Erinaceus europaeus, Linnaeus, 1758
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https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6639332 |
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https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6632523 |
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https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038787D0-FFD2-FFC4-FF75-FDD4F8377719 |
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Valdenar |
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Erinaceus europaeus |
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West European Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus View in CoL
French: Hérisson commun / German: Braunbrustigel / Spanish: Erizo europeo
Other common names: Brown-breasted Hedgehog, Common Hedgehog, European Hedgehog, Northern Hedgehog
Taxonomy. Erinaceus europaeus Linnaeus, 1758 View in CoL ,
“Europa.” Restricted by O. Thomas in 1911 to “Wamlingbo, S. Gothland Id.,” Sweden .
Erinaceus europaeus is sympatric with FE. roumanicus in central Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Balkan Peninsula. Monotypic.
Distribution. W Europe, from British Is and Iberian Peninsula E to Fennoscandia and N & C European Russia, also on Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and many smaller islands. Introduced into New Zealand during second halfofthe 19" century and recently into Azores. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 209-245 mm, tail 24-32 mm, ear 27-28 mm, hindfoot 43-50 mm; weight 526-556 g (some individuals weigh up to 1-2 kg). The West European Hedgehog has well-developed hallux on hindfeet, short tail, and relatively short ears. Pelage, except non-spiny hairs on face, legs, and underparts, has dense smooth spines, lacking papillae, banded yellow and brown, and with pale tips. As on other species of Erinaceus , the West European Hedgehog has narrow spine-free parting on crown ofhead. It can be distinguished from the Southern White-breasted Hedgehog ( E. concolor ) by absence of white breast patch. In southern Spain, the West European Hedgehog is pale, with many entirely white spines, and can be distinguished from the similar North African Hedgehog ( Atelerix algirus ) by narrow spine-free parting on crown of head. Albinos are relatively common, leucistic individuals are rare, and melanistic individuals are very rare. Dental formulais 13/2, C1/1,P 3/2,M 3/3 (x2) = 36. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 48 and FN = 92.
Habitat. Forests with ground vegetation and adequate food and grasslands especially adjacent to deciduous woodlands, hedgerows, or scrublands. In the Alps, the West European Hedgehog occurs up to elevations of 2000 m but does not live above tree line. It generally does not enter extensive coniferous forests because oflack of ground cover. It is common in parks, gardens, and golf courses, and it seems to favor edge habitats between open and more densely vegetated areas. Rocky outcrops and piles of rocks can serve as shelters. Populations in cultivated areas are small or lacking where removal of hedgerows and use ofpesticides have reduced cover and amounts ofinvertebrate prey. It may move ontoirrigatedfields in dry years.
Food and Feeding. The West European Hedgehog is omnivorous but primarily eats invertebrates such as beetles, larvae, slugs, worms, andspiders. It also eats fruits, fungi, and small vertebrates including frogs, snakes, lizards, young birds, eggs, mice, and carrion. It has been reported to congregate around gardens and vineyards to feed on snakes. It commonly eats millipedes and carabid beetles, which use distasteful and noxious substances in defense. Some other distasteful species such as woodlice, staphylinid beetles, and some ladybird beetles seem to be avoided. It enjoys bread and milk, pet food, and kitchen scraps offered by humans. When foraging, it generally progresses slowly and pauses briefly to sniff the air or ground. It also will forage in a more rapid andlinear style whereit covers much more ground but still searches for suitable prey. The West European Hedgehog always is alert and constantly sniffing and listening. Prey likely are detected mainly by their odor, but sound also is important in finding prey. Prey items usually are snapped up rapidly, anditems buried in litter, grass, or soil are quickly rooted out. Males tend to travel faster than females while foraging, and both sexes travel fastest in short grass and progressively slower as density of cover increases.
Breeding. The West European Hedgehog is believedto be polygynous, but multiple paternities oflitters indicate that at least some individuals practice polyandry. There usually are two breeding seasons each year, and they vary geographically. In Scandinavia, breeding occurs in May to mid-July, and in England, pregnancies occur in May-October, with peaks in May-July and September. Later mating generally occurs ifthe first litter is lost or aborted. Rate ofgrowth ofyoung borntolate litters is faster than for young bornto early litters. There is no difference in rate of growth between sexes. Sexual cycle of males varies regionally. During breeding season, reproductive organs of males increase to 10%ofbody weight. Gestation lasts 31-35 days, but some estimates are up to 42 days. Litters have 4-7 young (range 1-11). Reports of conjoined twins are rare. Young are born in nests ofleaves. Neonates are nearly hairless, eyes are closed, length is ¢.70 mm, and weights are 8-25 g depending onsize oflitter. Young are born with soft whitish spines that harden and begin to be replaced by adult-type spines at
2-7 days old. By about three weeks old, spines look like those of adults. At four weeks, young begin following their mother and are weaned at 4-6 weeks old. Males do not participate in rearing young. Sexual maturity is achieved at 9-12 months. In Sweden, females do not breed until their second year. Maximum body size is attained at 2-3 years old. Maximumlife expectancy is ¢.6-8 years in the wild and ten years in captivity.
