| Atelerix | |
|---|---|
| |
| A. albiventris | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Erinaceidae |
| Subfamily: | Erinaceinae |
| Genus: | Atelerix Pomel, 1848 |
| Type species | |
| Erinaceus albiventris Wagner, 1841 | |
| Species | |
Atelerix is a genus of hedgehog in the family Erinaceidae. It contains four species, all native to Africa.
Species
- Four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)
- North African hedgehog (Atelerix algirus)
- Southern African hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis)
- Somali hedgehog (Atelerix sclateri)
The Atelerix diversified from its family because of geographical isolation during Pleistocene climate changes. This being a type of vicariance separation from the Niger River. This allowed the Erinaceidane family to be more diverse.
References
- ^ Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
| Extant Erinaceidae species by subfamily | |||||||||||||
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| Erinaceinae (Hedgehogs) |
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| Galericinae (Gymnures) |
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