About Coendou quichua Thomas, 1899
Coendou quichua, commonly called the Andean porcupine, is a medium-sized porcupine species. Its head-and-body length ranges between 332 and 420 mm (13.1 and 16.5 in), and its tail length ranges between 290 and 413 mm (11.4 and 16.3 in). A fully grown adult typically weighs about 2 kg (4 lb). It has a large pink nose and small eyes. Its entire body is covered in spines that are evenly spaced: these spines are dark with yellowish tips on the animal's midsection. Its tail tapers from a broad base and is prehensile. This porcupine can be easily confused with the Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine (Sphiggurus mexicanus), but the Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine has long black hair that mostly hides its spines, while the Andean porcupine's spines are clearly visible. Very little is known about the ecology of this species. It is likely that its behaviour is similar to that of its close relatives: it is expected to be nocturnal, arboreal, and to feed on fruit and leaves.
