Indian Long-eared Hedgehog

Indian Long-eared Hedgehog[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Erinaceomorpha
Family: Erinaceidae
Genus: Hemiechinus
Species: H. collaris
Binomial name
Hemiechinus collaris
(Gray, 1830)
Indian Long-eared Hedgehog range

The Indian Long-eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus collaris) is a relatively small hedgehog (~17 cm, 200-500 grams) native to India. It is insectivorous and nocturnal. [3]

Contents

Description

The Indian Long-eared Hedgehog is a nocturnal animal that is often found inhabiting borrows.[3] Similar to most Hedgehogs is has spines on its back, embedded into a muscle sheath. This sheath forms a bag like structure that the animal can hide inside for protection. It can also erect its spines to further protect from predators. The Indian Long-eared Hedgehog has a well developed set of senses because of its large ears, eyes and whiskers near its snout. [4] These senses, especially smell, help them find food and or a possible partner.[5]

Diet

The Indian Long-eared Hedgehog is insectivorous, feeding on small insects. Because of their arid desert habitat they often receive most of the water they need from their food supply. [6]

Distribution

The Indian Long-eared Hedgehog is found in Pakistan (North West Frontier Province, Punjab and Sindh) and India (Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Long-eared hedgehog experiences extreme heat in the months of May and June and very cold weather in December and January. [6]

Reproduction

This species of hedgehog are seasonal breeders. The males are active from March to August [3] while the females are active from April to August.[6] The Indian Long-eared Hedgehog is notable for a quite complex mating ritual that involves "dancing" around females for several days before mating.

References

  1. ^ 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. 215. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. 
  2. ^ Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). Hemiechinus collaris. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 2006-05-12. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
  3. ^ a b c [Goyal, R. P., & Mathur, R. S. (1974). Anatomic, Histologic and Certain Enzymatic Studies on the Male Genital Organs of Hemiechinus auritus collaris Gray, the Indian Long Eared Hedgehog. Acta Zoologica, 5547-58. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.]
  4. ^ [Catania, K. (2005). Evolution of sensory specialization in insectivores. Anatomical record part A, 287A (1), 1038-1050 DOI:10.1002/ar.a.20265]
  5. ^ Poddar-Sarkar, M., Raha, P., Bhar, R., Chakraborty, A., & Brahmachary, R. (2011). Ultrastructure and lipid chemistry of specialized epidermal structure of Indian porcupines and hedgehog. Acta Zoologica, 92(2), 134-140. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6395.2010.00452.x
  6. ^ a b c [Sharma, A., & Mathur, R. S. (1974). Histomorphological Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Hemiechinus auritus collaris, Gray in Relation to the Estrous Cycle. Acta Zoologica, 55235-243. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.]