Philippine porcupine

Description

Hystrix pumila is found on the Philippine islands of Busuanga,Palawan,and Balabac also known as the Palawan Faunal Region.("Field Museum",2002;"Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia",2005;"Palawan Council for Sustainable Development",2004) Tail length of Hystrix pumila ranges from 2.5 to 19 cm.Indonesian porcupines have short nasal bones,an enlarged infraorbital foramen,and a hystricognathous lower jaw.They have a stocky build,small eyes,small ears,and has a short rounded head with no head or neck mane.The dorsal coloring is dark brown to black with light speckles,the underside is brown to gray-white.The quills are flattened,with longer rigidity near the tip.Tail quills have shorter open-ended quills that rattle loudly.The hair is bristle-like.The forefeet have four well developed digits while the hind feet have five digits.Indonesian porcupines have short claws and the soles of the feet are smooth and naked.("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia",2005;Nowak,1991) Hystrix pumila is a mammal in the Old World Cottontail,the Rodent.This species was described by Günther in 1879.