Atelerix algirus, Lereboullet, 1842

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 : 321

5.

North African Hedgehog

Atelerix algirus

French: Hérisson d’Algérie / German: Nordafrikanischer Igel / Spanish: Erizo moruno

Other common names: Algerian Hedgehog

Taxonomy. FErinaceus algirus Lereboullet, 1842 ,

“provient d’Oran.” Interpreted by D. R. Frost and colleagues in 1991 as “Algeria, currently the province Wilaya d’Oran.”

Using mtDNA and nDNA data, M. Khaldi and colleagues in 2016 determined that there was no genetic discontinuity between island and mainland populations suggesting that subspecies recognition is unwarranted and that humans probably mediated introductions onto the Canary and Balearic islands and Europe. Thus, subspecies status of at least vagans by O. Thomas in 1901 appears unwarranted. Whether or not subspecies girbaensis on Djerba Island, Tunisia, is natural or introduced by humans is unknown. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

A.a.algirusLereboullet,1842—NWAfricafromMoroccoEtoNELibya.IntroducedinancienttimesintoMediterraneanFrance(nowextinct),E&SEIberianPeninsula,BalearicIs,andMalta;mostrecently(1890s)alsointoCanaryIs.

A. a. girbaensis 1. Vesmanis, 1980 — Djerba I, Tunisia. Introduced into Puerto Rico but not established there. Modern introductions not shaded on the map.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 200-270 mm, tail 15-30 mm, ear 21-30 mm, hindfoot 30-40 mm; weight 500-865 g (males) and 513-640 g (females). The North African Hedgehog has five digits on hindfeet, but hallux can be slightly shorter than other digits. A means of distinguishing the North African Hedgehogis the spine-free parting on crown of head, which is narrower than in other species. It generally has pale pelage, but color varies from very dark to very pale. Face and abdomen usually are whitish, but there are varying amounts of brown in ventral fur. There are dark spines on back that often are interspersed with white spines. Spines are smooth and without papillae. Pelage on underside is non-spiny. Forehead is wide and white from cheek to cheek. Muzzle is white, with no dark face mask or only a few dark hairs or small spots. Ears are equal or slightly longer than adjacent spines and longer than on the West European Hedgehog ( Erinaceus europaeus ). Limbs are short and white or pale. Tail is barely visible and has short pale hairs. Dental formulais 13/2, C1/1,P 3/2, M 3/3 (x2) = 36. Karyotype is 2n = 48.

Habitat. Coastal dry and warm Mediterranean scrublands and grasslands, especially open spaces with plenty of herbaceous and shrubby cover. In the Middle Atlas Range of Morocco, the North African Hedgehog occurs up to elevations of ¢.2000 m. It reportedly does not inhabit arid deserts, but it has been documented at oases in the Sahara Desert up to 500 km south of coastal Algeria. It seems to do well in areas inhabited by humans such as fallow or cultivated fields, palm groves, almond and olive plantations, hedges, woodlands, and suburban gardens. In Spain, it occupied open grass-scrub areas and used fields when available, butit avoided forests and urban areas.

Food and Feeding. The North African Hedgehog is primarily insectivorous and opportunistic. Diet includes fungi, worms, eggs,fruits, snails, insects, other invertebrates, small vertebrates, and carrion. In Algeria, diet included c.85% insects (mostly ants and beetles), 6% centipedes and millipedes, 5% spiders, 2% gastropods, and 1% crustaceans (isopods). On the Balearic Islands, diet contained snails, centipedes, insects, some small vertebrates (snakes, lizards, and frogs), and a truffle-like fungus. On the Canary Islands,it ate berries, corn, and pumpkins. Results of laboratory studies revealed that color of eggs did not influence rates of consumption of eggs, but size of

eggs was important. North African Hedgehogs preferred to consume smaller eggs (quail) more than intermediate-sized eggs (partridge), and large eggs (chicken) were not consumed at all.

