Erinaceidae

{{Short description|Family of mammals}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Erinaceidae<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Hutterer |id=13600002 |pages=212–219| heading = Family Erinaceidae}}</ref> | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Eocene|Recent}} | image = Igel.JPG | image_caption = ''[[Erinaceus europaeus]]'' (European hedgehog) | image2 = Neohylomys hainanensis (10.3897-zookeys.795.28218) Figure 2.jpg | image2_caption = ''[[Neohylomys hainanensis]]'' (Hainan gymnure) | taxon = Erinaceidae | authority = [[Johann Fischer von Waldheim|G. Fischer]], 1814 | type_genus = ''[[Erinaceus]]'' | type_genus_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758 | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies and genera | subdivision = *†''[[Silvacola]]'' *†''[[Oligoechinus]]'' *†''[[Proterix]]'' *[[Erinaceinae]] **†''[[Amphechinus]]'' **''[[Atelerix]]'' **''[[Erinaceus]]'' **''[[Hemiechinus]]'' **''[[Mesechinus]]'' **''[[Paraechinus]]'' *[[Gymnure|Galericinae]] **†''[[Deinogalerix]]'' **''[[Echinosorex]]'' **†''[[Galerix]]'' **''[[Hylomys]]'' **''[[Neohylomys]]'' **''[[Neotetracus]]'' **''[[Podogymnura]]'' | range_map = File:Erinaceidae distribution.png | range_map_caption = Erinaceidae distribution }}

'''Erinaceidae''' {{IPAc-en|,|Er|ᵻ|n|@|'|s|iː|ᵻ|d|iː}} (from [[Latin]] ''erinaceus'', "hedgehog") is a family in the order [[Eulipotyphla]], consisting of the [[hedgehog]]s and [[Galericinae|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 [[Monophyly|monophyletic]];<ref name=Beck>{{cite journal |author1=Robin MD Beck |author2=Olaf RP Bininda-Emonds |author3=Marcel Cardillo |author4=Fu-Guo Robert Liu |author5=Andy Purvis | year = 2006 | title = A higher level MRP supertree of placental mammals | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 6 | doi = 10.1186/1471-2148-6-93 | pmid = 17101039 | page = 93 | pmc = 1654192 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Soricomorpha is paraphyletic because both [[Soricidae]] and [[Talpidae]] share a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with [[Solenodon|solenodons]].<ref name=Rocaetal04>{{cite journal | author = Roca, A.L. | author2 = G.K. Bar-Gal | author3 = E. Eizirik | author4 = K.M. Helgen| author5 = R. Maria | author6 = M.S. Springer | author7 = S.J. O'Brien | author8 = W.J. Murphy | name-list-style = amp | year = 2004 | title = Mesozoic origin for West Indian insectivores | journal = Nature | volume = 429 | issue = 6992| pages = 649–651 | doi = 10.1038/nature02597 | pmid = 15190349| bibcode = 2004Natur.429..649R | s2cid = 915633 }}</ref>

Erinaceidae contains the well-known [[hedgehog]]s (subfamily [[Erinaceinae]]) of Eurasia and Africa and the [[Galericinae|gymnures]] or moonrats (subfamily [[Galericinae]]) of Southeast Asia. This family was once considered part of the order [[Insectivora]], but that [[Polyphyly|polyphyletic]] order is now considered defunct.<ref name=msw3/>

==Characteristics== Erinaceids are generally [[shrew]]-like in form, with long snouts and short tails. They are, however, much larger than shrews, ranging from {{convert|10|–|15|cm|0|abbr=on}} in body length and {{convert|40|-|60|g}} in weight, in the case of the [[Javan short-tailed gymnure|short-tailed gymnure]], up to {{convert|26|–|45|cm|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|1.0|-|1.4|kg|abbr=on}} in the [[moonrat]]. All but one species have five toes in each foot, in some cases with strong claws for digging, and they have large eyes and ears. Hedgehogs possess hair modified into sharp [[spine (zoology)|spines]] to form a protective covering over the upper body and flanks, while gymnures have only normal hair. Most species have anal [[scent gland]]s, but these are far better developed in gymnures, which can have a powerful odor.<ref name=EoM>{{cite book|editor-last= Macdonald|editor-first= D.|last= Wroot|first= Andrew|year= 1984|title= The Encyclopedia of Mammals|publisher= Facts on File|location= New York|pages= [https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/750 750–757]|isbn= 0-87196-871-1|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/750}}</ref>

