. Distribution of mammals in Colorado. Mammals. 252 MONOGRAPH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 3 Family Erethizontidae—Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum Porcupine The porcupine is the sole boreal repre- sentative of an otherwise Neotropical family. Although primarily a mammal of coniferous forests, the porcupine ranges to a considerable extent into the broad-leafed forests in eastern United States. In Colorado, porcupines occur throughout the mountains and may be abun- dant locally. They are not uncommon on scarp woodlands in the southeastern part of the state, and occasional individuals wander eastwa
. Distribution of mammals in Colorado. Mammals. 252 MONOGRAPH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 3 Family Erethizontidae—Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum Porcupine The porcupine is the sole boreal repre- sentative of an otherwise Neotropical family. Although primarily a mammal of coniferous forests, the porcupine ranges to a considerable extent into the broad-leafed forests in eastern United States. In Colorado, porcupines occur throughout the mountains and may be abun- dant locally. They are not uncommon on scarp woodlands in the southeastern part of the state, and occasional individuals wander eastward onto the plains, particularly in ri- parian woodlands. However, records from the eastern plains are few. That the range of tire species is potentially statewide in Colo- rado is indicated by its documented occur- rence in western Nebraska (Jones, 1964:242) and western Kansas (Cockrum, 1952:217). Porcupines feed on various classes of plant material, but probably their most conspicu- ous food item is the inner bark of trees, par- ticularly conifers. Damage by porcupines is commonly apparent in stands of pine, notably pirion and ponderosa. The damage done may be considerable, affecting the value of timber species and killing smaller trees outright. Furthermore, the animals may damage orch- ards and other cultural plantings. For details on the effect of porcupines in Mesa Verde National Park, see Wright et al. (1933), Caha- lane (1948), and Anderson (1961). Erethizon dorsatum bruneri Swenk Erethizon epixanthum bruneri Swenk, Univ. Ne- braska Studies, 16:117, 21 November 1916; type locality, 3 mi. E Mitchell, Scotts Bluff Co., Nebraska. Erethizon dorsatum bruneri, Anderson, Bull. Nat. Mus. Canada, 102:173, 24 January 1947. Distribution in Colorado.—Documented only from Rim of High Plains, northern Weld County; to be expected occasionally along eastern boundary of state (Fig. 88). Comparison.—From E. d. epixanthum, the subspecies adjacent to the west, E. d. bruneri differs i
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