Hemiechinus auritus (Gmelin, 1770)
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https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6639332 |
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https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6632542 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038787D0-FFD8-FFCF-FF77-F8BDFBBB78F6 |
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Valdenar |
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Hemiechinus auritus |
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13. View Plate 14: Erinaceidae
Common Long-eared Hedgehog
Hemiechinus auritus View in CoL
French: Hérisson a oreilles longues / German: Eigentlicher Langohrigel / Spanish: Erizo de orejas largas dorado
Other common names: Afghan Hedgehog, Long-eared Steppe Hedgehog
Taxonomy. Erinaceus auritus S. G. Gmelin, 1770,
“in regione Astrachanensi.” Inter- preted by D. R. Frost and colleagues in 1991 as “Astrackhan’skaya Oblast’, [former] U.S.S.R., 46°21’N, 48°03’E,” now southern Russia. Three subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
H.a.albulusStoliczka,1872—Kazakhstan,SSiberia(Tuva),W&SMongolia,andNW&NCChina.
H. a. megalotis Blyth, 1845 — Turkestan, SW & E Iran, Afghanistan, and W Pakistan. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 160-278 mm, tail 10-55 mm, ear 24-60 mm, hindfoot 30-55 mm; weight 230-400 g (but some weigh 1-1 kg). Unlike species of Erinaceus and Paraechinus , the Common Long-eared Hedgehog and the Indian Long-eared Hedgehog ( H. collaris ) have no central parting of spines on crown of head. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog has long limbs, short barely visible tail, well-developed hallux on hindfeet, and five toes on forefeet. Ears are long and conspicuous,slightly pointed, flexible and mobile, considerably longer than adjacent spines, and apparently adapted for radiation of desert heat. If ears are pressed forward, they cover eyes. Dorsal pelage has dark rough spines, with numerous papillae, many shallow longitudinal grooves, whitish bases, two wide black bands separated by pale band, pale brownish tip, and average length of ¢.25 mm. Spines on lower back and flanks are c.34 mm long. Spines are sharp and flexible, and they act as shock absorbersif a fall occurs from a high place. Head,tail, and limbs generally are white to pale brown. There is no dark face mask. Ventral pelage generally has soft white hairs, but populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan ( megalotis ) are uniformly brown on their undersides. In Pakistan, the Common Long-eared Hedgehog tends to be rather reddish. Hair on limbs, underside, tail, and lower part of head is reddish brown or auburn. Upper part offace, inside of ears, and top of crown has some white hairs that produce rusty color. Entire body tends to look dark reddish brown, and spines give an impression of lying in a rather smooth and regular pattern because of brown tips and their lengths. Dental formulais 13/2, C1/1, P3/2,M 3/3 (x2) = 36. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 48-50 and FN = 94-98.
Habitat. Dry riverbeds, dunes, oases, valleys with shrubs, semiarid country, and steppes over most of its distribution, including coastal semi-desert scrublands with dense vegetation, semiarid grasslands, and high-elevation steppes with subzero temperatures in winter. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog is not desert adapted, but it is moderately tolerant of heat and drought, and its large ears might be important in thermoregulation. It is rare in sparsely vegetated areas. It favors mesic sites such as suburban parks and gardens, olive groves, and agricultural lands and is commonly associated with humans. In Pakistan,it is plentiful above elevations of 900 m and can occur in valleys up to 2500 m. In Iran, it spends days in shallow burrows, beneath mud walls, or in piles of hay. In Egypt, it often is in buildings, crevices in walls, piles of bricks and stones, fissures in rocks, small caves, graveyards, and burrows of the Fat Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus) in salt-marsh habitats. It selects soft ground such as sandy dunes where it can dig relatively deep burrows that slope at a slight angle.
Food and Feeding. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog is omnivorous,it is a voracious feeder, and it can survive for up to ten weeks without eating or drinking. Diet primarily is insects (bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, termites, lepidopterans, ants), but it also eats other invertebrates (worms, millipedes, and snails), small vertebrates (mammals, birds, snakes, and lizards), eggs, carrion, fruits, and seeds. It seems immune to poisons and stings of insects and other invertebrates and will hunt and eat scorpions, venomous spiders, and stinging hymenopterans. It will kill and eat small snakes, some venomous, by rolling into a ball after grabbing the lower body of the snake so that the snake strikes in vain against the spines, often damaging itself. The Common Longeared Hedgehog feeds on grapes, mulberries, and watermelons, which it hollows out. It does not eat food discarded by humans, and captive individuals show a tendency toward cannibalism. Even with its protective spines,it is an important source of food for carnivores.
