Talking about hedgehog and porcupine is not the same, many people mistakenly use the term to refer to the same type of animal and not they may be more wrong. The hedgehog and the porcupine have very noticeable differences that we are going to share with you.
One of these differences lies in the spines. Both have them, but they are of very different shapes and characteristics. We can also talk about size since the porcupine is larger than the hedgehog, something that can be seen with the naked eye.
These are some of the things that characterize one species and another, but in order to learn more differences between hedgehog and porcupine,you we recommend that you continue reading this article on our site.
Taxonomic differences between the hedgehog and the porcupine
- Hedgehogs or Erinaceinae by their scientific name, belong to the order Erinaceomorpha, which includes 16 species of hedgehogs divided into 5 genera different, which are Atelerix, Erinaceus, Hemiechinus, Mesechinus and Paraechinus.
- The porcupine is instead a term used to describe animals from two different families, the Erethizontidae family and the Hystricidae family, animals living in America and the old world, respectively. American porcupines most closely resemble hedgehogs in physical appearance.
A porcupine specimen appears in the photograph.
Differences between weight and size
- Hedgehogs are insectivorous animals that can reach up to 30 cm in length and weigh more than 1 kilogram. Physically they are animals with a stocky appearance and short legs, the tail can measure between 4 and 5 centimeters long.
- The porcupine is a much larger animal, it can measure up to 60 cm in length and 25 cm in height, doubling the size of the hedgehog. They can also weigh up to 15 kg, that is 15 times more than a common hedgehog.
In the image you can see a hedgehog specimen.
Differences in where they live
- Hedgehogs are animals that can be found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Their preferred habitats are grasslands, forests, savannahs, deserts, and farmland.
- Porcupines can also be found in Africa, Asia and Europe, but in addition to these continents, there are species in America, which does not happen with hedgehogs.
The habitats are also very similar, including deserts, savannahs, jungles, and farmlands. Another difference is that there are species of porcupines that live in trees, and can do this all their lives.
In the photo you can see a porcupine climbing a tree.
Differences in feeding
Food also makes a difference in these two animals.
- Hedgehogs are insectivorous animals, that is, they base their diet on the consumption of insects. They can eat earthworms, beetles, ants and other insects, they can even eat small mammals and the eggs of different birds.
- The porcupines, for their part, have a vegetarian diet, they basically feed on fruits and branches, including animal bones from which they extract calcium. So we can say that hedgehogs are carnivorous and porcupines are vegetarian, thus making a big difference.
Difference in tines
The quills also make a difference between these two species of animals, what they have in common is that in both animals the spines are hairs covered with keratin, which gives them the characteristic rigidity. At first glance, it is noticeable that the quills of hedgehogs are much shorter than those of porcupines.
There is also the difference that the quills of porcupines are sharp and come off, in the case of hedgehogs it is not. Hedgehogs have quills evenly distributed on their back and head, in the case of porcupines there are species that have a concentration of quills in clusters or individual quills interspersed with hair.
Both animals curl up on their bellies when they feel threatened, leaving their spines bristling. In the case of porcupines, they move to produce a warning sound, at the same time that they can drop their quills and stick them into their enemies.
Is it easy to distinguish between a hedgehog and a porcupine?
After reading this article we can see that it is very easy to distinguish between a hedgehog and a porcupine To begin with, they are animals of different sizes, being the smallest hedgehogs. The same goes for their quills, as porcupines have longer quills that come loose, and hedgehogs have evenly distributed quills.
We can also say that if we find one of these specimens in America, it is most likely a porcupine, if we speak in the wild, since we can find hedgehogs in urban environments. As for food, now you know that the hedgehog prefers insects and the porcupine prefers to eat fruits.
