Porcupine - Classification

Classification

Porcupines are distributed into two evolutionary independent groups of the order Rodentia, suborder Hystricomorpha.

  • Infraorder Hystricognathi
    • Family Hystricidae: Old World porcupines
      • African Brush-tailed Porcupine, Atherurus africanus
      • Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine, Atherurus macrourus
      • Crested Porcupine, Hystrix cristata
      • Cape Porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis
      • Indian Porcupine, Hystrix indicus
      • Malayan Porcupine, Hystrix brachyura
        • Himalayan Porcupine, Hystrix (brachyura) hodgsoni
      • Sunda Porcupine, Hystrix javanica
      • Sumatran Porcupine, Hystrix (Thecurus) sumatrae
      • Bornean Porcupine, Hystric (Thecurus) crassispinis
      • Philippine Porcupine, Hystrix (Thecurus) pumilis
      • Long-tailed Porcupine, Trichys fasciculata
    • Parvorder Phiomorpha sensu stricto
      • Family Thryonomyidae: cane rats
      • Family Petromuridae: Dassie rats
      • Family Bathyergidae: African mole-rats
    • Parvorder Caviomorpha
      • Superfamily Erethizontoidea
        • Family Erethizontidae: New World porcupines
          • Brazilian Porcupine, Coendou prehensilis
          • Bicolor-spined Porcupine, Coendou bicolor
          • Andean Porcupine, Coendou quichua
          • Black Dwarf (Koopman's) Porcupine, Coendou nycthemera (koopmani)
          • Rothschild's Porcupine, Coendou rothschildi
          • Santa Marta Porcupine, Coendou sanctemartae
          • Mexican Tree Porcupine, Sphiggurus mexicanus
          • South American Tree Porcupine, Sphiggurus spinosus
          • Bahia Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus insidiosus
          • Brown Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus vestitus
          • Orange-spined Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus villosus
          • Streaked Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus ichillus
          • Black-tailed Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus melanurus
          • Roosmalen's Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus roosmalenorum
          • Frosted Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Sphiggurus pruinosus
          • North American Porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
          • Stump-tailed Porcupine, Echinoprocta rufescens
          • Bristle-spined Porcupine, Chaetomys subspinosus (sometimes considered an echimyid)
      • Superfamily Cavioidea
        • Family Hydrochaeridae: capybara
        • Family Caviidae: Guinea-pigs
        • Family Dasyproctidae: agoutis and acouchis
      • Superfamily Octodontoidea
        • Family Abrocomidae: chinchilla-rats
        • Family Octodontidae: degus
        • Family Ctenomyidae: tuco-tucos
        • Family Echimyidae: spiny rats
        • Family Myocastoridae: nutrias
        • Family Capromyidae: hutias
      • Superfamily Chinchilloidea
        • Family Chinchillidae: chinchillas and allies
        • Family Dinomyidae: pacaranas

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