The Southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), sometimes referred to as east European hedgehog, white-bellied hedgehog or white-chested hedgehog, is very similar in lifestyle and appearance to the european hedgehog, but the former has a white spot on its chest. For a long time these two species were considered to be one. The northern white-breasted hedgehog was formerly recognized as a subspecies of the Southern white-breasted hedgehog but newer investigations see both as different species. The Southern white-breasted hedgehog and European hedgehog can hybridize.