Difference between revisions of "New World porcupine" - New World Encyclopedia

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New World porcupines are stout animals, with blunt rounded heads, fleshy mobile snouts, and coats of thick cylindrical or flattened spines. They have relatively small eyes, and small and round ears, with the ears almost covered by hair (Mertz 2004). Their clawed, four-toed feet on short, strong limbs allow them to be excellent climbers (Mertz 2004). They vary in size from the relatively small Prehensile-tailed Porcupines, which are around 30 centimeters long, and weigh about 900 grams, to the much larger North American porcupine, which has a body length of 86 centimeters, and weighs up to 18 kilograms (Macdonald 1984).
 
New World porcupines are stout animals, with blunt rounded heads, fleshy mobile snouts, and coats of thick cylindrical or flattened spines. They have relatively small eyes, and small and round ears, with the ears almost covered by hair (Mertz 2004). Their clawed, four-toed feet on short, strong limbs allow them to be excellent climbers (Mertz 2004). They vary in size from the relatively small Prehensile-tailed Porcupines, which are around 30 centimeters long, and weigh about 900 grams, to the much larger North American porcupine, which has a body length of 86 centimeters, and weighs up to 18 kilograms (Macdonald 1984).
  
 +
The most characteristic feature are the sharp quills (actually modified guard hairs), which cover much of their dorsal surface, from the head to the tail, although a few species are naked on a portion of their tail (such as ''Coendou prehensilis'' and ''Sphiggurus mexicanus'', both species with prehensile tails used in climbing)(Mertz 2004). While obvious in many species, such as ''Erethizon dorsatum'' (North American porcupine), the spines are hidden below the [[fur]] in other species and in most young porcupines of diverse species (Mertz 2004). They all have barb, unlike the barb-less quills and spines of the Old World porcupines (Atkins 2004). The quills face backward on the body, but can be raised erect when under duress, reaching up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in the North American porcupine (Mertz 2004). Although they cannot launch the quills, they are easily detached and can impale an attacker, with the barb lodging in the attacker's body (Mertz 2004).
  
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In addition to the character of the barbs, New World porcupines are morphologically distinguished from the Old World porcupines in that they have rooted [[Molar (tooth)|molar]]s, complete collar-bones, entire upper lips, tuberculated soles, no trace of a first front-toe, and four teats. Their teeth are similar to those of Old World porcupines, with the [[dentition|dental formula]]:{{dentition2|1.0.1.3|1.0.1.3}}
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==Distribution and habitat==
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 +
==Behavior==
  
They are distinguished from the Old World porcupines in that they have rooted [[Molar (tooth)|molar]]s, complete collar-bones, entire upper lips, tuberculated soles, no trace of a first front-toe, and four teats.
 
  
 
They are less strictly nocturnal than Old World species in their habits, and some types live entirely in trees while others have dens on the ground. Their long and powerful [[prehensile tail]]s help them balance when they are in the tree tops. Their diet consists mainly of bark, leaves and conifer needles but can also include roots, stems, berries, fruits, seeds, nuts, grasses and flowers. Some species also eat insects and small reptiles.<ref>{{cite book
 
They are less strictly nocturnal than Old World species in their habits, and some types live entirely in trees while others have dens on the ground. Their long and powerful [[prehensile tail]]s help them balance when they are in the tree tops. Their diet consists mainly of bark, leaves and conifer needles but can also include roots, stems, berries, fruits, seeds, nuts, grasses and flowers. Some species also eat insects and small reptiles.<ref>{{cite book
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   | url =
 
   | url =
 
   | doi =
 
   | doi =
   | isbn = 0-19-920608-2 }}</ref> Their teeth are similar to those of Old World porcupines, with the [[dentition|dental formula]]:{{dentition2|1.0.1.3|1.0.1.3}}
+
   | isbn = 0-19-920608-2 }}</ref>  
  
 
Solitary offspring (or, rarely, twins) are born after a gestation period of up to 210 days, depending on the species. The young are born fully developed, with open eyes, and are able to climb trees within a few days of birth<ref name=EoM/>.
 
Solitary offspring (or, rarely, twins) are born after a gestation period of up to 210 days, depending on the species. The young are born fully developed, with open eyes, and are able to climb trees within a few days of birth<ref name=EoM/>.

Revision as of 03:16, 21 May 2008

New World Porcupines
Fossil range: Late Oligocene - Recent
North American Porcupine
North American Porcupine
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
Infraorder: Hystricognathi
Parvorder: Caviomorpha
Family: Erethizontidae
Bonaparte, 1845
Genera

 Erethizon
 Coendou
 Sphiggurus
 Echinoprocta
 Chaetomys

New World porcupine is the common name for any of the large, stocky, largely arboreal rodents comprising the family Erethizontidae, characterized by a spiny covering of sharp, barbed quills. They live in the Americas, with most in South America, but also species in Central and North America (Mertz 2004). Although both the New World porcupines and Old World porcupines (family Hystricidae) belong to the Hystricognathi branch of the vast order Rodentia, and have a similar appearance of a spiny covering, they are quite different, including the fact that all spines in the Old World porcupines lack the barbules characteristic of the Erethizontidae (Atkins 2004). Many New World porcupines are arboreal (adapted to life in trees), whereas the Old World porcupines are usually terrestrial and normally do not climb trees (Atkins 2004; Mertz 2004).


