Porcupines

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 semirigid quills, which are modified hairs composed of keratin, and belong to the infraorder Hystricognathi within the diverse 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 t

family of mammals

family of mammals

species of mammal

thumb|Wyandot people|Huron quillwork moccasin Quillwork is a form of textile embellishment traditionally practiced by Indigenous peoples of North America that employs the quills of porcupines as an aesthetic element. Quills from bird feathers were also occasionally used in quillwork.