Coendou vestitus (Rodentia: Erethizontidae)

Abstract: Coendou vestitus Thomas, 1899, a rodent commonly known as the brown hairy dwarf porcupine, is one of the smallest Neotropical porcupines; its body is covered by three different types of hair and a short tail. C. vestitus is endemic to the western foothills of the Eastern Cordillera (Cordillera Oriental) of the Andes region of Colombia, where it has been confirmed through museum voucher specimens from only six localities characterized by lower montane moist forest vegetation. Globally, C. vestitus is listed as “Data Deficient” (DD) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); however, in Colombia it is categorized as “Vulnerable” (VU) by the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.