Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Erinaceidae / ˌ ɛr ɪ n ə ˈ s iː ɪ d iː / is a family in the order Eulipotyphla, consisting of the hedgehogs and moonrats.Until recently, it was assigned to the order Erinaceomorpha, which has been subsumed with the paraphyletic Soricomorpha into Eulipotyphla.
Several mammal groups have independently evolved prickly protrusions of the skin – echidnas , the insectivorous hedgehogs, some tenrecs (a diverse group of shrew-like Malagasy mammals), Old World porcupines and New World porcupines (another biological family of rodents).
Hedgehogs sleep for a large portion of the day under bushes, grasses, rocks, or most commonly in dens dug underground. All wild hedgehogs can hibernate, though the duration depends on temperature, species, and abundance of food. Hedgehogs are fairly vocal, with a variety of grunts, snuffles and/or squeals.
Echidnas are possibly named after Echidna, a creature from Greek mythology who was half-woman, half-snake, as the animal was perceived to have qualities of both mammals and reptiles. [citation needed] An alternative explanation is a confusion with Ancient Greek: ἐχῖνος, romanized: ekhînos, lit. 'hedgehog, sea urchin'. [5]
Eulipotyphla (/ ˌ j uː l ɪ p oʊ ˈ t ɪ f l ə /, from eu-+ Lipotyphla, meaning truly lacking blind gut [1]; sometimes called true insectivores [2]) is an order of mammals comprising the Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and gymnures); Solenodontidae (solenodons); Talpidae (moles, shrew-like moles and desmans); and Soricidae (true shrews) families.
The Southern African hedgehog is said to be a slow mover; however, when threatened, it can move surprisingly fast at 6 to 7 km/h (3.7 to 4.3 mph). [3] During the day, they typically stay where they live, which is an area that is covered with vegetation or in a hole in the ground.
The other family is the Tachyglossidae, or echidnas. Within the Ornithorhynchidae are the main Cenozoic genera Ornithorhynchus and Obdurodon , and several potential stem -genera dating back to the Late Cretaceous , of which the oldest is possibly Dharragarra .
Tenrecs are small mammals of variable body form. The smallest species are the size of shrews, with a body length of around 4.5 cm (1.8 in), and weighing just 5 g (0.18 oz), while the largest, the common or tailless tenrec, is 25 to 39 cm (9.8 to 15.4 in) in length, and can weigh over 1 kilogram (2.2 lb). [13]