Description

Two taxonomic families of rodents share the common name of porcupines, Erethizontidae, or New World porcupines, and the Hystricidae, or Old World porcupines. Both are characterized by heavy bodies with some areas covered with long quills or spines (modified hairs). The quills, which are interspersed with coarse hair, can detach from the skin easily when touched and become embedded in a potential predator. The animal's quills or spines take on various forms, depending on the species, but all are modified hairs coated with thick plates of keratin, and are embedded in the skin musculature. As rodents, both groups have incisor teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives and must be kept worn down by gnawing. The incisors have enamel on the outside and exposed dentine on the inside, so they self-sharpen during gnawing. Rodents lack canines and first premolars, which creates a space between their incisors and their grinding teeth.

New World porcupines are stout animals, with blunt rounded heads, fleshy mobile snouts, and coats of thick cylindrical or flattened spines. They have relatively small eyes, and small and round ears, with the ears almost covered by hair (Mertz 2004). Their clawed, four-toed feet on short, strong limbs allow them to be excellent climbers (Mertz 2004). They vary in size from the relatively small Prehensile-tailed Porcupines, which are around 30 centimeters long, and weigh about 900 grams, to the much larger North American porcupine, which has a body length of 86 centimeters, and weighs up to 18 kilograms (Macdonald 1984).

The most characteristic feature are the sharp quills (actually modified guard hairs), which cover much of their dorsal surface, from the head to the tail, although a few species are naked on a portion of their tail (such as Coendou prehensilis and Sphiggurus mexicanus, both species with prehensile tails used in climbing)(Mertz 2004). While obvious in many species, such as Erethizon dorsatum (North American porcupine), the spines are hidden below the fur in other species and in most young porcupines of diverse species (Mertz 2004). They all have barb, unlike the barb-less quills and spines of the Old World porcupines (Atkins 2004). The quills face backward on the body, but can be raised erect when under duress, reaching up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in the North American porcupine (Mertz 2004). Although they cannot launch the quills, they are easily detached and can impale an attacker, with the barb lodging in the attacker's body (Mertz 2004).

In addition to the character of the barbs, New World porcupines are morphologically distinguished from the Old World porcupines in that they have rooted molars, complete collar-bones, entire upper lips, tuberculated soles, no trace of a first front-toe, and four teats. Their teeth are similar to those of Old World porcupines, with the dental formula:

1.0.1.3
1.0.1.3

Distribution and habitat

Behavior

They are less strictly nocturnal than Old World species in their habits, and some types live entirely in trees while others have dens on the ground. Their long and powerful prehensile tails help them balance when they are in the tree tops. Their diet consists mainly of bark, leaves and conifer needles but can also include roots, stems, berries, fruits, seeds, nuts, grasses and flowers. Some species also eat insects and small reptiles.[1]

Solitary offspring (or, rarely, twins) are born after a gestation period of up to 210 days, depending on the species. The young are born fully developed, with open eyes, and are able to climb trees within a few days of birth[2].

Species

They include three genera, of which the first is represented by the North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), a stout, heavily built animal, with long hairs almost or quite hiding its spines, four front- and five hind-toes, and a short, stumpy tail. It is a native of the greater part of Canada and the United States, wherever there is any remnant of the original forest left.

The tree porcupines (Coendou, Sphiggurus, and Echinoprocta) contain 15 species. They are found throughout tropical South America, with two extending into Mexico. They are of a lighter build than the ground porcupines, with short, close, many-coloured spines, often mixed with hairs, and prehensile tails. The hind-feet have only four toes, owing to the suppression of the first, in place of which they have a fleshy pad on the inner side of the foot; between this pad and the toes, branches and other objects can be firmly grasped as with a hand.

Genus Chaetomys, distinguished by the shape of its skull and the greater complexity of its teeth, contains C. subspinosus, a native of the hottest parts of Brazil. This animal is often considered a member of the Echimyidae on the basis of its premolar.

Species

  • Family Erethizontidae
    • Subfamily Erethizontinae
      • North American Porcupine - Erethizon dorsatum
      • Tree porcupines (sometimes united in a single genus Coendou)
        • Coendou - prehensile-tailed porcupines
          • Coendou bicolor - Bicolor-spined Porcupine
          • Coendou nycthemera - Koopman's Porcupine
          • Coendou prehensilis - Brazilian Porcupine
          • Coendou rothschildi - Rothschild's Porcupine
        • Stump-tailed Porcupine - Echinoprocta rufescens
        • Sphiggurus - dwarf porcupines
          • Sphiggurus ichillus - Long-tailed Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus insidiosus - Bahia Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus melanurus - Black-tailed Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus mexicanus - Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus pruinosus - Frosted Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus roosmalenorum - Van Roosmalens's Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus spinosus - South American Tree Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus vestitus - Brown Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
          • Sphiggurus villosus - Orange-spined Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
    • Subfamily Chaetomyinae
      • Bristle-spined Porcupine - Chaetomys subspinosus

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  1. Macdonald (Ed), Professor David W. (2006). The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-920608-2. 
  2. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named EoM
  • Atkins, W. A. 2004. Old World porcupines (Hystricidae). Pages 351 to 364 in B. Grzimek et al., Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, vol. 16, mammals V. Detroit, MI: Thomson/Gale. ISBN 0787657921.
  • Macdonald, D. W. (ed.). 1984. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0871968711.
  • Mertz, L. A. 2004. New World porcupines (Erethizontidae). Pages 365 to 375 in B. Grzimek et al., Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, vol. 16, mammals V. Detroit, MI: Thomson/Gale. ISBN 0787657921.


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