A recent study by a team of scientists from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History successfully identified five recent species of hedgehogs from the Southeast Asian region that were previously unknown. Unlike other spiny hedgehogs, these recent species have soft fur.
The study, published within the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, used DNA evaluation and physical characteristics to explain two entirely recent species of soft-furred hedgehogs, while upgrading three subspecies to species level.
The study assessed physical samples and genetic material borrowed from museums, in addition to specimens collected during field trips in Kalimantan.
The newly identified mammals have a particular fur pattern that distinguishes them from the spiny hedgehogs higher known in Europe. These soft-furred hedgehogs are teardrop-shaped and have long, narrow snouts. Unlike the shellless mini armadillo, they resemble something between a mouse and a rat.
Previously, only two species of soft-furred hedgehogs were known, but this research has increased that number to seven. Identifying these small mammals has proven to be a difficult task. However, in-depth research may result in the conclusion that specimens previously considered the identical are literally different species, as was observed with these soft-furred hedgehogs.
Meanwhile, the three hedgehogs which were granted species status are H. dorsalis, H. maxi and H. peguensis, previously classified because the subspecies Hylomys suillus. The other two hedgehog species, Hylomys vorax and Hylomys macarong, are completely recent species, and specimens of each species had been in museum collections for several a long time before they were identified.
The elevation to species status is resulting from the indisputable fact that these hedgehogs have significant genetic and physical differences from other members of the identical species group. However, they’ll still interbreed and produce healthy offspring. Originally considered a subspecies of Hylomys suillus, this research shows that the prevailing differences are significant enough to be classified as a separate species.
H. dorsalis, present in the mountains of North Kalimantan, may be identified by a dark line on the pinnacle that divides the back. Meanwhile, H. peguensis measures roughly 15.1 inches, has a more yellowish coat, and may be present in various countries in mainland Southeast Asia. H. maxi, the biggest of the soft-furred hedgehogs at roughly 15.5 inches in length, may be present in the mountainous regions of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.
H. macarong, a species endemic to southern Vietnam, is dark brown and about 5.5 inches long. The males of this species have dog-like incisors, and its scientific name comes from the Vietnamese word for vampire, “ma cà rồng”.
Found exclusively on the slopes of Mount Leuser in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, H. vorax is dark brown in color and barely smaller, measuring roughly 4.7 inches. The species name comes from the outline of the hedgehog as “voracious”, which was documented by mammal expert Frederick Ulmer in 1939. Ulmer collected the specimens that led to this description.
Ulmer stated that the H. vorax was a voracious animal, often swallowing your complete bait before falling into the trap. He noted that these hedgehogs eat a wide range of materials, including ham, coconut, meat and walnuts. For example, Ulmer recorded these animals nibbling on a few of the chicken-head bait from a steel trap before finally being caught in one other Schuyler trap baited with ham.
Arlo Hinckley, one among the study’s authors and an authority in evolutionary biology, explained that soft-furred hedgehogs generally seem like a cross between mice and rats, unlike their feathered counterparts. These small mammals are typically lively each through the day and at night and are omnivores, which implies they eat a wide range of several types of food. They typically eat a wide range of insects and invertebrates, in addition to fruit when available.
The Smithsonian X post states that this research demonstrates the potential for brand new discoveries even inside well-studied animal groups corresponding to mammals. This discovery highlights how the applying of recent techniques, including DNA evaluation, to museum collections can reveal recent information.
During the study, scientists collected over 300 physical and tissue samples. Tissue samples for genetic evaluation were collected from historical or contemporary specimens from 14 museums in Asia, Europe and the United States. Additionally, samples were collected during three field visits to Kalimantan.
