This is a list of North American mammals. It includes all mammals currently found in the United States, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Canada, Greenland, Bermuda, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean region, whether resident or as migrants. This article does not include species found only in captivity. Mammal species which became extinct in the last 10,000 to 13,000 years are also included in this article. Each species is listed, with its binomial name. Most established introduced species occurring across multiple states and provinces are also noted.
Some species are identified as indicated below:
(A) = Accidental: occurrence based on one or a few records, and unlikely to occur regularly
(E) = Extinct: died out between 13,000 years ago and the present
(Ex) = Extirpated: no longer occurs in area of interest, but other populations exist elsewhere
(I) = Introduced: population established solely as result of direct or indirect human intervention; synonymous with non-native and non-indigenous
There has been much debate among taxonomists about which races of pocket gopher should be recognized as full species, and the following list cannot be regarded as definitive.
There has been much debate among taxonomists about which races of mice and voles should be recognized as full species, and the following list cannot be regarded as definitive.
Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - as Opossum, D. marsupialis (merged Mexican, D. marsupialis and D. virginiana).
Species split from this species or considered as distinct species alternatively. All these taxa occur in the area of interest, including the one on the left.
Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7]
[Species split from this species or considered as distinct species alternatively.When treating these taxa separately, the one on the left does not occur in the area of interest.
Texas pocket gopher, Geomys personatus: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Baker et al. 2003,[3] - as 2 distinct species: Texas Pocket Gopher G. personatus and Strecker's Pocket Gopher G. streckeri.
Baker et al. 2003,[3] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - described as the nominative species and 1 or 2 additional distinct species.
Mammal Species of the World (MSW3)[6] and IUCN Red List,[7] also probably North American Mammals NMNH SI[5] and Baker et al. 2003[3] - Dipodomys elephantinus merged with D. venustus as D. venustus elephantinus.
Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - range not clear because described separately as the nominative species but merged with another species.
Mexican fox squirrel, Sciurus nayaritensis: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - only as Apache fox squirrel S. apache.
Northern collared lemming, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus: Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Baker et al. 2003[3] - as 3 distinct species: Peary Land collared lemming D. groenlandicus, Bering collared lemming D. rubricatus and Victoria collared lemming D. kilangmiutak Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] - described separately as the nominative species but merged with D. exsul.
Nelson's collared lemming, Dicrostonyx nelsoni: Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Baker et al. 2003[3] - as 2 distinct species: Nelson's collared lemming D. nelsoni and St. Lawrence Island collared lemming D. exsul. Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] - mentioned only in the description of D. groenlandicus as possible split (D. exsul).
Mexican vole, Microtus mexicanus: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List[7] - M. mexicanus. Baker et al. 2003,[3] Kays & Wilson 2002[4] - only M. mogollonensis. North American Mammals NMNH SI[5] - M. mexicanus listed, but only M. mexicanus mogollensis (Arizona and New Mexico) described in "Mexican Vole (Microtus mexicanus)" chapter. IUCN Red List[7] - M. mexicanus sometimes split in two species: M. mexicanus and M. mogollonensis.[14][15] 12 subspecies are recognized, 4 occur in the USA (1991[16]), Hualapai Mexican vole M. m. hualpaiensis is listed as endangered (E) under the Endangered Species Act.[2][16]
Northern rock mouse, Peromyscus nasutus: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - mentioned only in the description of rock mouse, Peromyscus difficilis that P. difficilis was formerly known as P. nasuts, so range is not clear because these species are merged here.
Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] North American Mammals NMNH SI[5] - as 2 distinct species: longtail/long-tailed shrew S. dispar and Gaspé shrew S. gaspensis.
Gaspé shrew, Sorex gaspensis: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] North American Mammals NMNH SI[5]
Velvety free-tailed bat: Baker et al. 2003,[3] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Kays & Wilson 2002[4] - it is believed that colonies found in buildings in the Florida Keys were members of Molossidae.
Southwestern myotis, Myotis auriculus: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - mentioned only in the description of long-eared myotis, M. evotis as possible split, occurring in southern N. Mexico.
Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7]
Lesser long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae: Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Baker et al. 2003[3] - as southern long-nosed bat L. curasoae (L. yerbabuenae was included[22] in L. curasoae as a subspecies[23]). Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - mentioned only in the description of L. nivalis under the junior synonym[22]L. sanborni as possible split, so range is not clear here.
Margay: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3).[6] Kays & Wilson 2002:[4] last record in Texas from 1852.[4]
Red fox, Vulpes vulpes: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - as North American V. fulva distinct from the Old World species V. vulpes.
Brown bear, Ursus arctos: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - as 2 distinct species: grizzly bear, U. horribilis and Kodiak bear, U. middendorffi, also distinct from the "worldwide" species U. arctos.
