Southern white-breasted hedgehog

The southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), sometimes referred to as white-bellied hedgehog or white-chested hedgehog, is a hedgehog of Southwestern Asia. It is very similar in lifestyle and appearance to the European hedgehog, but the former has a white spot on its chest. For a long time these two species were considered to be one. The northern white-breasted hedgehog of Eastern Europe and Russia was formerly recognized as a subspecies of the southern white-breasted hedgehog but newer investigations see both as different species. The southern white-breasted hedgehog and European hedgehog can hybridize.

Southern white-breasted hedgehog[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Erinaceidae
Genus: Erinaceus
Species:
E. concolor
Binomial name
Erinaceus concolor
Martin, 1838
Range of the southern white-breasted hedgehog (red)
Southern white-breasted hedgehog.

Unlike its European counterpart, the southern white-breasted hedgehog never digs dens. It prefers building grass nests in secluded places.

References
  1. Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 213–214. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). "Erinaceus concolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996. Retrieved 2006-05-06.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
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