Mammals · Eulipotyphla · Erinaceidae

Short-tailed Gymnure

Hylomys suillus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The short-tailed gymnure belongs to a surprising group: it is a hedgehog without spines. The gymnures form an ancient subfamily within the Erinaceidae and retain an appearance closer to that of a large shrew or a rat, with the body covered in coarse hair and a long, mobile snout. It works through the leaf litter of the humid forests of South East Asia in search of insects, worms and a little fruit. It is active in bouts throughout the day and shelters in hollows among roots and fallen trunks.

Weight

40 g – 80 g

Size

10 cm – 15 cm

Lifespan

3 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestMountainOmnivore Variable activity Solitary Rainforest Mountain Mammal

9countries 23parks5same family

Fun facts

It is a hedgehog without a single spine: its lineage split from that of the spiny hedgehogs tens of millions of years ago and it retains features regarded as primitive.
It gives off a strong, penetrating smell, like garlic or ammonia, from scent glands that probably deter predators.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Ground and leaf litter of humid montane forest in South East Asia
Gestation / incubation: 30 days
Litter / clutch size: 3

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/