¤ (Erethizon dorsatus) North American Porcupine, Canadian Porcupine in New World Porcupine Family (Erethizontidae) is a large quill-covered rodent. It is second largest rodent in North America after North American Beaver (Castor canadensis). 

Word 'Porcupine' comes from middle or old French word 'Porcespin' which means 'thorn pig' + 'dorsatus' back. 'Erethizon dorsatum' can be loosely translated as 'animal with irritating back'.

Usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. They have a stocky body, a small face, short legs & a short, thick tail. 

• Old World Porcupines (Hystricidae) have quills embedded in clusters.
• New World Porcupines (Erethizontidae) single quills are interspersed with bristles, underfur & hair. 

No porcupine can throw its quills, but they detach easily & will remain embedded in an attacker.
___
•¹⁰ Family Erethizontidae (17) - New World Porcupines
◇² Subfamily Chaetomyinae (1)
▪︎ Genus Chaetomys (1)
¤ (Chaetomys subspinosus) Thin-spined Porcupine, Broomstraw-spined Porcupine, Bristle-spined Rat, Brazilian Bristle-spined Porcupine
◇² Subfamily Erethizontinae (16)
▪︎ Genus Coendou (15)
¤ (Coendou baturitensis) Baturite Porcupine
¤ (Coendou bicolor) Bicolored-spined Porcupine
¤ (Coendou ichillus) Western Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine, Streaked Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou insidiosus) Bahian Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Bahia Porcupine
¤ (Coendou melanurus) Black-tailed Porcupine, Black-tailed Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou mexicanus) Mexican Tree Porcupine, Mexican Hairy Porcupine, Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou nycthemera) Koopman's Porcupine, Eastern Amazonian Dwarf Porcupine, Black Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou prehensilis) Prehensile-tailed Porcupine, Brazilian Porcupine 
¤ (Coendou pruinosus) Frosted Porcupine, Frosted Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou quichua) Rothschild's Porcupine, Quichua Porcupine, Andean Porcupine
¤ (Coendou roosmalenorum) Roosmalen's Porcupine,   Roosmalen's Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou rufescens) Stump-tailed Porcupine, Short-tailed Porcupine
¤ (Coendou speratus) Pernambuco Dwarf Porcupine, Hope Porcupine
¤ (Coendou spinosus) Spiny Tree Porcupine, Paraguayan Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
¤ (Coendou vestitus) Brown Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Blackish Hairy Dwarf Porcupine
▪︎ Genus Erethizon (1) - North American Porcupine
¤ (Erethizon dorsatus) North American Porcupine
___
☆¹⁷/²¹ Order Rodentia (2398) - Rodents 🐭🐁🐀🐿

◆¹ Suborder Anomaluromorpha (9) Anomaluromorphascaly-tailed Squirrels & Springhares
•¹ Family Anomaluridae (7) - Scaly-tailed Squirrels
•² Family Pedetidae (2) - Spring Hares

◆² Suborder Castorimorpha (108) - Beavers, Pocket Gophers, Kangaroo Rats
•¹ Family Castoridae (2) - Beavers
•² Family Geomyidae (41) - Pocket Gophers
•³ Family Heteromyidae (65) - Kangaroo Rats, Kangaroo Mice, Pocket Mice, Heteromyid Rodents

◆³ Suborder Hystricomorpha (323) - Porcupine-like
♤¹ Infraorder Ctenodactylomorphi (6)
•¹ Family Ctenodactylidae (5) - Gundis, Comb Rats
•² Family Diatomyidae (1) - Kha-nyou
♤² Infraorder Hystricognathi (317) - Hystricognath Rodents
•¹ Family Abrocomidae (10) - Chinchilla Rats, Inca rats
•² Family Bathyergidae (20) - African Mole-rats
•³ Family Caviidae (23) - Rock Cavies, Maras, Cavies, Capybaras
•⁴ Family Chinchillidae (7) - Viscachas, Chinchillas
•⁵ Family Ctenomyidae (72) - Tuco-tucos
•⁶ Family Cuniculidae (2) - Pacas
•⁷ Family Dasyproctidae (15) - Agoutis, Acouchys
•⁸ Family Dinomyidae (1) - Pacarana
•⁹ Family Echimyidae (116) - Hutias, Coypu, South American Spiny-rats
•¹⁰ Family Erethizontidae (17) - New World Porcupines
•¹¹ Family †Heptaxodontidae (4)
•¹² Family Heterocephalidae (1) - Naked Mole-rat
•¹³ Family Hystricidae (11) - Old World Porcupines
•¹⁴ Family Octodontidae (15) - Viscacha Rats, Rock Rats, Degus, Coruro
•¹⁵ Family Petromuridae (1) - Noki
•¹⁶ Family Thryonomyidae (2) - Cane Rats

◆⁴ Suborder Myomorpha (1642) - Voles, Rats, Mice, Lemmings, Hamsters, Gerbils
●¹ Superfamily Dipodoidea (52) - Jerboas, Birch Mice, Jumping Mice
•¹ Family Dipodidae (52) - Jerboas, Birch Mice, Jumping Mice
●² Superfamily Muroidea (1590)
•¹ Family Calomyscidae (8)
•² Family Cricetidae (114) 
•³ Family Muridae (775) - Voles, Rats, Mice
•⁴ Family Nesomyidae (63)
•⁵ Family Platacanthomyidae (2)
•⁶ Family Spalacidae (36)

◆⁵ Suborder Sciuromorpha (316) - Squirrels
•¹ Family Aplodontiidae (7) - Mountain Beavers
•² Family Gliridae (29) - Dormice
•³ Family Sciuridae (286) - Squirrels, Marmots, Chipmunks
___
♧ Kingdom Animalia
◇ Phylum Chordata 
○ Subphylum Vertebrata
□ Infraphylum Gnathostomata
■ Parvphylum Osteichthyes
♡ Megaclass Tetrapoda
♤ Class Mammalia (6072) - Mammals 
♧ Subclass Theria (6067) - Placentalia & Marsupialia
♡ Infraclass Eutheria (5732) - Placentalia Mammals
☆¹⁷/²¹ Order Rodentia (2398) - Rodents
___