hedgehog coronavirus 1 hedgehog coronavirus 1 hedgehog coronavirus 1 is a mammalian group c betacoronavirus, a positive-sense rna virus, discovered in european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) from germany and first described in 2014. hedgehog coronavirus 1 virus classification (unranked): virus realm: riboviria kingdom: orthornavirae phylum: pisuviricota class: pisoniviricetes order: nidovirales family: coronaviridae genus: betacoronavirus subgenus: merbecovirus species: hedgehog coronavirus 1 most betacoronavirus clade c viruses are known from bats. the hedgehog is in the animal order eulipotyphla, which is phylogenetically related to the bats, chiroptera, so the researchers investigated faecal samples to look for coronaviruses. the virus was found in the highest concentrations in the lower gastrointestinal tract.