''Paraechinus'' is a genus of
hedgehogs
A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction ...
. Members are small and
nocturnal
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite.
Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...
. The genus contains four species from
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
, the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
and
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
:
*
Desert hedgehog
The desert hedgehog (''Paraechinus aethiopicus'') is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae.
Basic facts
The desert hedgehog is one of the smallest of hedgehogs. It is long and weighs about . The quills (or spines to give their corre ...
(''Paraechinus aethiopicus'')
*
Brandt's hedgehog
Brandt's hedgehog (''Paraechinus hypomelas'') is a species of desert hedgehog native to parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. Its common name derives from its having first been described by Johann Friedrich von Brandt, a director of the Zoo ...
(''Paraechinus hypomelas'')
*
Indian hedgehog
The Indian hedgehog (''Paraechinus micropus'') is a species of hedgehog native to India and Pakistan. It mainly lives in sandy desert areas but can be found in other environments.
Description
The Indian hedgehog can be compared to the long-ear ...
(''Paraechinus micropus'')
*
Bare-bellied hedgehog (''Paraechinus nudiventris'')
References
Hedgehogs
Mammal genera
{{erinaceidae-stub