A small spiny mammal from Southeast Asia that looks like a cross between a hedgehog and a shrew, with a long snout and sharp spines on its back.
From Greek 'gymnos' (naked) and 'oura' (tail), referring to the animal's relatively hairless tail compared to other spiny creatures. The scientific name Gymnura was coined in the early 19th century by taxonomists studying Southeast Asian fauna.
The gymnure is sometimes called the 'hairy hedgehog' but it's actually more closely related to shrews than hedgehogs—evolution created two completely different animals that look similar, which scientists call convergent evolution.
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