Hemiechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1832) . Symb. Phys. Mamm., 2, sig. k, footnote.

TYPE LOCALITY: Sudan, "In desertis dongolanis habitat" .

DISTRIBUTION: Sahara from Mauritania to Egypt and Awash, Ethiopia; Arabia deserts; insular populations on Djerba (Tunisia), Bahrain and Tanb (Persian Gulf).

SYNONYMS: albatus, albior, blancalis, brachydactylus, deserti, dorsalis, ludlowi, oniscus, pallidus, pectoralis, senaariensis, wassifi.

COMMENTS: Subgenus Paraechinus . Species and subspecies arrangement unclear; Corbet (1988: 153-154) retained Arabian dorsalis (= pectoralis) as a subspecies, while Osborn and Helmy (1980) regarded aethiopicus, deserti and dorsalis as distinct species.