Breeding. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog is polygynous. Breeding probably occurs immediately after emerging from hibernation in early spring (mid-April) and continues into late summer (September). Courtship behavior is well developed and includes sniffing, licking genitalia, and flank rubbing. Male copulates by standing almost vertically on his hindlegs, while the female lies on her abdomen with hindlegs extended. Gestation lasts 28-42 days. Births peak in July-September. Before giving birth, females excavate nest chamber in their burrow. Apparently, they clear all debris from the floor of the nest chamber, they do not line the chamber, they give birth on the smooth floor, and they lick neonates until they are clean. Litters vary geographically but usually have 3-5 young (range 1-7). Neonates are born naked, except for some scattered spines. They weigh 7-13 g, body length is 47-61 mm, hindfoot length is 7 mm, and ear length is 3-4 mm. Their backs are thickly covered with spines by 14 days old, eyes open at 15-20 days, solid food is eaten at 21-28 days, teeth appear at 23-24 days, weaning is at ¢.31-40 days, and young leave nest at ¢.30-40 days. There is no evidence that more than one litter is produced each year. Young can reach sexual maturity as soon as six weeks of age. Longevity is 6-7 years.
Activity patterns. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog is nocturnal and begins foraging early in the evening. Day-resting sites usually are in burrows that are under small shrubs or bushes. Burrows are 20-150 cm long and have a single opening. Rest sites occur in caves and crevices and under piles of rocks and bricks. Long limbs enable it to walk and run quickly. It is an active digger and will excavate its own burrow when abandoned dens made by rodents or other mammals are not available. Generally, it excavates burrows under large rocks and can dig in sandy, clay, or rocky soils. Digging employs broad-clawed forefeet to loosen and throw soil backward; snout is not used in digging. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog periodically moves backward up its burrow and kicks out accumulated soil using hindfeet. In firm soil, 30-38cm burrows are completed in 3-4 hours. In soft soil,it can dig a 10cm hole in five minutes and can dig several burrows each night. It enters and exits burrows headfirst. Females widen ends of burrows to accommodate young. During early spring when insects and other invertebrates are plentiful, it builds up a layer offat. It can enter torpor in any season during droughts, shortages of food, and cold or hot weather, and it can remain partially awake, or sufficiently conscious, to react quickly to any disturbance. Even during short periods of torpor and estivation, respiration is slow and shallow, and heart rate decreases. Body temperature usually remains within 1-2°C of ambient temperatures. In regions where temperatures in winter are as cold as —6-5°C, body temperature during hibernation can approach 0°C. In North Africa, it can enter torpor during the cold season (December—February) and remain in its burrow 5-40 days. In northern India, it might hibernate up to 3-5 months in winter, and in the mountains of Pakistan, hibernation occurs in October-March and can be 5-5-6 months. In China, it enters torpor in October and emerges in spring. During hibernation, the Common Longeared Hedgehog wakes up periodically and might emerge briefly to forage or move only within its nesting burrow. In warmer areas, there is no prolonged hibernation in winter.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Common Long-eared Hedgehogs can walk more than 17-20 m/minute. Estimates indicate that the Common Longeared Hedgehog can travel 7-9 km in a 7-9hour activity period. Average home ranges are 4-9-5 ha (range 1-6-10 ha) for adult males, 2-9 ha (range 0-9—4-2 ha) for nonlactating females, and 1:3-3-5 ha (range 0-2-4-3 ha) for non-lactating and lactating females. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog is solitary. It usually is non-aggressive, but when fighting, it is very noisy; it growls when alarmed. Adults only nest singly, but they use burrows of other hedgehogs in their absence. It performs self-anointing; practically any substance will induce this behavior. This activity can go on nearly continuously for up to 20 minutes. Reasons for this behavior are unknown; it might be a sexual signal because it occurs only in adults during the breeding season or, because substances that initiate this behavior are either novel or irritating, it might serve as
protection against predators. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog also rubs toads against its spines suggesting that it might be making defensive use of toxins produced by the toads.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Common Long-eared Hedgehog is common in much ofits broad distribution. It can damage agricultural crops, especially ripe melons, but it is mostly beneficial because of the insects, reptiles, and other pests that it eats. Humans sometimes eat Common Longeared Hedgehogs.
Bibliography. Al-Behbehani & Ibrahim (2007), Al-Khalili (1990), Arslan et al. (2009), Atallah (1977), Batsaikhan et al. (2010), Beer (2003), Bhatnagar & El-Azawi (1978), Blanford (1888), Blyth (1845), Brodie (1977), Colak et al. (1997 1998), Corbet (1988), Dmi‘el & Schwarz (1984), Flower (1932), Frost et al. (1991), Happold (2013d), Harrison (1964), Harrison & Bates (1991), Hassinger (1973), Hayssen et al. (1993), Herter (1965), Hoogstraal (1962), Hufnagl (1972), Hutterer (2005a), Ivanitskaya & Malygin (1985), Jones (1982), Karatas et al. (2007), Kefelioglu (1997), Krishna & Prakash (1955), Kumar & Pandey (1995), Lay (1967), Nader (1968), Niethammer (1973), Nowak (1999), Ognev (1928), Osborn & Helmy (1980), Poduschka & Poduschka (1986), Prakash (1953, 1954, 1960), Qumsiyeh (1996), Reading et al. (2010), Reeve (1994), Roberts (1997), Schoenfeld & Yom-Tov (1985), Smith & Yan Xie (2013), Stoliczka (1872), Stone (1995b), Zherebtsova (1982, 1992).
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