Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia
Abstract Due to the urbanization and human invasion of the natural environments, great changes have been occurred on the food composition and feeding ecology of several animals especially those are sharing human his habitat in fields, wadis and gardens. The desert hedgehogs Paraechinus aethiopicus p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Brazilian Journal of Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842022000100224&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818719881796780032 |
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| author | W. F. Mohamed |
| author_facet | W. F. Mohamed |
| author_sort | W. F. Mohamed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Due to the urbanization and human invasion of the natural environments, great changes have been occurred on the food composition and feeding ecology of several animals especially those are sharing human his habitat in fields, wadis and gardens. The desert hedgehogs Paraechinus aethiopicus populations inhabiting different localities in Saudi Arabia were studied by using stomach contents analysis between February 2015 and October 2019. Precise analysis of stomach contents of 55 hedgehogs showed that the food of P. aethiopicus is highly diverse and highly influenced with effect of human on the environment including cooked rice, insects, plant materials, eggshells, worms, garbage and remnants of mammals and birds. Diet composition showed seasonal variations that are apparently associated with changes in the availability of different food items. The present results clearly showed that P. aethiopicus is an omnivorous mammal, capable of adapting to a great variety of dietary compositions in the study sites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:13:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fec6d833e98e493eade3dd9eb59b80e8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1678-4375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:13:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Instituto Internacional de Ecologia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brazilian Journal of Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fec6d833e98e493eade3dd9eb59b80e82022-12-21T21:34:10ZengInstituto Internacional de EcologiaBrazilian Journal of Biology1678-43752021-06-018210.1590/1519-6984.244581Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi ArabiaW. F. Mohamedhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2028-4568Abstract Due to the urbanization and human invasion of the natural environments, great changes have been occurred on the food composition and feeding ecology of several animals especially those are sharing human his habitat in fields, wadis and gardens. The desert hedgehogs Paraechinus aethiopicus populations inhabiting different localities in Saudi Arabia were studied by using stomach contents analysis between February 2015 and October 2019. Precise analysis of stomach contents of 55 hedgehogs showed that the food of P. aethiopicus is highly diverse and highly influenced with effect of human on the environment including cooked rice, insects, plant materials, eggshells, worms, garbage and remnants of mammals and birds. Diet composition showed seasonal variations that are apparently associated with changes in the availability of different food items. The present results clearly showed that P. aethiopicus is an omnivorous mammal, capable of adapting to a great variety of dietary compositions in the study sites.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842022000100224&tlng=endesert hedgehogParaechinus aethiopicusfeeding behaviornutritional ecologySaudi Arabia |
| spellingShingle | W. F. Mohamed Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia Brazilian Journal of Biology desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus feeding behavior nutritional ecology Saudi Arabia |
| title | Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1832, Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae), in Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | changes in the feeding behavior and habitat use of the desert hedgehog paraechinus aethiopicus ehrenberg 1832 eulipotyphla erinaceidae in saudi arabia |
| topic | desert hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus feeding behavior nutritional ecology Saudi Arabia |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842022000100224&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wfmohamed changesinthefeedingbehaviorandhabitatuseofthedeserthedgehogparaechinusaethiopicusehrenberg1832eulipotyphlaerinaceidaeinsaudiarabia |