogs and moonrats. Until recently, it was assigned to the order Erinaceomorpha, which has been subsumed with the paraphyletic Soricomorpha into Eulipotyphla. Eulipotyphla has been shown to be monophyletic; Soricomorpha is paraphyletic because both Soricidae and Talpidae share a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with solenodons.
Brandt's hedgehog is a species of desert hedgehog native to parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. Its common name derives from its having first been described by Johann Friedrich von Brandt, a director of the Zoological Department at the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences.
The dwarf gymnure is a gymnure found only at Mount Kerinci, Sumatra, Indonesia. It is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a vulnerable species due to a restricted range.
The Somali hedgehog is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae. It is endemic to Somalia. The Somali hedgehog is nocturnal.
The desert hedgehog is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae.
The Dinagat gymnure is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
The long-eared gymnure is a eulipotyphlan that is found in Laos. This specific type of gymnure has long ears and a long skull compared to that of others. It is also recognized for its broad forefeet, stout claws, and naked hindfeet.