Brandt's hedgehog
| Brandt's hedgehog | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Erinaceidae |
| Genus: | Paraechinus |
| Species: | P. hypomelas |
| Binomial name | |
| Paraechinus hypomelas (Brandt, 1836) | |
 | |
| Brandt's hedgehog range | |
Brandt's hedgehog (Paraechinus hypomelas) is a species of desert hedgehog native to the Middle East and Middle Asia.[2] Brandt's hedgehog is approximately the size of the West European hedgehog (about 500–1,000 g in weight and 25 cm in length), but has distinctively large ears similar to the long-eared hedgehog and is a much faster runner due to lighter (but still superior to the long-eared hedgehog) needle protection. It is a fast runner, but, unlike the long-eared hedgehog, predominantly nocturnal and uses cuddling tactic more often, although still employing "jumping" attack.
Brandt's hedgehog prefers arid desert areas and mountains. It often uses natural shelter, although it is still capable of digging dens when absolutely needed. It hibernates during colder weather.
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.
References
- ↑ Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). "Hemiechinus hypomelas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2006. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2006-05-12. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
- ↑ Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.