Southern white-breasted hedgehog

Southern white-breasted hedgehog[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
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)

The southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), sometimes referred to as white-bellied hedgehog or white-chested hedgehog, 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 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.

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. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 2006-05-06. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern