Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predators. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines in the family Hystricidae and the New World porcupines in the family Erethizontidae. Both families display superficially similar coats of rigid or semi‑rigid quills, which are modified hairs composed of keratin, and belong to the infraorder Hystricognathi within the order Rodentia. The two groups are distinct and are not closely related to each other within the Hystricognathi. The largest species of porcupine is the third‑largest living rodent in the world, after the capybara and the beaver. The Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) live in Italy, West and South Asia, and most of Africa. They are large, terrestrial and strictly nocturnal. New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) are indigenous to North America and northern South America. They live in wooded areas and can climb trees, where some species spend their entire lives. They are generally smaller than their Old World counterparts and are less strictly nocturnal. Most porcupines are about 60–90 cm (25–36 in) long, with a 20–25 cm (8–10 in) tail. Weighing 5–16 kg (12–35 lb), they are rounded, large and slow. Their coloration consists of various shades of brown, grey and white. Porcupines have various methods to defend themselves from predators, the most prominent being the use of their quills, which signal their unsuitability as prey. This strategy is known as aposematism. To some degree, their spiny protection resembles that of hedgehogs, echidnas and tenrecs, none of which share spiny ancestors. All of them — as well as Old World and New World porcupines — are products of convergent evolution. The spines of these groups also vary markedly.
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