What animals are related to Hedgehogs?

Hedgehogs are related to a few different groups of animals, depending on how you define "related":

Close Relatives:

* Shrews: Hedgehogs and shrews share a common ancestor in the family Erinaceidae. They're both insectivores and have similar body shapes, though shrews lack spines.

* Moles: While not as closely related as shrews, moles are also within the same order (Eulipotyphla) as hedgehogs and shrews.

* Solenodons: These are rare, venomous mammals found only in the Caribbean. They are part of the same family as hedgehogs (Erinaceidae) but are more distantly related.

Distant Relatives:

* All other mammals: Hedgehogs are part of the class Mammalia, which includes a vast array of animals. This means they are related, albeit distantly, to primates, rodents, bats, whales, and all other mammals.

Evolutionary Tree:

It's helpful to visualize this relationship in an evolutionary tree:

* Eulipotyphla Order:

* Erinaceidae Family:

* Hedgehogs

* Shrews

* Solenodons

* Talpidae Family: Moles

* Soricidae Family: Shrews

* Other Mammalian Orders: Primates, Rodentia, Carnivora, etc.

Key Point: While shrews are the closest living relatives to hedgehogs, all mammals share a common ancestor and are ultimately related to hedgehogs.