Steppe hedgehog
| Steppe hedgehog | ||||||||||||
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| Mesechinus | ||||||||||||
| Ognew , 1951 |
The steppe hedgehog ( Mesechinus ) is a genus from the family of the hedgehog (Erinaceida) with four species that live in the central part of Asia .
features
Like the other hedgehogs, the steppe hedgehogs are characterized by spines on their back, the color of the rest of the fur varies from whitish to brown; the spines are never completely white. The head body length is around 17 to 25 centimeters, the weight is 450 to 700 grams. The ears are about the same length as the spines or a little longer.
The steppe hedgehogs differ from the closely related genera of the desert hedgehog (genus Hemiechinus ) and the small-ear hedgehog (genus Erinaceus ) mainly in the features of the skull. Especially the pit above the auditory canal (suprameatal pit) differs in shape between the three genera: In the steppe hedgehogs it is small, flat and narrow with a U-shaped border, while in the other two genera it is wide, deep and large and the border of the small ear heddles is C-shaped. In addition, the degree of thickening of the posterior sphenoid (basic phenoid) of the steppe hedgehog lies between that of the other two genera.
distribution and habitat
The habitat of the steppe hedgehog is in arid areas such as steppes and deserts. The Daurian hedgehog ( M. duricus ) has a very wide distribution area in Mongolia ( Gobi Desert ), in southeastern Russia ( Transbaikalia ) and in northern China ( Inner Mongolia , western Manchuria ). In contrast, Hugh's hedgehog ( M. hughii ) is endemic to the People's Republic of China and inhabits a small area in the north of the Chinese provinces of Shaanxi , Sichuan , Gansu and Shanxi .
Way of life
Like most other hedgehogs, steppe hedgehogs are nocturnal loners who spend the day in burrows or caves and look for food at night.
Systematics
The genus consisted of two species in 2005:
- The Daurian hedgehog ( M. duricus )
- Hugh's hedgehog ( M. hughii )
In 2018, Mesechinus wangi from the Chinese province of Yunnan was described as the third species and Mesechinus miodon was recognized as an independent species, having previously been synonymous with Mesechinus lasturicus .
The systematics of steppe hedgehogs is controversial, sometimes they are counted among the desert hedgehogs (genus Hemiechinus ) and sometimes among the small ear hedgehogs (genus Erinaceus ). On the basis of morphological and molecular biological data, however, they are currently viewed as a separate genus.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Genus Mesechinus - Steppe Hedgehogs. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie (Eds.): A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ et al. 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 294-295.
Web links
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e Genus Mesechinus - Steppe Hedgehogs. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie (Eds.): A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ et al. 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 294-295.
- ↑ a b Procyon ( Memento of the original from October 5, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
- ↑ Huai-Sen Ai, Kai He, Zhong-Zheng Chen, Jia-Qi Li, Tao Wan, Quan Li, Wen-Huan Nie, Jin-Huan Wang, Wei-Ting Su, Xue-Long Jiang: Taxonomic revision of the genus Mesechinus (Mammalia: Erinaceidae) with description of a new species. Zoological Research, 2018. doi : 10.24272 / j.issn.2095-8137.2018.034
