Coendou nycthemera
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Erethizontidae
Coendou
Coendou nycthemera

description: 8.
Eastern Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine
Coendou nycthemera
French: Coendou noir / German: Koopman-Greifstachler / Spanish: Puercoespin negro
Other common names: Black Dwarf Porcupine, Koopman's Porcupine
Taxonomy. Hystrix nycthemera Olfers, 1818,
“Brazil.” Restricted by R. S. Voss and R. Angermann in 1997 to “eastern Amazonia (below Obidos) south of the main channel of the Rio Amazonas.”
Recent phylogenetic analysis of cytochrome-b sequence data indicates that C. nycthemera is likely the sister species to the larger C. bicolor of the western Amazon. Coendou nycthemera probably occurs sympatrically with C. prehensilis, and its distribution may overlap with C. roosmalenorum, the other erethizontid inhabiting the eastern bank of the Rio Madeira. Monotypic.
Distribution. Amazonian Brazil, in Amazonas and Para states E of the Rio Madeira and along the S bank of the Amazon River, including at least part of Marajo I. Distribution may extend into adjacent Atlantic coastal watershed of Maranhao State.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 290-380 mm, tail 280-370 mm, hindfoot 59-75 mm; weight 0-95 kg. The Eastern Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine is sometimes called the “Black Dwarf Porcupine” due to its overall black color, and it is sometimes confused with the larger Bicolorspined Porcupine (C. bicolor) of the western Amazonian Basin. The Eastern Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine is spiny in appearance due to absence of emergent dorsal fur. Most spines are bicolored, white or yellow on basal one-third and black for remaining two-thirds of distal part. As a result, an individual appears yellow or white in regions where bases of spines are visible, such as head and forequarters. Many individuals have some tricolored defensive quills, with small white or pale redbrown tips, resulting in speckled appearance. Head is round, and ear pinnae are naked dorsally. Frontal sinuses are not inflated, and roof of external auditory meatus is smooth. Spines on rump above base oftail are short and upright, with sharp tips worn off resulting in black appearance of rump. Length of black prehensile tail is ¢.90% of head-body length. Ventral surface is dark brown or gray-brown and is covered with soft, hair-like bristles. Feet are black.
Habitat. Lowland rainforest.
Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.
Breeding. There is no information available for this species.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but short, worn spines at base oftail suggest that the Eastern Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine rests with its rump wedged against a surface.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Less than 20% of the likely habitat of the Eastern Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine is protected.
Bibliography. Azevedo-Ramos et al. (2006), Emmons (1997a), Voss (2011, 2015), Voss & Angermann (1997), Wilson & Reeder (2005).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Erethizontidae, pp. 372-397 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 377-378, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6603219