▪︎ Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) is a Hystricomorph Rodent native to southern Asia & Middle East are Old World Porcupine (Hystricidae). Weighing 11-18 kg, body from nose to base of tail 70-90 cm + tail 8-10 cm. It is covered in multiple layers of modified hair called quills, with longer, thinner quills covering a layer of shorter, thicker ones. Quills are brown or black with alternating white & black bands made of keratin & are relatively flexible. Each quill is connected to a muscle at its base allowing porcupine to raise its quills when it feels threatened. Longest quills are located on neck & shoulder where quills form a 'skirt' around animal. Smaller quills are used to stab at potential threats. Base of tail contains shorter quills that appear white in color with longer hollow quills that porcupine can rattle to produce a warning sound when threatened. Broad feet with long claws used for burrowing. Has a good sense of smell & sharp, chisel-like incisors. Word 'Porcupine' comes from middle or old French word 'Porcespin' which means 'thorn pig'.
• 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.
___
•¹³ Family Hystricidae (11) - Old World Porcupines🔹️
▪︎ Genus Atherurus (2)
¤ (Atherurus africanus) African Brush-tailed Porcupine
¤ (Atherurus macrourus) Asiatic/Asian Brush-tailed Porcupine
▪︎ Genus Hystrix (8)
■ Subgenus Acanthion (2)
¤ (Hystrix (Acanthion) brachyura) Malayan Porcupine, Himalayan Crestless Porcupine
¤ (Hystrix (Acanthion) javanica) Sunda Porcupine, Javan Porcupine
■ Subgenus Hystrix (3)
¤ (Hystrix (Hystrix) africaeaustralis) South African Porcupine, Cape Porcupine, Cape Crested Porcupine
¤ (Hystrix (Hystrix) cristata) North African Crested Porcupine, Crested Porcupine
¤ (Hystrix (Hystrix) indica) White-tailed Porcupine, Indian Crested Porcupine
■ Subgenus Thecurus (3)
¤ (Hystrix (Thecurus) crassispinis) Thick-spined Porcupine, Borneo Short-tailed Porcupine
¤ (Hystrix (Thecurus) pumila) Philippine Short-tailed Porcupine, Philippine Porcupine, Palawan Porcupine, Indonesian Porcupine 
¤ (Hystrix (Thecurus) sumatrae) Sumatran Short-tailed Porcupine, Sumatran Porcupine
▪︎ Genus Trichys (1) - Long-tailed Porcupine, Asian Long-tailed 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
___