{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]],"date-time":"2026-05-05T12:26:47Z","timestamp":1777984007830,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"The Royal Society","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773187200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773187200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Husqvarna"},{"name":"Carlsberg Foundation"},{"name":"STIHL"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>A major threat to the declining European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is road traffic. Devising methods to reduce the number of collisions would increase hedgehog welfare in an urbanized world and serve to protect this flagship species, and this goal might be advanced by an understanding of their hearing. This study investigates the auditory capabilities and anatomy of the ear of the European hedgehog. Using auditory brainstem response testing on 20 live hedgehogs from Danish wildlife rescue centres, we measured hearing thresholds across 4\u201385 kHz and found a peak sensitivity around 40 kHz, revealing that European hedgehogs can hear sound frequencies of at least 4\u201385 kHz. Complementary postmortem micro-CT scans enabled a detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of the inner ear, revealing small middle ear bones with a cochlear spiral of approximately 1.7 turns. Results show that hedgehogs can perceive a broad ultrasonic range, which provides important cues for directional hearing and may additionally function in prey detection and communication. These findings provide critical insights into hedgehog sensory biology and inform the potential development of ultrasonic repellents to mitigate traffic collisions and habitat disturbances, contributing to conservation strategies for this declining species.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1098\/rsbl.2025.0535","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,12]],"date-time":"2026-03-12T21:43:12Z","timestamp":1773351792000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Hearing and anatomy of the ear of the European hedgehog\n                    <i>Erinaceus europaeus<\/i>"],"prefix":"10.1098","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2975-678X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sophie Lund","family":"Rasmussen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Oxford 1 , ,","place":["Oxford, UK"],"department":["WildCRU, Department of Biology"]},{"name":"Linacre College 2 , ,","place":["Oxford, UK"]},{"name":"University of Copenhagen 3 , ,","place":["Copenhagen, Denmark"],"department":["Natural History Museum Denmark"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0607-9373","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David W.","family":"Macdonald","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Oxford 1 , ,","place":["Oxford, UK"],"department":["WildCRU, Department of Biology"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rikke Nora Rosenkvist","family":"Hansen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"City Dyreklinik 4 , ,","place":["Copenhagen, Denmark"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4934-7729","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heidi Maria","family":"Thomsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University 5 , ,","place":["Aarhus, Denmark"],"department":["Department of Ecoscience"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8833-4456","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Henrik","family":"Lauridsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University 6 , ,","place":["Aarhus, Denmark"],"department":["Department of Clinical Medicine"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0084-9122","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aage Kristian Olsen","family":"Alstrup","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aarhus University 6 , ,","place":["Aarhus, Denmark"],"department":["Department of Clinical Medicine"]},{"name":"Aarhus University Hospital 7 , ,","place":["Aarhus, Denmark"],"department":["Department of Nuclear Medicine"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6075-3819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jakob","family":"Christensen-Dalsgaard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Denmark 8 , ,","place":["Odense, Denmark"],"department":["Institute of Biology"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"175","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026031317512793700_R1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-41320-9","volume-title":"A history of discoveries on hearing","author":"Ketten","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctt1287mwm","volume-title":"Sourcebook for Ancient Mesopotamian medicine","author":"Scurlock","year":"2014"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-46661-3","volume-title":"Evolution of the vertebrate ear: evidence from the fossil record","author":"Clack","year":"2016"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"409","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-41494-7_14","volume-title":"Animal communication and noise","author":"McGregor","year":"2013"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111033","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocon.2025.111033","article-title":"Conservation concern for Europe\u2019s hedgehog species (Erinaceidae): current statuses, issues and needs","volume":"304","author":"Gazzard","year":"2025","journal-title":"Biol. Conserv."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gazzard\n              A\n            , RasmussenSL. 