Activity patterns. The West European Hedgehog is predominantly nocturnal, resting by day under piles of brush or in leaf nests in rocky crevices and burrows. Activity during midday often indicates that an individual is sick, but healthy individuals can be active during the day, particularly in autumn. Some lactating females can be almost as active during day as at night during summer, some individuals tend to emerge before sunset, and some retire to their nest well after dawn. Usual gait is slow, meandering walk that frequently is punctuated by short bursts of speed up to 50-120 m/minute. Males usually move at an average speed of 3-7 m/minute, females at 2:2 m/minute, and subadults at 2:2 m/minute. The West European Hedgehog lives on the surface ofthe ground without extensively burrowing or climbing. It is a good climber, and spines, besides serving as protection from predators, act as a cushion when it falls or drops from a height. It is a good swimmer but might not be able to escape from steepsided garden pools. It hibernates from about October to early April in colder parts ofits distribution, but individuals become active, emerge, and move to another nest 2-3 times in winter. Hibernation bouts last 5-27 days (average nine days). Some nests are repaired and re-used, and others are abandoned. Nests may be occupied, then abandoned for up to four months, and later re-occupied. Others are empty at first and occupied later, suggesting there are spare nests.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Although primary foraging area of a West European Hedgehog can be ¢.200-300 m from its day-shelter, average minimal nightly distances traveled are 868-1785 m for adult males, 570-1006 m for adult females, and 1188 m for subadults. Some males travel up to 3 km/night. Most individuals are active all night. The West European Hedgehog is solitary except during the breeding season or for a mother with her young. It usually is non-territorial, but it is intolerant of conspecifics. Rather than maintaining a defended area, it uses mutual avoidance to allow non-simultaneous use ofthe same area and thus avoid direct competition. Individuals rarely meet, and adults ofthe same sex usually do not approach to within 20 m ofeach other. Adults usually are together only for mating or when attracted to a localized food source where fights sometimes occur; otherwise fights are rare. Presumably as time to hibernate approaches, they vigorously defend territories of1:8-2.5 ha, but in spring after emergence from hibernation, individuals do not stay in these defended areas. At that time, they wander over large areas looking for food and mates, and there may be intensive fighting between males. Home ranges overlap, often completely, irrespective ofsex. In England, average home range of adult males is larger (32 ha; range 16-42 ha) than that of adult females (10 ha; range 6-12 ha) and subadults (12 ha; range 10-15 ha). In Sweden, adult males have larger home ranges (47 ha; range 25-68 ha) than females (20 ha; range 8-30 ha), and in Russia, home ranges are 0-5—11-2 ha for males and 0-8-3-5 ha for females. There is a tendency for both sexes to occupy the same home range for years. Young have a dispersal phase in the first few months oflife; they establish their future home range before, or shortly after, their first winter. Nesting sites usually are shaded by vegetation or other objects. In summer and winter, nests are mostly aboveground, under brambles or other vegetation, and often are constructed ofdry, broad leaves. Burrows are simple, blind, and c.1 m long, with a small chamber at the end. Such burrows are excavated by hedgehogs or by rabbits. The West European Hedgehog engages in self-anointing with frothy saliva. Reasons for self-anointing are unknown, but it might be used to attract mates, as a defense from predators, or by juveniles seeking attention from their mothers. Self-anointing is dependent on gender, age, and season. First-year independent young self-anoint more than adults, and males self-anoint more than females. In adults, selfanointing peaks in summer. Typical defensive posture is to roll into a ball, covering vulnerable underside, face, and limbs with spines.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The West European Hedgehog is common, widespread, and generally well-known. It consumes pests in gardens, is popular in folklore and books, and is eaten by humans, although that is becoming uncommon. Starvation and collisions with motor vehicles are major causes ofdeath. In Belgium, vehicles kill at least 230,000-350,000 West European Hedgehogs each year, and throughout Europe, c¢.1-6 ind/kmofroads arekilled each year. Populations have decreasedsignificantly: 15-22%in Sweden, 26%in Switzerland, and 30% in the Netherlands.
Bibliography. Allanson (1934), Beer (2003), Berthoud (1980), Boitani & Reggiani (1984), Boukheroufa et al. (2015), Brodie (1977), Bunnell (2009), Corbet & Southern (1977), D'Havé, Scheirs, Verhagen & De Coen (2005), Dickman (1988), Dmi'el & Schwarz (1984), Gropp et al. (1969), Haigh et al. (2012), Harrison Matthews (1952), Hayssen et al. (1993), Herter (1965), Holsbeek et al. (1999), Huijser & Bergers (2000), Hutterer (2005a), Jackson, D.B. (2007), Karaseva et al. (1979), Kompanje (2005), Kral (1967), Kristiansson (1981, 1990), Lay (1967), Mathias et al. (1998), Moran et al. (2009), Morris (1977, 1985, 1986, 1988, 2006), Morris & Tutt (1996), Mouhoub Sayah et al. (2009), Nowak (1999), Ortowski & Nowak (2004, 2006), Parkes (1975), Pavlinov & Lissovsky (2012), Philchagov (1988), Reeve (1982, 1994), Reeve & Morris (1985), Skoudlin (1981), Smith (1992), Stone (1995b), Sykes & Durrant (1995), Thomas (1911b), Warwick (2014).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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Erinaceus europaeus
| Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson 2018 |
Erinaceus europaeus
| Linnaeus 1758 |