Least weasel, Mustela nivalis: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - as North American M. rixosa distinct from the Old World species M. nivalis.
American hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus leuconotus: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Kays & Wilson 2002[4] - as 2 distinct species: eastern hog-nosed skunk C. leuconotus and western hog-nosed skunk C. mesoleucus.
Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi: Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - as Guadalupe fur seal A. philippi, formerly A. townsendi.
Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7]
Moose, Alces americanus: North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] - as North American A. americanus (distinct from Eurasian elk A. alces).
Alces alces: IUCN Red List,[7] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002.[4]
Elk, Cervus canadensis: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] North American Mammals NMNH SI[5] (species list from the database). Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI[5] (Field Guide), Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List[7] - as "worldwide" C. elaphus (not North American C. canadensis.)
Caribou, Rangifer tarandus: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] North American Mammals NMNH SI,[5] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3),[6] IUCN Red List.[7] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - as 3 distinct species: woodland caribou, R. caribou, barren-ground caribou, R. arcticus and Greenland caribou R. tarandus.
House mouse: Baker et al. 2003,[3] Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide),[8] Kays & Wilson 2002,[4] IUCN Red List.[7] Mammal Species of the World (MSW3)[6] - only general range description.
Sus scrofa: Baker et al. 2003[3] - feral pig or wild boar, Burt & Grossenheider 1976 (Peterson Field Guide)[8] - wild boar (Swine), Kays & Wilson 2002[4] - wild boar, Mammal Species of the World (MSW3)[6] - wild boar - feral populations, IUCN Red List[7] - wild boar - introduced.
Robert J. Baker; Lisa C. Bradley; Robert D. Bradley; Jerry W. Dragoo; Mark D. Engstrom; Robert S. Hoffmann; Cheri A. Jones; Fiona Reid; Dale W. Rice & Clyde Jones (1 December 2003). "Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2003"(PDF). Occasional Papers (229). Museum of Texas Tech University. ISSN0149-175X. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
Kays, Roland W.; Wilson, Don E. (2002). Mammals of North America. Illustrated by Sandra Doyle, Nancy Halliday, Ron Klingner, Elizabeth McClelland, Consie Powell, Wendy Smith, Todd Zalewski, Diane Gibbons, Susan C. Morse, Jesse Guertin. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. ISBN0-691-07012-1.
"North American Mammals". Smithsonian Institution. National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 1 April 2014. This site is based on The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals, by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1999) and Mammals of North America, by Roland W. Kays and Don E. Wilson (Princeton University Press, 2002). Downloaded on 25 March 2014
"Search Results: Mammalia North America 2014-03-29". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. IUCN. 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2014. Search terms Search by taxonomy: Mammalia, Search by location: North America, (Native, Introduced, Vagrant, Uncertain), Refinements: [X] Show regional assessments:, Taxa to show: Species, Subspecies and varieties, Stocks and subpopulation. Downloaded on 29 March 2014
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1991). Hualpai Mexican Vole Recovery Plan(PDF). Albuquerque, New Mexico. pp.28 pp. Retrieved 2014-04-02.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
"Search the Division of Mammals Collections". Keywords: Mesoplodon peruvianus: STR 13453 Stranding, Skull, Salinas State Beach, Monterey Bay, California, 2001, STR 18334: Stranding, Photograph, Arcata, Humboldt County, California, 2012
Bloggs, Fred (2011). "The history of mammal eradications in Hawai`i and the United States associated islands of the Central Pacific". In Veitch, C. R; Clout, M. N; Towns, D. R (eds.). Island invasives: eradication and management. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. pp.67–73.
Wolfe, Linda, Cambridge University Press (2002). Primates Face to Face. Cambridge University Press. p.320. ISBN0-521-79109-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
"Blackbuck - North America Introduced". Big Game Hunting Records - Safari Club International Online Record Book. Safari Club International. 2007–2014. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
Kays, Roland W.; Wilson, Don E. (2002). Mammals of North America. Illustrated by Sandra Doyle, Nancy Halliday, Ron Klingner, Elizabeth McClelland, Consie Powell, Wendy Smith, Todd Zalewski, Diane Gibbons, Susan C. Morse, Jesse Guertin. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. ISBN0-691-07012-1.
Robert J. Baker; Lisa C. Bradley; Robert D. Bradley; Jerry W. Dragoo; Mark D. Engstrom; Robert S. Hoffmann; Cheri A. Jones; Fiona Reid; Dale W. Rice & Clyde Jones (1 December 2003). "Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2003"(PDF). Occasional Papers (229). Museum of Texas Tech University. ISSN0149-175X. Retrieved 9 March 2014.