Initially thought ​to be a member of the Hugh’s hedgehog species, a group⁣ of small, spiky ⁢mammals ‌found in eastern China ​has now been identified as a new species: the eastern forest hedgehog.

In 2018, researchers discovered one of these dark, spiky creatures in the province of Anhui. At first glance, ⁢it appeared to be a⁣ Hugh’s ⁣hedgehog (Mesechinus hughi), a species typically found 1,000 kilometers to ‌the west.​ However, upon further examination, the hedgehog’s DNA did not match that of its western relatives. Intrigued, scientists collected six more individuals‍ from scrublands and forests in Anhui and the neighboring province of Zhejiang for ⁤a ⁢closer look.

The ⁢discovery of a new hedgehog species in China‌ has expanded the⁤ known range of the ⁢ Mesechinus genus to 19. The‌ newly ‌named ‍ Mesechinus⁢ orientalis has been found to be distinct from the four previously known⁤ species⁢ in the genus, as‍ confirmed by evaluating their ⁢physical appearance ‍and DNA. This finding was reported in a ⁣study published in ZooKeys on November 28.

Biologist Kevin Campbell, from the University ⁣of ‍Manitoba in Canada, who‌ was not involved in the ⁢study, was not surprised by the discovery of a ​new hedgehog species in China. He explains, "It's a very large ‍and varied landscape, and in the last decade, there has⁢ been a significant increase‌ in the number of species recognized in that‌ area."

The M. orientalis hedgehog, ‌which ⁢is about the size of‌ a​ pencil and weighs as much as a can of⁣ soda, is comparable‌ in ⁣size to⁤ the smallest known​ species in the ​ Mesechinus genus, M. hughi. However, it can be distinguished from M. hughi by the shape⁢ of its teeth and skull near the ⁣temple. The eastern forest hedgehog also‌ has​ the shortest spines of any species in⁤ the genus, measuring only 1.8⁤ to 2 centimeters in length, which is about half a centimeter shorter than ⁣ M. hughi's spines.

Coauthor of the study, mammologist Kai He from Guangzhou University in China, explains that the small mammals of China, especially those in the eastern region, have not been ​well studied. This discovery of a ​new ‍species in eastern ‍China ‍has greatly expanded the known range‍ of the Mesechinus genus. He also emphasizes the importance of conducting surveys to determine which small mammals inhabit ⁢different areas, ​as this information is crucial for guiding wildlife conservation efforts.