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NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD

Javan Porcupine

Hystrix (Acanthion) javanica F. Cuvier, 1823

Source-backed taxonomic record

Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.

Sunda Porcupine (Hystrix javanica), Ragunan Zoo, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sunda Porcupine (Hystrix javanica), Ragunan Zoo, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sakurai Midori · Public domain · Image source

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Open encyclopedia reference

The Sunda porcupine also known as Javan porcupine (Hystrix javanica) is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae. It is endemic to Indonesia. Due to the popularity of the hunting and consumption of the Sunda porcupine as an aphrodisiac, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Indonesia has listed this species as a protected animal as of June 2018.

Wikipedia contributors, Sunda porcupine; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:29:40.548344+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name
Hystrix (Acanthion) javanica F. Cuvier, 1823
Name authority
F. Cuvier, 1823
Common name
Javan Porcupine
Rank
species
Accepted status
accepted
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Hystricidae
Genus
Hystrix
Extinction status
Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

  1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
  2. kingdomAnimalia
  3. phylumChordata
  4. subphylumVertebrata
  5. infraphylumGnathostomata
  6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
  7. megaclassTetrapoda
  8. classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
  9. subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
  10. infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
  11. orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
  12. suborderHystricomorpha Brandt, 1855
  13. infraorderHystricognathi Brandt, 1855
  14. familyHystricidae Fischer de Waldheim, 1817
  15. genusHystrix Linnaeus, 1758
  16. subgenusAcanthion F. Cuvier, 1823
  17. speciesHystrix (Acanthion) javanica F. Cuvier, 1823

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Hystrix. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

SpeciesClassificationSource status
Crested PorcupineHystrix (Hystrix) cristata Linnaeus, 1758HystricidaeChordataAccepted speciesRecorded extant
Indian Crested PorcupineHystrix (Hystrix) indica Kerr, 1792HystricidaeChordataAccepted speciesRecorded extant
Sumatran PorcupineHystrix (Thecurus) sumatrae (Lyon, 1907)HystricidaeChordataAccepted speciesRecorded extant
Borneo Short-tailed PorcupineHystrix (Thecurus) crassispinis Günther, 1877HystricidaeChordataAccepted speciesRecorded extant
Indonesian PorcupineHystrix (Thecurus) pumila Günther, 1879HystricidaeChordataAccepted speciesRecorded extant
Himalayan Crestless PorcupineHystrix (Acanthion) brachyura Linnaeus, 1758HystricidaeChordataAccepted speciesRecorded extant

Browse 9 records assigned to Hystricidae.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Southern Asia

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

  1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=584684 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:3P6S6. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.