16. Small-toothed Forest Hedgehog Mesechinus miodon French: Hérisson du Shaanxi / German: Steppenigel / Spanish: Erizo de dientes pequenos Other common names: Miodont Forest Hedgehog Taxonomy. Erinaceus miodon Thomas, 1908, “Yu-lin-fu [= Yulin], Shen-si [= Shaanxi], 4000’ [= 1219 m],” China. Based on genetic and morphometric data, Kong Fei and colleagues in 2016 suggested that the population of M. dauuricus near the outskirts ofYulin city in the Yulin region of Shaanxi, China, should be recognized as M. miodon. Their mitochondrial data indicate that M. miodon is more closely related to Hemiechinus awuritus than to M. dauuricus. Monotypic. Distribution. E Ningxia and N Shaanxi, NC China. Descriptive notes. Head—body 120-220 mm, tail 25-46 mm, ear 24-35 mm, hindfoot 35-40 mm; weight 230-750 g. Spines of the Small-toothed Forest Hedgehog are 22-29 mm long, and basal two-thirds are pale brown, then ringed with blackish brown for c.4 mm and usually tipped with pale brown for c.4 mm. Tips of spines are sometimes dark. Hair on head, sides, legs, and tail varies from dull white or brownish to distinctly brown. Underside usually is pale to dull white. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44-48 and FN = 84-92. Circular mitochondrial genome is 16,842 base pairs long, comprising 22 transfer RNAs, 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs, and one control region. Habitat. Arid regions of Shaanxi. The area around Yulinfu has few trees, and bare brown cliffs and yellow sand are devoid of vegetation, except for occasional tufts of sage scrub. Food and Feeding. The Small-toothed Forest Hedgehog eats several species of beetles. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. Populations of Small-toothed Forest Hedgehogs appear largest in April-May when food is abundant. They become inactive and enter hibernation by late October. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Ai Huaisen et al. (2018), Allen (1938), Kong Fei, Guo Jianmin & Wu Jiayan (2016), Kong Fei, Wu Jiayan & Guo Jianmin (2016a, 2016b), Kong Fei, Wu Jiayan, Guo Jianmin & Wu Xiaomin (2016a, 2016b), Thomas (1908b, 1909).

Published as part of Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Erinaceidae, pp. 288-330 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 326-327, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6639332