Erinaceids are [[omnivore|omnivorous]], with the major part of their diet consisting of insects, earthworms, and other small [[invertebrates]]. They also eat seeds and fruit, and occasionally birds' eggs, along with any [[carrion]] they come across. Their teeth are sharp and suited for impaling invertebrate prey. The [[dentition|dental formula]] for erinaceids is: {{DentalFormula|upper=2-3.1.4.3|lower=3.1.2-4.3}}

Hedgehogs are [[nocturnal]], but gymnures are less so, and may be active during the day. Many species live in simple burrows, while others construct temporary nests on the surface from leaves and grass, or shelter in hollow logs or similar hiding places. Erinaceids are solitary animals outside the breeding season, and the father plays no role in raising the young.<ref name=EoM/>

Female erinaceids give birth after a gestation period of around six to seven weeks. The young are born blind and hairless, although hedgehogs begin to sprout their spines within 36 hours of birth.

==Evolution== Erinaceids are a group of [[placental mammal]]s that have retained many of their ancestral traits, having changed little since their origin in the [[Eocene]]. The so-called 'giant hedgehog' (actually a [[gymnure]]) ''[[Deinogalerix]]'', from the [[Miocene]] of [[Gargano Island]] (part of modern [[Italy]]), was the size of a large rabbit, and may have eaten vertebrate prey or carrion, rather than insects.<ref name=MamEv>{{cite book |author1=Savage, RJG |author2= Long, MR |name-list-style=amp |year=1986 |title= Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide|url=https://archive.org/details/mammalevolutioni0000sava |url-access=registration |publisher= Facts on File|location=New York|pages= [https://archive.org/details/mammalevolutioni0000sava/page/48 48–49]|isbn= 0-8160-1194-X}}</ref>

