ErinaceomorphaEmma McGaffney

General Information

The order Erinaceomorpha contains one family Erinaceidae, and two sub-families Erinaceinae more commonly known as a Hedgehog (Figure 1), and Galericinae known as a Gymnure or Moonrat (Figure 2).

Figure 1 Figure 2

Location

Hedgehogs can be found in Africa, Asia, and Europe, but are not native to North or South America. These animals have been introduced and become invasive in New Zealand and the islands of Scotland. Moonrats can be found in Southeast Asia. Both of these animals are mainly found in the biome temperate rainforest.

Food Webs

Hedgehogs and Moonrats are omnivores and are found in the 3rd trophic level. They feed on small rodents, reptiles, earthworms and bits of plant materials such as vegetables and fruits. Some animals that feed on hedgehogs are owls, hawks, foxes, and badgers.

Competition

Hedgehogs that were introduced to New Zealand (Figure 3) are having to compete with native species for food. They were first introduced there in the 1870’s by European settlers as a reminder of their homeland but have become a pest.

Figure 3

BiodiversityPeople often think that Hedgehogs are related to Porcupines(Figure 4) because of their spines, but they actually are not. Porcupines are rodents and Hedgehogs are Insectivores. Also Porcupines spines are barbed a characteristic that Hedgehogs lack. Moonrats more closely resemble large rats.

Figure 4

Adaptive Radiation

Hedgehogs and Moonrats were once part of an order called Insectivora. Later a few species were removed leaving the remaining species in the order Eulipotyphla. This order was then split again for the last time into the orders Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha. Soricomorpha is compromised of the Soricidae family (Shrews) and the Talpidae family (Moles).

Figure 5 is a picture of a Shrew

AdaptationsHedgehogThe hedgehog has sharp spines (Figure 6) that are about 5mm long used to defend itself from predators. When a hedgehog feels it’s being threatened it will curl up into a ball causing these spines to point outward.

Figure 6

Adaptations

MoonratsMoonrats have the ability to produce a scent in order to mark it’s territory. The scent is said be be very strong with an s mellsimilar to that of rancid garlic or onion.

Evolution

Eutheria is an ancestor of the order Erinaceomorpha. Eutheria was divided into two subgroups, Stem eutherians, and Placentals which contains the Clade Laurasiatheria where Erinaceomorpha are found. These animals have been around for up to 60 million years, but have changed little in the last 15 million.

Succession

Primary and Secondary Succession can negatively affect Hedgehogs and Moonrats. Succession can destroy the ecosystems where these species live. If there is no grass in the area there will be no rodents which could lead to a decline in the population of hedgehogs.

Sources• http://www.planet-mammiferes.org/Photos/Insectiv/Erinace/HyloSin3.jpg• http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhebhogs.wordpress.com%2Fab

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• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_biome_do_hedgehogs_live_in?#slide=3• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/391430/moonrat• http://www.hedgehogworld.com/content.php?130-Hedgehogs-in-the-Wild• http://www.whateats.com/what-eats-a-hedgehog• http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6797473439_6802a73d1e_z.jpg• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectivora• http://www.google.ca/search?q=shrews&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=To4mU6XuFcryoASazI

HoAw&ved• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehogs_in_New_Zealand• http://www.hdpaperwall.com/world-maps-countries/• http://leavingcert.net/skoool/examcentre_sc.asp?id=1944• http://www.hunterporcupine.com/• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/pacific/new-zealand/