2024Erinaceus europaeus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T29650A213411773. IUCN Red List 2024. https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.2305\/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T29650A213411773.en.","DOI":"10.2305\/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T29650A213411773.en"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R7","volume-title":"An estimate of the annual number of hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) road casualties in Great Britain","author":"Wembridge","year":"2016"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1016\/S0006-3207(00)00006-9","article-title":"The effect of roads and traffic on hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) populations","volume":"95","author":"Huijser","year":"2000","journal-title":"Biol. Conserv."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04314.x","article-title":"Population variables and causes of mortality in a hedgehog (Erinaceous europaeus) population in southern Sweden","volume":"220","author":"Kristiansson","year":"1990","journal-title":"J. Zool."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R10","volume-title":"Hedgehogs","author":"Reeve","year":"1994"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"626","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13040626","article-title":"Anyone can get old\u2014all you have to do is live long enough: understanding mortality and life expectancy in European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)","volume":"13","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R12","first-page":"7","article-title":"Mortality factors affecting wild hedgehogs: a study of records from wildlife rescue centres","volume":"42","author":"Reeve","year":"1999","journal-title":"Lutra"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R13","volume-title":"Hedgehog","author":"Morris","year":"2018"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1191","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11051191","article-title":"Wildlife conservation at a garden level: the effect of robotic lawn mowers on European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)","volume":"11","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14010002","article-title":"Facing danger: exploring personality and reactions of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) towards robotic lawn mowers","volume":"14","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14010122","article-title":"Testing the impact of robotic lawn mowers on European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and designing a safety test","volume":"14","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R17","unstructured":"Koehler\n              AE\n            , MarshRE, SalmonTP (eds). 1990Frightening methods and devices\/stimuli to prevent mammal damage\u2014a review.InProceedings of the Fourteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference 1990. Davis, CA: University of California, Davis."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R18","first-page":"20","article-title":"Hearing ranges of laboratory animals","volume":"46","author":"Heffner","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2177","DOI":"10.2460\/ajvr.2005.66.2177","article-title":"Brainstem auditory-evoked response in dogs","volume":"66","author":"Wilson","year":"2005","journal-title":"Am. J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"310","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7044.97.2.310","article-title":"Hearing in large and small dogs: absolute thresholds and size of the tympanic membrane","volume":"97","author":"Heffner","year":"1983","journal-title":"Behav. Neurosci."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1016\/0378-5955(85)90100-5","article-title":"Hearing range of the domestic cat","volume":"19","author":"Heffner","year":"1985","journal-title":"Hear. Res."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"480","DOI":"10.1121\/1.1907941","article-title":"Auditory thresholds of the cat","volume":"27","author":"Neff","year":"1955","journal-title":"J. Acoust. Soc. Am."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R23","first-page":"119","article-title":"An auditory reflex of the hedgehog","volume":"10","author":"Chang","year":"1936","journal-title":"Chin. J. Physiol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"653","DOI":"10.1007\/s00359-022-01579-6","article-title":"Hearing in African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris): audiogram, sound localization, and ear anatomy","volume":"208","author":"Heffner","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Comp. Physiol. A"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"420","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00297874","article-title":"\u00dcber die Wahrnehmung von Ultraschall beim Igel, Erinaceus europaeus roumanicus","volume":"61","author":"Poduschka","year":"1968","journal-title":"Z. Vergl. Physiol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R26","first-page":"224","article-title":"Zur Psychologie des Igels","volume":"8","author":"Lindemann","year":"1951","journal-title":"Z. Tierpsychol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1515\/mamm.1990.54.1.3","article-title":"Emissions sonores chez le H\u00e9risson europ\u00e9en, Erinaceus europaeus, et signification comportementale","volume":"54","author":"Atti\u00e9","year":"1990","journal-title":"Mammalia"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R28","first-page":"8","article-title":"Hearing in primitive mammals, II: hedgehog","volume":"9","author":"Ravizza","year":"1969","journal-title":"J. Aud. Res."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1159\/000115310","article-title":"Auditory cortex of the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus). I. Boundaries and frequency representation","volume":"36","author":"Batzri-Izraeli","year":"1990","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Evol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R30","first-page":"501","article-title":"Fortpflanzung und Jungenentwicklung bei Hemiechinus auritus","volume":"90","author":"Poduschka","year":"1986","journal-title":"Zool. Jahrb. Abt. Zool. Physiol. Tiere"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R31","unstructured":"Chambers\n              RE\n            \n          . 