15.

Wang's Forest Hedgehog

Mesechinus wangi

French: Hérisson de Wang / German: Gaoligong-lgel / Spanish: Erizo de Wang

Other common names: Gaoligong Forest Hedgehog

Taxonomy. Mesechinus wangi He, Jiang Xuelong & Ai Huaisen, 2018,

“Gaoligong- shan National Nature Reserve (24°50° N, 98°45’ E), Baoshan, Yunnan, China, on 1st September 2010, at altitude of 2215 m.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Known from three counties (Tengchong, Longling, and Longyang) of Baoshan in the Gaoligong National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, S China.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 177-240 mm,tail 14-18 mm, hindfoot 45-48 mm, ear 28-32 mm; weight 336-451 g. Ears and adjacent spines of Wang's Forest Hedgehog are the same length, and no central parting of spines occurs on crown of head. Spines are 22-25 mm long, most (greater than 80%) are white for two-thirds of their lengths and black for the other one-third. Some spines (less than 20%) are white for two-thirds of their lengths, then ringed with black, followed by narrow white ring. Tips of spines are black. Supernumerary fourth upper molar (M?) is present and is single-rooted and much smaller than M®. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 48 and FN = 92.

Habitat. Wang's Forest Hedgehogs inhabit subtropical, evergreen, broad-leaved forests, with a variety of vegetation including species of Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Ericaceae, and Theaceae at elevations of 2100-2680 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Wang's Forest Hedgehog hibernates from mid-Octoberto early April.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Ai Huaisen et al. (2018).