r/AIDKE • u/Palaios_Requiem • 2h ago
Mammal The stump-tailed porcupine (Coendou rufescens)
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The stump-tailed porcupine (Coendou rufescens) is a species of rodent in the family Erethizontidae, of medium size, that inhabits subtropical, temperate, and high Andean forests of the northern Andes, at elevations ranging from 800 to 3,650 m. It is distributed throughout the Andean region, from Colombia to southern Bolivia and Ecuador. Porcupines of the genus Coendou are among the least-studied mammals in the Neotropical region, despite their wide distribution. However, with the help of records made through citizen collaboration, it has been possible to determine more characteristics of the species, such as its diurnal activity, its use of the tail as support while feeding, and the fact that its diet includes the infructescence of the trumpet tree Cecropia angustifolia, as demonstrated by the individual in the video.
Photographers’ Instagrams: @wilsonrojasflorez / @nico.stev