1971Sound localization in the hedgehog (Paraechinus hypomelas). MSc thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1111\/jsap.13264","article-title":"Brainstem auditory-evoked response in healthy African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris)","volume":"62","author":"Teubenbacher","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.1455","article-title":"Coding of facial expressions of pain in the laboratory mouse","volume":"7","author":"Langford","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nat. Methods"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R34","article-title":"Three auditory brainstem response (ABR) methods tested and compared in two anuran species","volume":"224","author":"Lauridsen","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Exp. Biol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R35","article-title":"Amphibious hearing in a diving bird, the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis)","volume":"223","author":"Larsen","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Exp. Biol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R36","volume-title":"Some morphological and functional aspects of certain structures of the middle ear in bats and insectivores","author":"Henson","year":"1961"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1896","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.21234","article-title":"Ontogenetic variation in the bony labyrinth of Monodelphis domestica (Mammalia: Marsupialia) following ossification of the inner ear cavities","volume":"293","author":"Ekdale","year":"2010","journal-title":"Anat. Rec."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0066624","article-title":"Comparative anatomy of the bony labyrinth (inner ear) of placental mammals","volume":"8","author":"Ekdale","year":"2013","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"999","DOI":"10.1121\/1.1494807","article-title":"Auditory brainstem responses in adult budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)","volume":"112","author":"Brittan-Powell","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Acoust. Soc. Am."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3444","DOI":"10.1121\/1.2934250","article-title":"Auditory brainstem responses in birds: how well do they compare to behavioral techniques for assessing hearing","volume":"123","author":"Brittan-Powell","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Acoust. Soc. Am."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1186\/s12862-021-01816-7","article-title":"An exploratory investigation of glucocorticoids, personality and survival rates in wild and rehabilitated hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Denmark","volume":"21","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-67143-2","volume-title":"Evolutionary principles of the mammalian middle ear","author":"Fleischer","year":"1978"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heares.2012.10.004","article-title":"Of mice, moles and guinea pigs: functional morphology of the middle ear in living mammals","volume":"301","author":"Mason","year":"2013","journal-title":"Hear. Res."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R44","unstructured":"University of Oxford\n          . 2024Dr Hedgehog and the Robot Lawn Mowers. Seehttps:\/\/youtu.be\/ymK8_JycW0s?si=XGnTylSMFwXywJhW."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.0030386","article-title":"Ultrasonic songs of male mice","volume":"3","author":"Holy","year":"2005","journal-title":"PLoS Biol."},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R46","article-title":"Hearing in the European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus. Figshare","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026031317512793700_R47","article-title":"Supplementary material from: Hearing and anatomy of the ear of the European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus. Figshare.","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2026"}],"container-title":["Biology Letters"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/rsbl\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1098\/rsbl.2025.0535\/6121797\/rsbl.2025.0535.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/rsbl\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1098\/rsbl.2025.0535\/6121797\/rsbl.2025.0535.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]],"date-time":"2026-03-13T21:51:38Z","timestamp":1773438698000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/rsbl\/article\/22\/3\/20250535\/480731\/Hearing-and-anatomy-of-the-ear-of-the-European"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsbl.2025.0535","relation":{"has-review":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v3\/decision1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v2\/review2","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v2\/review1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v3\/response1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v2\/decision1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v1\/review1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v1\/review2","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v2\/response1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1098\/RSBL.2025.0535\/v1\/decision1","asserted-by":"object"}],"is-basis-for":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.52843\/cassyni.sgtrlk","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1744-957X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1744-957X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]]},"article-number":"20250535"}}