Evolution and Systematics
Functional Adaptations
Functional adaptation
The organ systems of hedgehogs enable hibernation by undergoing numerous physiological changes.
"Hedgehogs, which are probably the most extreme hibernators known, undergo a whole series of physiological transformations prior to hibernating. Their blood's potassium content increases, and their reproductive organs decrease markedly in size, as they will not be needed during hibernation. So, too, do certain endocrine glands, including the thyroid, the anterior portion of the pituitary, and part of the adrenals, whose functioning also diminishes…
"The animal's breathing rate decreases dramatically (some bats take only a single breath every two hours). So, too, does its heart rate (from over 1,000 beats per minute in a bat in flight to 25 per minute during hibernation). Its circulatory rate also slows, so that its skin and extremities soon become cold to the touch. A hibernator's body temperature can fall by as much as 36°F (20°C), until it is scarcely above the prevailing environmental temperature, and the animal often looks as if it is dead...More extreme hibernators, such as hedgehogs, conversely, remain asleep throughout the winter. During this prolonged period of inactivity, to protect their internal system from attack by the bacteria inhabiting their gut, large numbers of white blood cells accumulate around their blood vessels and in the stomach lining as barriers to bacterial invasion." (Shuker 2001:100-101, 103)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
- Shuker, KPN. 2001. The Hidden Powers of Animals: Uncovering the Secrets of Nature. London: Marshall Editions Ltd. 240 p.
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
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Locations of barcode samples
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Statistics of barcoding coverage
| Specimen Records: | 30 |
| Specimens with Sequences: | 21 |
| Specimens with Barcodes: | 20 |
| Public Records: | 7 |
| Species: | 7 |
| Species With Barcodes: | 6 |
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Wikipedia
Erinaceidae
Erinaceidae is the only living family in the order Erinaceomorpha, which has recently been subsumed with Soricomorpha into the order Eulipotyphla. Eulipotyphla has been shown to be monophyletic;[2] Soricomorpha is paraphyletic because Soricidae shared a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with other soricomorphs.[3]
Erinaceidae contains the well-known hedgehogs (subfamily Erinaceinae) of Eurasia and Africa and the gymnures or moonrats (subfamily Galericinae) of South-east Asia. This family was once considered part of the order Insectivora, but that polyphyletic order is now considered defunct.[1]
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Characteristics
Erinaceids are generally shrew-like in form, with long snouts and short tails. They are, however, much larger than shrews, ranging from 10–15 cm in body length and 40-60 grams in weight, in the case of the Short-tailed Gymnure, up to 26–45 cm and 1-1.4 kilograms in the Greater 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 spines to form a protective covering over the upper body and flanks, while gymnures have only normal hair. Most species have anal scent glands, but these are far better developed in gymnures, which can have a powerful odor.[4]
Erinaceids are omnivorous, with the major part of their diet consisting of insects, earthworms, and other small invertebrates. They also eat seeds and fruit, and occasionally bird's eggs, along with any carrion they come across. Their teeth are sharp and suited for impaling invertebrate prey. The dental formula for erinaceids is: 
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.[4]
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 relatively primitive group of placental mammals, 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.[5]
Classification
There are 10 genera and 24 species of erinaceid.
- ORDER ERINACEOMORPHA
- †Family Amphilemuridae
- †Genus Alsaticopithecus
- †Genus Amphilemur
- †Genus Gesneropithex
- †Genus Macrocranion
- †Genus Pholidocercus
- Family Erinaceidae
- Subfamily Erinaceinae (Hedgehogs)
- Genus Atelerix
- Genus Erinaceus
- Genus Hemiechinus
- Genus Mesechinus
- Genus Paraechinus
- Subfamily Galericinae (Gymnures, or Moonrats)
- Genus Deinogalerix(Extinct)
- Genus Echinosorex
- Genus Hylomys
- Genus Neohylomys
- Hainan Gymnure, Neonylomys hainanensis
- Genus Neotetracus
- Genus Podogymnura
- Subfamily Erinaceinae (Hedgehogs)
- †Family Amphilemuridae
References
- ^ a b Hutterer, Rainer (16 November 2005). Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M.. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 212–219. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=13600002.
- ^ Robin MD Beck, Olaf RP Bininda-Emonds, Marcel Cardillo, Fu-Guo Robert Liu and Andy Purvis (2006). "A higher level MRP supertree of placental mammals". BMC Evolutionary Biology 6: 93. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-6-93. PMC 1654192. PMID 17101039. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/6/93.
- ^ Roca, A.L., G.K. Bar-Gal, E. Eizirik, K.M. Helgen, R. Maria, M.S. Springer, S.J. O'Brien, and W.J. Murphy (2004). "Mesozoic origin for West Indian insectivores". Nature 429 (6992): 649–651. doi:10.1038/nature02597. PMID 15190349.
- ^ a b Wroot, Andrew (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 750–757. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
- ^ Savage, RJG, & Long, MR (1986). Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide. New York: Facts on File. pp. 48–49. ISBN 0-8160-1194-X.
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