Origin of hedgehogs

Origin of hedgehogs from the beginning of their existence.

Hedgehogs are small, spiny mammals that first evolved about15 million years ago. There are 17 species in five genera of hedgehogs worldwide: Erinaceus, Paraechinus, Mesechinus, Atelerix and Hemiechinus. They live across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia

The European hedgehog (Erinaceous Europeans),

also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species found in Europe, from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia.

Through the study of fossils, scientists have discovered some primitive ancestors of the hedgehog, including the Litolestes, the Leipsanolestes, Oncocherus, the Cedrocherus and the Deinogalerix. The chemical analysis and the anatomical comparison of fossil-bones have helped to link these primitive animals to modern hedgehogs, but some of their habits and features still remain a mystery to science.

Litolestes and Leipsanolestes

Litolestes is the oldest known ancestor of modern-day hedgehogs. It lived during the Paleocene period, from 65.5 to 56 million years ago. Leipsanolestes is another genus from the same period, which fed mainly on insects. Both genus included animals with similar sizes to living hedgehogs. Fossils of these primitive mammals were found in Montana and Wyoming.

Oncocherus

Fossils of animals of the genus Oncocherus are from Late Paleocene of western Canada, about 55.8 to 58.7 million years ago. Oncorechus shares some characteristics with other primitive members of the family Erinaceidae: enlarged upper and lower premolars. However, the genus has larger premolars, when compared to Litolestes fossils. Oncocherus was endemic to modern-day North America.

Cedrocherus

As well as Litolestes and Leipsanolestes, animals form the genus Cedrocherus also inhabit North America in the Paleocene period, but were likely to have had smaller teeth. Scientist have found two distinct species: Cedrocherus ryani and Cedrocherus aceratus. The collection of fossils representing these species is very limited, only enough to distinguish the genus from Litolestes and Leipsanolestes.

Deinogalerix

Deinogalerix, from the Ancient Greek for “terrible hedgehog,” was an endemic animal that lived in modern-day Italy during the Late Miocene, 11.6 to 5.3 million years ago. Unlike living hedgehogs, the deinogalerix had hair rather than spines covering its body. Deinogalerix was 1 1/2 to 2 feet long, had a long tail and snout. As other primitive Erinaceidae members, it fed on insects.

HOW DID HEDGEHOGS BECOME PETS

THE ROMANS DOMESTICATED A RELATIVE OF THE ALGERIAN HEDGEHOG IN THE 4TH CENTURY BCE, TO USE FOR MEAT AND QUILLS AS WELL AS PETS. THE ROMANS ALSO USED THE QUILL-COVERED HEDGEHOG SKINS TO CLEAN THEIR SHAWLS, MAKING THEM IMPORTANT TO COMMERCE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE ROMAN SENATE TO REGULATING THE TRADE IN HEDGEHOG SKINS.

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