porcupine scientific name

Fishers have two advantages that make them capable hunters of the porcupine. The porcupine's last line of defense is to climb a tree. There are two dozen known species, all with the distinctive quills. [7] The porcupine's scientific name, Erethizon dorsatum, can be loosely translated as "the animal with the irritating back". An invasive scent is produced from the skin above the tail in times of stress, and is often seen with quill erection. [18] The characteristic odor comes from the R-enantiomer of delta-decalactone. This, along with the raising of the sharp quills, deters predators. These animals with spikes go by the scientific name Erinaceinae. The Old World porcupines live in Southern Europe, Asia (western[1] and southern), and most of Africa. The porcupine crab is named for the distinctive spikes protruding from its exoskeleton. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32], This article is about the mammal. Zielinski, W. J., Duncan, N. P., Farmer, E. C., Truex, R. L., Clevenger, A. P., & Barrett, R. H. (1999). A porcupine's markings are black and white. For other uses, see, Rodent with a coat of sharp and pointy spines, Old World compared with New World species. After this, they learn to climb trees and start to forage. [13] If the above processes fail, the porcupine will attack by running sideways or backwards into predators. They are threatened by hunting and habitat loss. This strategy is successful against most attacks. Other names. At birth, they weigh about 450 g, which increases to nearly 1 kg after the first two weeks. They are commonly found in coniferous and mixed forested areas, but have adapted to harsh environments such as shrublands and tundra. The most recognizable feature of the porcupine is its quills. The resulting odor attracts males in the vicinity. In eastern North America, porcupines range from Canada to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and Maryland. In the others, such as those of the genus Diodon, the spines lie against the body except when the fish is inflated. At this time, they secrete a thick mucus which mixes with their urine. Weighing 5–16 kg (12–35 lb), they are rounded, large, and slow, and use aposematic strategy of defence. Related Links. They continue to nurse for up to four months, which coincides with the fall mating season. Porcupines can also die from falling out of a tree. No known fossils are attributed to hystricomorphs prior to the late Tertiary period. Parker, SB (1990) Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals, vol. They do not hibernate, but sleep in and stay close to their dens in winter. Porcupine Characteristics: Small • Thrifty • Practical • Cynical. Their fur ranges in color from brownish-yellow to black, and they sport white highlights in their quills. They are expert climbers, helped by the pebble-like surface of their palms which gives them a very secure grip. Scientific Name: Diodon holocanthus: Other Names: Porcupine puffer, long-spine porcupinefish, freckled porcupinefish: Origin: Tropical regions of the Atlantic Ocean (Florida and Bahamas up to Brazil, and then the eastern parts till South Africa), western Indian Ocean (the south Red Sea up to Madagascar and Mauritius), Pacific Ocean: Type: Saltwater fish [46][47] As of 1999, 15 remnant populations remain scattered throughout north-central Mexico. But porcupines can either be in two families, the hystricidae: old world porcupines, or the erethizontidae: new world porcupines. It often climbs trees to find food. The porcupine's scientific name, Erethizon dorsatum, can be loosely translated as "the animal with the irritating back". Porcupines are lumbering, rotund rodents with needle-like spikes, called quills, covering their back, sides, and tail. The North African crested porcupine is the largest porcupine on earth. If the olfactory, visual, and auditory warnings fail, then it can rely on its quills. Porcupines' quills, or spines, take on various forms, depending on the species, but all are modified hairs coated with thick plates of keratin,[15] and embedded in the skin musculature. An adult porcupine has about 30,000 quills that cover all of its body except its underbelly, face, and feet. North American porcupines have a relatively long life expectancy. Porcupine | Pixabay Image. The quills are hairs with barbed tips on the ends. Share Flipboard Email Print The North American porcupine is a type of New World porcupine. epixanthum, E. d. nigrescens, and E. d. In the winter, they mainly eat conifer needles and tree bark. [8], The African porcupine is not a climber and forages on the ground. Porcupines are selective in their eating; for example out of every 1,000 trees in the Catskill Mountains, porcupines will only eat from 1-2 linden trees and one big toothed aspen. After repeated attacks, the porcupine eventually weakens, allowing the fisher to flip the porcupine over and rip open the porcupine's underbelly, thus killing it. [11], Seven subspecies of E. dorsatum are recognized. [48], Tracks in sand (human handprint shown for scale). GlobalP / Getty Images. Each quill contains microscopic barbs which allow it to stick into the flesh of an attacker. Native American terms for it include the Lakotaname pahin meaning quill, the Ho-Chun… The porcupine is the prickliest of rodents. [40] Common causes of mortality include predation and starvation. A porcupine can sometimes defend itself by facing the trunk on a branch and presenting its tail to the fisher. [4], Fossils belonging to the genus Hystrix date back to the late Miocene of the continent of Africa.[5]. Mating may occur repeatedly until the female loses interest and climbs back into the tree. Hystrix dorsata Linnaeus, 1758, The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. A porcupine is any of 58 species of rodents belonging to the families Erethizontidae (genera: Coendou, Erethizon, and Chaetomys) or Hystricidae (genera: Atherurus, Hystrix, and Trichys). The Hystricidae porcupines stay on the ground for the most part and live in … Porcupines' spiny protection resembles that of the unrelated erinaceomorph hedgehogs and Australian monotreme echidnas as well as tenrecid tenrecs. The Hystricidae porcupines stay on the ground for the most part and live in Europe, Asia and Africa. If another male approaches, he may fight for the right to mate. The New World porcupines are indigenous to North America and northern South America. South American hystricomorphs first appeared in the Lower Oligocene period. It is also referred to as the Canadian porcupine or common porcupine. The dark body and coarse hair of the porcupine are a dark brown/black and when quills are raised, present a