- Porcupine
Taxobox
name = Porcikupines|
image_caption = North American Porcupine
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Chordata
classis =Mammal ia
ordo =Rodent ia
subordo =Hystricomorpha
subdivision_ranks = General
subdivision = FamilyErethizontidae
:"Coendou ":"Sphiggurus ":"Erethizon ":"Echinoprocta ":"Chaetomys "FamilyHystricidae
:"Atherurus ":"Hystrix ":"Thecurus ":"Trichys "Porcupines are
rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend them from predators. They are endemic in both theOld World and theNew World . After thecapybara and thebeaver , Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents. Most porcupines are about convert|25|-|36|in|abbr=on long, with an convert|8|-|10|in|abbr=on long tail. Weighing between convert|12|-|35|lb|abbr=on, they are rounded, large and slow. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, grey, and the unusual white. The name "porcupine" comes fromMiddle French "porc d'épine" "thorny pig". Porcupines' spiny protection resembles that of the distantly related Erinaceomorphhedgehog s and more distantly relatedMonotreme Echidna s.Species
A porcupine is any of 27
species ofrodent belonging to the familiesErethizontidae orHystricidae . All defend themselves with hair modified into sharp spines.Porcupines vary in size considerably:
Rothschild's Porcupine ofSouth America weighs less than a kilogram (convert|2.2|lb|abbr=on); theAfrican Porcupine can grow to well over convert|20|kg|lb|abbr=on.The two families of porcupines are quite different and although both belong to the
Hystricognathi branch of the vast orderRodent ia, they are not closely related.The eleven
Old World porcupine s are almost exclusively terrestrial, tend to be fairly large, and have quills that are grouped in clusters. They are believed to have separated from the otherhystricognath s about 30 million years ago, much earlier than the New World porcupines.The twelve
New World porcupine s are mostly smaller (although theNorth American Porcupine reaches about convert|85|cm|in|abbr=on|disp=s in length and convert|18|kg|lb|abbr=on|disp=s), have their quills attached singly rather than grouped in clusters, and are excellent climbers, spending much of their time in trees. The New World porcupines evolved their spines independently (throughconvergent evolution ) and are more closely related to several other families of rodent than they are to the Old World porcupines.Quills
musculature. Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) have quills embedded in clusters, whereas in New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) single quills are interspersed with bristles, underfur, and hair.
Porcupine quills are as sharp as
needle s, detach very easily, and will remain embedded in an attacker. Unlike needles, however, the quills of New World porcupines have microscopic, backwards-facingbarb s on the tip that catch on the skin making them difficult and painful to extract, though they must be removed. Quills are about convert|75|mm|in|1 long and convert|2|mm|in wide. If a quill becomes lodged in the tissues of a would-be attacker, the barbs act to pull the quill further into the tissues with the normal muscle movements of the attacker, moving up to several millimeters in a day. Predators have been known to die as a result of quill penetration and infection. Quills are still capable of penetrating animals and humans even after death. [cite web
url = http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Erethizon_dorsatum.html | title = North American porcupines | accessdate = 2008-03-19 | publisher = [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web] ] Quills are released by contact with them or they may drop out when the porcupine shakes them, they are not sprayed out.Habitats
Porcupines a wide range of habitats in desert and hot temperate parts of Africa. they live in deserts,and grasslands. All porcupines stay on the ground. Porcupines can be found on rocky areas up to convert|3500|m|abbr=on high.
Salt licks
Porcupines in search of salt sometimes encroach on human habitats, eating
plywood cured withsodium nitrate ,cite news | last=Morrisson | first=Philip | coauthors=Morrisson, Phyllis | title=Wonders: The Needy Porcupine | url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000B3425-FD09-1C70-84A9809EC588EF21 | publisher=Scientific American | month=March | year=2001 | accessdate=2007-06-29] certain paints, and tool handles, footwear, clothes and other items that have been coated in salty sweat. Porcupines are attracted to roads in areas where rock salt is used to melt ice and snow, and are known to gnaw on vehicle tires or wiring coated in road salt.Salt licks placed nearby can prevent porcupines from injuring themselves.
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