Description of this family of rodents, consisting of twelve different species found in the Americas. The Erethizontidae is a family of rodents commonly known as the New World porcupines. The family consists of four genera and twelve species. It is distributed from the Arctic coast of North America to northern Mexico and the Appalachian Mountains, and from southern Mexico to Ecuador and northern Argentina. Erethizontids are mediumsized to large animals with head and body length from 450 mm Echinoprocta to 860 mm Erethizon. Animals of the genus Erethizon weigh up to 18 kg. There is considerable diversity among the four genera of erethizontids with respect to body form. Coendou and Sphiggurus are arboreal animals,with long, spineless, prehensile tails and wide foot pads. Erethizon and Echinoprocta are less arboreal than the other two genera and have short tails although Erethizon is an excellent climber and may spend a considerable portion of its life in the trees. All have four digits on the forefeet. On the hindfeet, the hallux is reduced in most, but it is relatively large and clawed in Erethizon.

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