Old World porcupine
Porcupine ( Hystrix cristata )
The porcupines ( Hystricidae ) constitute a family of rodents. The occasionally encountered name " Old World porcupines " to distinguish them from the American Tree Stach learning or " tree porcupines ".
Features
The porcupines have the longest spines of all mammals. It is actually converted to hair. In Dress the porcupines you will find a wide variety of hair types: soft wool hair, stiffer hairs, bristles flat, thick, very elastic, long bristles and rigid, long round skewers. Individual skewers can be up to 40 cm long and have a diameter of 7 mm. The spines are sharp and can cause inflammation. Contrary to old ideas shoot porcupines not with their spines. But you use them well to ward off enemies. The spines are provided against their penetration with microscopic hooks so they can more easily penetrate the skin of an attacker, but are very difficult to remove.
Distribution and habitat
The circulation area covers the tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. Whether Southern Europe is a natural part of the range or but was tapped by human introduction of porcupines, is not clear. It is recognized, however, that they are remarkably frequent in southern Tuscany encountered ( around Siena). The focus of the family is on Southeast Asia, where most species are common.
Porcupines are found in a wide variety of habitats, from semi-desert on the grass savannah to tropical rainforest.
Behavior
Porcupines live on the ground. Some species dig passages, others hide in crevices or in burrows of other animals. At night they go in search of their plant food.
System
It divides the porcupines into two subfamilies, the Hystricinae and Atherurinae which in turn contain five genera:
Family porcupines ( Hystricidae )
- Subfamily Hystricinae Genus Actual porcupines ( Hystrix )
- Genus Short-tailed porcupines ( Acanthion ) Sunda Porcupine (A. javanica )
- Malayan porcupine (A. brachyura )
- Borneo porcupine ( Th crassispinis )
- Philippines Porcupine ( Th pumilis )
- Sumatran porcupine ( Th sumatrae )
- Genus Pinselstachler ( Trichys ) Pinselstachler ( T. fasciculata )
- African Quastenstachler (A. africanus)
- Asian Quastenstachler (A. macrourus )
Sometimes the genera Thecurus and Acanthion also be incorporated into the genus Hystrix.