Four-toed Hedgehog vs Taita Shrew

Atelerix albiventris compared with Suncus aequatorius

Key Differences

• Four-toed Hedgehog is Least Concern while Taita Shrew is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Four-toed Hedgehog	Taita Shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Erinaceomorpha (Erinaceomorpha)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Erinaceidae	Soricidae
Genus	Atelerix	Suncus
Species	Atelerix albiventris	Suncus aequatorius

Evolutionary Relationship

Four-toed Hedgehog and Taita Shrew share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Four-toed Hedgehog

LC — Least Concern

Taita Shrew

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Four-toed Hedgehog	Taita Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Four-toed Hedgehog

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Ecuador and Spain.

Taita Shrew

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.