Erinaceus amurensis, Schrenck, 1859

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Erinaceidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 288-330 : 320-321

4.

Amur Hedgehog

Erinaceus amurensis

French: Hérisson de Mandchourie / German: AmurIgel / Spanish: Erizo de Manchuria

Other common names: Chinese Hedgehog, Manchurian Hedgehog

Taxonomy. Erinaceus amurensis Schrenck, 1859 ,

“In der Nahe der Stadt Aigun, im mandshurischen Dorfe Gulssoja am Amur,” eastern Siberia, Russia. This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Amur River and tributaries in Russian Far East (E from Zeya River) and S through Korean Peninsula and C & E China to E Sichuan and N Guangdong.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 158-300 mm, tail 17-42 mm, ear 16-26 mm, hindfoot 34-54 mm; weight c.1-4 kg (males) and 800-950 g (females). Weights in China are reported as 0.6-1 kg. The Amur Hedgehog is thick-bodied, with well-developed hallux on hindfeet, short tail, and relatively short ears. Dorsal pelage has sharp spines up to 24 mm long; spines are smooth and lack papillae. It has faintly visible, central parting of spines on crown of head. Face, legs, and underparts are covered with coarse hairs. Color varies from pale yellow to dark brown, and unpigmented spines usually are present among pale-tipped, yellow, and brown-banded ones. Its spines, besides serving as protection against enemies, act as a cushion when it falls or drops deliberately from a height. Dental formulais13/2,C1/1,P 3/2, M 3/3 (x2) = 36.

Habitat. Various habitats from farmlands to deciduous forests, including grasslands, scrublands, suburban parks, gardens, and alpine regions below tree line. The Amur Hedgehog avoids truly arid areas and dry meadow-steppes. Its northern distribution is largely confined to northernmost limit of deciduous forests, and it generally does not enter extensive coniferous forests because of lack of ground cover.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Amur Hedgehog primarily contains invertebrates such as beetles, insect larvae, slugs, worms, and spiders. It also eats fungi, fruits, small vertebrates including frogs, snakes, lizards, mice, young birds, eggs, and carrion, and it scavenges on food discarded by humans. In northern China, almost 95% of dietary items were fly larvae; other invertebrates were earwigs, mole crickets, and beetles. One stomach was full ofjujube dates (Zizyphus jujuba, Rhamnaceae ).

Breeding. Amur Hedgehogs have 1-2 litters/year, with 4-6 young/litter.

Activity patterns. The Amur Hedgehog is primarily active at night and rests under piles of brush by day orin leaf nests in rocky crevices and burrows. Usual gaitis slow, rolling walk, but it can run rapidly. It is a good swimmer and climber. It hibernates in winter, entering torpor in October in China and emerging in spring.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Except during breeding season or when a female has young, the Amur Hedgehog is solitary. It probably makes use of nests that are aboveground or in burrows, depending upon circumstances. Typical defensive posture is to roll into a ball, protecting abdomen, face, and limbs with sharp spines. It has been kept as a pet because it adjusts readily to captivity and becomes quite docile.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Beer (2003), Corbet (1988), Eo Kyung-Yeon et al. (2015), Harrison Matthews (1952), Hutterer (2005a), Liu Chengchao (1937), Nowak (1999), Reeve (1994), Smith & Yan Xie (2008, 2013), Stone (1995b).

Figures

1. West European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), 2. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog (Erimaceus roumanicus), 3. Southern White-breasted Hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), 4. Amur Hedgehog (Erinaceus amurensis), 5. North African Hedgehog (Atelerix algirus), 6. Four-toed Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris), 7. Somali Hedgehog (Atelerix sclateri), 8. Southern African Hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis), 9. Desert Hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus), 10. Brandt's Hedgehog (Paraechinus hypomelas), 11. Indian Hedgehog (Paraechinus micropus), 12. Bare-bellied Hedgehog (Paraechinus nudiventris), 13. Common Long-eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus), 14. Indian Long-eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus collaris), 15. Wang's Forest Hedgehog (Mesechinus wangi), 16. Small-toothed Forest Hedgehog (Mesechinus miodon), 17. Daurian Hedgehog (Mesechinus dawuricus), 18. Hugh's Hedgehog (Mesechinus hughi), 19. Long-eared Gymnure (Hylomys megalotis), 20. Dwarf Gymnure (Hylomys parvus), 21. Short-tailed Gymnure (Hylomys suillus), 22. Moonrat (Echinosorex gymnurus), 23. Shrew Gymnure (Neotetracus sinensis), 24. Hainan Gymnure (Neohylomys hainanensis), 25. Mindanao Gymnure (Podogymnura truei), 26. Dinagat Gymnure (Podogymnura aureospinula)

Distribution. Amur River and tributaries in Russian Far East (E from Zeya River) and S through Korean Peninsula and C & E China to E Sichuan and N Guangdong.