Abstract: The dentition and some cranial characters of Neotetracus, a small, little known member of the subfamily Hylomyinae are described and compared with corresponding parts of Hylomys, another closely related hylomyine erinaceid. The milk-dentition is included in these descriptions. Since the single species of the genus Neotetracus, N. sinensis, was placed by some authors in the genus Hylomys, the comparisons aim at finding out, whether the fusing of the two genera is justified or not. Neohylomys hainanensis, another hylomyine having been placed by some authors in the genus Hylomys, is, despite the scarce material at disposal, included in these comparisons as well. The comparisons yield distinct differences between these three hylomyines in almost each tooth and in some skull features, fully justifying the maintenance of the genera Neotetracus,Neohylomys and Hylomys. The differences found are also used to assess the evolutionary level of the three forms with respect to each other. The Hylomyinae are living today in a relatively small area in Southeast Asia and are represented by five genera with a total of six species. In the past, especially during the Middle and Late Miocene, this subfamily was spread over almost the whole northern hemisphere: from Asia to Europe and North Africa, and to North America. The Hylomyinae were also much more diverse than today, so far 9 fossil genera with 47 species having been described. Therefore it is justified to speak of the Hylomyinae as relict forms. To emphasize the shrinking of the distribution area of the Hylomyinae, the reasons for which are not yet understood, an abridged history of the subfamily is given.