white strip down its back mimicking the look of a skunk. Fishers are related to weasels, with males sometimes exceeding a mass of 5.5 kg (12 lb). [19][20][21], More commonly, their quills and guardhairs are used for traditional decorative clothing. [11] The rattling of quills is aided by the hollow quills at the back end of the porcupine. Porcupines have become a pest in Kenya and are eaten as a delicacy. Some New World porcupines live in trees, but Old World porcupines stay on the rocks. Female porcupines provide all parental care. Ohio. The New World porcupines evolved their spines independently (through convergent evolution) and are more closely related to several other families of rodents than they are to the Old World porcupines. Click on a scientific name below to expand it in the PLANTS Classification Report. Their class is called Mammalia and the order is called Eulipotyphla. As of 1994, it was listed as an endangered species in Mexico. Head-to-tail length: 75-120 centimeters (2.6 to 4 feet) Tail length: up to 30 centimeters (1 foot) Weight. Porcupine fishes are short and broad-bodied, with large eyes, beaklike teeth, and skins set with spines, hence the name. An adult porcupine when attacked turns its rear to the predator. Porcupines are infamous among backpackers and backpacking publications[42][43] for their love of salt. The smallest porcupine is the Rothschilds Porcupine from South America which weighs only 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). [6] Other colloquial names for the animal include quill pig. Porcupines are edible and were an important source of food, especially in winter, to the native peoples of Canada's boreal forests. Porcupine Grass Hesperostipa spartea Grass family (Poaceae) Description: This perennial grass forms low basal leaves and small tufts of leafy culms about 2½â€“3½' tall. There are black and white quills on the neck and back. Most porcupines are about 60–90 cm (25–36 in) long, with a 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long tail. They live in riparian forests, mesquite scrubland, grasslands, and thorn forests. Elbroch, L. M., Hoogesteijn, R., & Quigley, H. (2016). Porcupine Scientific Name The taxonomy of Porcupines is broken down into the Rodentia order, the Erethizontidae (New World) or Hystricidae (Old World) family and the Erethizon or Chaetomys Genius. The name "Porcupine" in Latin means quill pig. [5], The word "porcupine" comes from the middle or old French word porcespin, which means thorn pig. The odor is generated by a patch of skin called the rosette, on the lower back where modified quills serve as osmetrichia to broadcast the smell. In taxonomic terms, they form the family Erethizontidae. The largest porcupine is the African Porcupine which can weigh over 20 kilograms (44 pounds). The 11 Old World porcupines tend to be fairly large, and have spikes grouped in clusters. Once a dominant male is successful, he approaches the female and uses a spray of his urine on the female. The first male that comes along typically sits in the same tree below a female. The family, Erinaceidae, covers both the hedgehog and the closely-related moonrat. E. d. couesi is the most southern ranging from northern Mexico to Colorado. [15] The shape of the barbs makes the quills more effective, both for penetrating the skin and remaining in place. With a face full of quills, an attacking creature often retreats. Males that approach a female do not automatically begin mating. [citation needed], Porcupines are nearsighted and slow-moving. Wetland Status. The incisors vibrate against each other, the strike zone shifts back and the cheek teeth clatter. Habitat Depths of 590-1,310 feet (180-440 m). The Crested porcupine is so called due to its back, which can raise, becoming a crest on occasion. [45] It is common throughout its range except in some U.S. states in the southeast part of its range. Rank Scientific Name and Common Name ... Click on a place name to get a complete protected plant list for that location. [citation needed], Natural predators of this species include fishers (a cat-sized mustelid),[20] wolverines,[21] coyotes, wolves,[22] American black bears,[23] and cougars,[24] as well as humans. The barbs at the tail tip become lodged in the flesh of an attacker and are difficult and painful to remove. By far the most common is E. d. dorsatum, which ranges from Nova Scotia to Alberta and from Virginia to the Yukon. [10], Defensive behaviour displays in a porcupine depend on sight, scent and sound. The strength of the porcupine's defense has given it the ability to live a solitary life, unlike many herbivores, which must move in flocks or herds. As its name suggests, the North American porcupine’s range spans across various regions of North America, including most of Canada, the Western United States, and into Northern Mexico. [12] The use of odor is when the sight and sound have failed. [16][disputed – discuss], The most distinguishing feature of the porcupine is its coat of quills. [24][34] However, in some cases porcupine quills have indeed killed cougars, although usually this is after the cougar has already consumed the porcupine.[35][36]. The word "porcupine" comes from Latin porcus pig + spina spine, quill, via Old Italian (Italian "porcospino", thorn-pig)—Middle French—Middle English. [11], Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. Mother porcupines do not defend their young, but have been known to care for them even after death. They are used primarily for defense, but also serve to insulate their bodies during winter. [23][24] As opposed to the current design for surgical staples, the porcupine quill and barb design would allow for easy and painless insertion as the staple would stay in the skin using the anchored barb design rather than being bent under the skin like traditional staples.[24]. Only the beaver is larger. Those antibiotics prevent infection when a porcupine falls out of a tree and is stuck with its own quills upon hitting the ground. When porcupines are mating, they tighten their skin and hold their quills flat, so as not to injure each other. When the quills are in this position, they become easier to detach from the body, especially when a porcupine swings its tail toward an attacker. Cape porcupines are one of the largest rodents in Africa, and they are also the world's largest porcupines. The quills are normally flattened against the body and in this position are less easily dislodged.[17]. They make their dens in hollow trees or in rocky areas. The head-and-body length is 60 to 90 cm (2.0 to 3.0 ft), not counting a tail of 14.5 to 30 cm (5.7 to 11.8 in).

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