==Classification== {{seealso|List of erinaceids}} *'''Order Eulipotyphla''' **†'''Family [[Amphilemuridae]]''' ***†Genus ''[[Alsaticopithecus]]''{{cn|date=January 2025}} ***†Genus ''[[Amphilemur]]''{{cn|date=January 2025}} ***†Genus ''[[Gesneropithex]]''{{cn|date=January 2025}} ***†Genus ''[[Macrocranion]]'' ****†''Macrocranion germonpreae'' ****†''Macrocranion junnei'' ****†''Macrocranion nitens'' ****†''Macrocranion robinsoni'' ****†''Macrocranion tenerum'' ****†''Macrocranion vandebroeki'' ***†Genus ''[[Pholidocercus]]'' ****†''Pholidocercus hassiacus'' **'''Family Erinaceidae''' *** †Genus ''[[Silvacola]]'' ****†''Silvacola acares'' *** †Genus ''[[Oligoechinus]]''{{cn|date=January 2025}} *** Subfamily [[Erinaceinae]] **** †Genus ''[[Amphechinus]]'' ***** †''Amphechinus akespensis'' ***** †''Amphechinus arverniensis'' ***** †''Amphechinus baudelotae'' ***** †''Amphechinus edwardsi'' ***** †''Amphechinus ginsburgi'' ***** †''Amphechinus golpeae'' ***** †''Amphechinus horncloudi'' ***** †''Amphechinus intermedius'' ***** †''Amphechinus kreuzae'' ***** †''Amphechinus major'' ***** †''Amphechinus microdus'' ***** †''Amphechinus minutissimus'' ***** †''Amphechinus robinsoni'' ***** †''Amphechinus taatsiingolensis'' **** Genus †''[[Ladakhechinus]]''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wazir |first1=W.A. |last2=Cailleux |first2=F. |last3=Sehgal |first3=R.K. |last4=Patnaik |first4=R. |last5=Kumar |first5=N. |last6=van den Hoek Ostende |first6=L.W. |year=2022 |title=First record of insectivore from the late Oligocene, Kargil Formation (Ladakh Molasse Group), Ladakh Himalayas |journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences |volume=X |issue=8 |article-number=100105 |doi=10.1016/j.jaesx.2022.100105|s2cid=249858720 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2022JAESX...800105W }}</ref> ***** †''Ladakhechinus iugummontis'' **** Genus ''[[Atelerix]]'' ***** [[Four-toed hedgehog]], ''Atelerix albiventris'' ***** [[North African hedgehog]], ''Atelerix algirus'' ***** [[Southern African hedgehog]], ''Atelerix frontalis'' ***** [[Somali hedgehog]], ''Atelerix sclateri'' **** Genus ''[[Erinaceus]]'' ***** [[Amur hedgehog]], ''Erinaceus amurensis'' ***** [[Southern white-breasted hedgehog]], ''Erinaceus concolor'' ***** [[European hedgehog]], ''Erinaceus europaeus'' ***** [[Northern white-breasted hedgehog]], ''Erinaceus roumanicus'' **** Genus ''[[Hemiechinus]]'' ***** [[Long-eared hedgehog]], ''Hemiechinus auritus'' ***** [[Indian long-eared hedgehog]], ''Hemiechinus collaris'' **** Genus ''[[Mesechinus]]'' *****[[Daurian hedgehog]], ''Mesechinus dauuricus'' ***** [[Hugh's hedgehog]], ''Mesechinus hughi'' *****[[Gaoligong forest hedgehog]], ''Mesechinus wangi'' *****[[Small-toothed forest hedgehog]], ''Mesechinus miodon'' **** Genus ''[[Paraechinus]]'' ***** [[Desert hedgehog]], ''Paraechinus aethiopicus'' ***** [[Brandt's hedgehog]], ''Paraechinus hypomelas'' ***** [[Indian hedgehog]], ''Paraechinus micropus '' ***** [[Bare-bellied hedgehog]], ''Paraechinus nudiventris'' *** Subfamily [[Galericinae]] **** †Genus ''[[Deinogalerix]]'' ***** †''Deinogalerix brevirostris'' ***** †''Deinogalerix freudenthali'' ***** †''Deinogalerix intermedius'' ***** †''Deinogalerix koenigswaldi'' ***** †''Deinogalerix minor'' **** Genus ''[[Echinosorex]]'' ***** [[Moonrat]], ''Echinosorex gymnura'' **** †Genus ''[[Galerix]]'' *****†''Galerix aurelianensis'' *****†''Galerix exilis'' *****†''Galerix kostakii'' *****†''Galerix remmerti'' *****†''Galerix rutlandae'' *****†''Galerix saratji'' *****†''Galerix stehlini'' *****†''Galerix symeonidisi'' *****†''Galerix uenayae'' **** Genus ''[[Hylomys]]'' ***** [[Long-eared gymnure]], ''Hylomys megalotis'' ***** [[Dwarf gymnure]], ''Hylomys parvus'' ***** [[Javan short-tailed gymnure]] or Lesser Moonrat, ''Hylomys suillus'' **** Genus ''[[Neohylomys]]'' ***** [[Hainan gymnure]], ''Neonylomys hainanensis'' **** Genus ''[[Neotetracus]]'' ***** [[Shrew gymnure]], ''Neotetracus sinensis'' **** Genus ''[[Podogymnura]]'' ***** [[Dinagat gymnure]], ''Podogymnura aureospinula'' ***** [[Eastern Mindanao gymnure]], ''Podogymnura intermedia'' ***** [[Mindanao gymnure]], ''Podogymnura truei''

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Erinaceidae| ]] [[Category:Mammal families]] [[Category:Extant Eocene first appearances]] [[Category:Taxa named by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim]]