North American porcupine
(Erethizon dorsatum)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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Size |
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Total length: 24″ to 29″ Tail: 6¼″ to 8¾″ |
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Sign |
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Similar Species |
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No similar species |
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Habitat |
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Deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests. |
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Biology |
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Behavior |
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Lifespan |
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6 to 18 years |
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Life Cycle |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 8/22/2022 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Mammalia (mammals) | ||
| Subclass | Theria | ||
| Infraclass | Placentalia (placental mammals) | ||
| Magnorder | Boreoeutheria | ||
| Superorder | Euarchontoglires (primates, rodents, and allies) | ||
| Order | Rodentiia (rodents) | ||
| Suborder | Hystricomorpha (ctenohystricans) | ||
Infraorder |
Hystricognathi | ||
Parvorder |
Caviomorpha |
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| Superfamily | Erethizontoidea (New World porcupines) | ||
| Family | Erethizontidae (New World porcupines) | ||
Subfamily |
Erethizontinae (Neotropical and North American porcupines) | ||
Genus |
Erethizon | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Alaska porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum myops) Arizona porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum couesi) eastern porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum dorsatum) dusky porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum nigrescens) Labrador porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum picinum) Nebraska yellow-haired porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum bruneri) North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum doani) Rocky Mountain porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum epixanthum) |
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Synonyms |
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Erethizon dorsata Erethizon dorsatus Hystrix dorsata |
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Common Names |
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Canadian porcupine common porcupine North American porcupine porcupine |
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Visitor Photos |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Porcupine Andree Reno Sanborn |
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| North American Porcupine Victor Fazio |
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| Porcupines (Order Rodentia, Family Erethizonidae) Don Delaney |
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| Porcupines - Caviidae Gerry |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this mammal. |
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Other Videos |
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| MyNature Apps; Porcupine Sign, Erethizon dorsatum MyNatureApps |
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About
Uploaded on May 7, 2011 Identifying Porcupine Sign including girdled trees, den site and scat. .www.mynatureapps.com |
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| Mammals of the World: North American Porcupine cre8ivmind |
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About
Uploaded on Dec 28, 2010 The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the 87th species in my Mammals of the World series. |
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| The north American Porcupine deepwondermedia |
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About
Uploaded on Feb 6, 2008 The North American Porcupine in its habitat. How a porcupine will defend its self from an attacker. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this mammal. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Steve 6/3/2018 |
Location: Gull Lake (East side) Crow Wing County Wandered across lawn at 5PM |
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| Andrea Aubin 12/29/2015 |
Location: Minnesota Discovery Center – Trolley Barn |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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