English

Erethizon dorsatum

Noun

North American porcupine ‎(plural North American porcupines)

1. A species of New World porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum.
   • 1988, Claude Lévi-Strauss, The Jealous Potter, page 108,

     It is, however, different from the North American porcupine, which is a rodent but is a member of the family of Erethizontidae, which is not represented in South America.

   • 2011, John P. Rafferty (editor), Rats, Bats, and Xenarthrans, page 113,

     The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the largest species in the family, usually weighing less than 7 kg (15.4 pounds) though males occasionally grow significantly larger.

   • 2012, Uldis Roze, Porcupines: The Animal Answer Guide, unnumbered page,

     North American porcupines, as well as a range of other Hystricomorph rodents, engage in urine showering as part of courtship and other behaviors.

   • 2012, Donna Naughton, The Natural History of Canadian Mammals, page 212,

     North American Porcupines are widely distributed across North America, except on islands and in Arctic or alpine tundra, dry desert are as without trees, and intensively farmed lands that lack woodlots.

Synonyms

• (Erethizon dorsatum): Canadian porcupine, cawquaw, urson, common porcupine (US, Canada)