Hystrix (mammal)

Hystrix is a genus of porcupines containing most of the Old World porcupines. Fossils belonging to the genus date back to the late Miocene of Africa.^[1]

Hystrix Temporal range: Early Miocene - Recent
Hystrix indica (Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison, Wisconsin)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Hystricidae
Genus:	Hystrix Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Hystrix cristata Linnaeus, 1758
Species
Hystrix africaeaustralis Hystrix brachyura Hystrix crassispinis Hystrix cristata Hystrix indica Hystrix javanica Hystrix pumila Hystrix sumatrae
Distribution of Old World porcupines

Hystrix (from Ancient Greek ὕστριξ (hústrix, “porcupine”) was given name by the 18th-century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus.

Species

• Genus Hystrix
  • Subgenus Hystrix
    • Hystrix africaeaustralis - Cape porcupine
    • Hystrix cristata - African crested porcupine
    • Hystrix indica - Indian crested porcupine
  • Subgenus Acanthion
    • Hystrix brachyura - Malayan porcupine or Himalayan crestless porcupine
    • Hystrix javanica - Sunda porcupine
  • Subgenus Thecurus
    • Hystrix crassispinis - thick-spined porcupine
    • Hystrix pumila - Philippine porcupine
    • Hystrix sumatrae - Sumatran porcupine

Fossil species

• †Hystrix arayanensis - Late Miocene
• †Hystrix depereti - Pliocene
• †Hystrix paukensis - Late Miocene-Pliocene
• †Hystrix primigenia - Late Miocene-Pliocene
• †Hystrix refossa - Pleistocene
• †Hystrix suevica - Late Miocene