Breeding. Reproduction of the North African Hedgehog appears limited to spring and summer. In Libya, breeding occurs in April-June, and occasionally a secondlitter is produced in July. On the Balearic Islands, breeding season occurs in June-October, with mostlitters born from the second half ofJuly through the first half of September. Gestation lasts 30-48 days. Litters have 1-7 young. Young remain close to their mother for several months.

Activity patterns. North African Hedgehogs are nocturnal. In Algeria, males were first observed dead on roads in spring from March onward. During this time, more males (45%) than females (31%) were found dead. High level of activity of males in spring (maximum in May) and summer coincides with breeding. Most juveniles were found dead on roads in late summer and early autumn (24%), corresponding to dispersal and foraging in preparation for winter. In late autumn,activity begins to decrease and becomes more reduced in winter, apparently to save energy during cold weather. In winter, North African Hedgehogs probably reduce their metabolism and hibernate. Day-resting sites are spherical structures that can be constructed offoliage, herbaceous vegetation, and human-made waste (e.g. plastic strings from nearby crops). These dayresting sites can be under dense vegetation on margins of cultivated crops and in giant canes, open-vegetated areas, buildings (farm sheds, retaining walls, or houses), and piles of logs or wooden boxes.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Adult male North African Hedgehogs have larger home ranges and move longer distances per hour than females. Foraging areas are 1-4-98-8 ha for adult males, 4-3-29-4 ha for adult females, and 3-1-28-6 ha forjuveniles. Individuals tolerate congeners regardless of sex or age; thus, home range of an individual can overlap those of others. Despite its tolerance of other conspecifics, the North African Hedgehog is solitary and does not exhibit social behavior except during mating where courtship lasts a few days and is not limited to mating alone. Up to three adults (two males and one female) were observed on ten occasions feeding simultaneously at a cat feeder without any agonistic behavior besides some snorting and occasional shoving when they came into physical contact; this only resulted in separation of individuals but not in expulsion of any of them. These individuals acted similarly toward cats that frequented the feeder. When threatened, the North African Hedgehog escapes rather than closing into a tight ball with spines directed outward. It self-anoints with its saliva.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Humans introduced the North African Hedgehog in Menorca during the 13™ century, continental Spain about 3000 years ago, and the Canary Islands in 1892. European populations have declined, and it has disappeared in some places where it occurred in past decades, including southern France where it might be extinct. Loss and fragmentation of habitats are the possible causes of declines in Europe. The North African Hedgehog is a regular victim of traffic on roads in all parts ofits distribution, especially during breeding in spring and summer. Cattle grids, which are designed to restrict movements of livestock, are hazardous to hedgehogs because they can fall into them and are not able to escape. These grids often are used on narrow roadways with grassy borders and hedges, which are preferred habitats of hedgehogs in rural pasturelands. Installation of escape ramps in cattle grids would be a useful conservation activity.

Bibliography. Alcover (2007), Beer (2003), Boukheroufa et al. (2015), Castilla et al. (2009), Corbet (1988), Derouiche et al. (2016), Frost et al. (1991), Garcia-Rodriguez & Puig-Montserrat (2014), Gropp & Natarajan (1972), Haltenorth & Diller (1988), Happold (2013b), Hufnagl (1972), Hutterer (2005a), Johnson et al. (2012), Kahmann & Vesmanis (1977), Khaldi et al. (2016), Morales & Rofes (2008), Mouhoub Sayah et al. (2009), Natarajan & Gropp (1971), Nowak (1999), Ouarab & Doumandji (2010), Reeve (1994), Saint Girons (1969), Stone (1995b), Thomas (1901b), Vesmanis (1980).

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)

Subspecies and Distribution. A.a.algirusLereboullet,1842—NWAfricafromMoroccoEtoNELibya.IntroducedinancienttimesintoMediterraneanFrance(nowextinct),E&SEIberianPeninsula,BalearicIs,andMalta;mostrecently(1890s)alsointoCanaryIs. A. a. girbaensis 1. Vesmanis, 1980 — Djerba I, Tunisia. Introduced into Puerto Rico but not established there. Modern introductions not shaded on the map.