List of mammals in California

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Though long extirpated from the state, the Grizzly bear remains the official state mammal of California.
Though long extirpated from the state, the Grizzly bear remains the official state mammal of California.

This is a list of mammals in California, including both current and recently historical inhabitants. The taxonomy scheme has been updated to agree with the latest edition of Mammal Species of the World.

The California Department of Fish and Game monitors certain species and subspecies of special concern. These are mammals whose populations may be locally threatened, but which are excluded from federal and international conservation lists. Taxa of special concern in California are shown below.

Total Number of species listed: 219, including 180 terrestrial and 39 marine mammals.

Contents

[edit] Opposums

Order: Didelphimorphia Family: Didelphidae

One species of opossum occurs in California[1][2].

[edit] Shrews and Moles

Desert Shrew(Notiosorex crawfordi)
Desert Shrew(Notiosorex crawfordi)

Order: Soricomorpha Family: Soricidae

13 species of shrews occur in California.

Order: Soricomorpha Family: Talpidae

4 species of moles occur in California[1][2].

[edit] Bats

Pallid Bat(Antrozous pallidus)
Pallid Bat(Antrozous pallidus)

Order: Chiroptera Family: Phyllostomidae

3 species of leaf-nosed bats occur in California[1].

Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae

19 species of vesper bats occur in California[1].

Order: Chiroptera Family: Molossidae

4 species of free-tailed bats occur in California[1].

[edit] Rabbits, hares and pikas

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Ochotonidae

One species of pika occurs in California[1][2].

Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)
Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae

8 species of rabbits and hares occur in California[1][2].

  • Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis (CDFG special concern)
  • Snowshoe Hare, Lepus americanus
    • Oregon Snowshoe Hare, L. americanus klamathensis (CDFG special concern)
    • Sierra Nevada Snowshoe Hare, L. americanus tahoensis (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
    • San Diego Black-tailed Jackrabbit, L. californicus bennettii (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • White-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii (CDFG special concern)
  • European Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (Introduced)
  • Desert Cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
  • Brush Rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani
    • Riparian Brush Rabbit, S. bachmani riparius (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • Mountain Cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii

[edit] Rodents

Order: Rodentia Family: Aplodontiidae

One species of mountain beaver occurs in California[1].

  • Mountain Beaver, Aplodontia rufa
    • Sierra Nevada Mountain Beaver, A. rufa californica (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Point Arena Mountain Beaver, A. rufa nigra (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Point Reyes Mountain Beaver, A. rufa phaea (CDFG special concern; endemic)
California Ground Squirrel(Spermophilus beecheyi)
California Ground Squirrel(Spermophilus beecheyi)

Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

28 species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in California[1].

Subfamily Sciurinae (tree squirrels and flying squirrels)

Subfamily Xerinae (chipmunks and ground squirrels)

Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae

One species of beaver occurs in California[1].

Order: Rodentia Family: Geomyidae

5 species of pocket gophers occur in California[1].

The Giant Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ingens) is endemic to California
The Giant Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ingens) is endemic to California

Order: Rodentia Family: Heteromyidae

26 species of pocket mice and kangaroo rats occur in California[1].

Subfamily Dipodomyinae (kangaroo rats and mice)

Subfamily Perognathinae (pocket mice)

  • Bailey's Pocket Mouse, Chaetodipus baileyi
  • California Pocket Mouse, Chaetodipus californicus
    • Dulzura Pocket Mouse, C. californicus femoralis (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • San Diego Pocket Mouse, Chaetodipus fallax
    • Northwestern San Diego Pocket Mouse, C. fallax fallax (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Pallid San Diego Pocket Mouse, C. fallax pallidus (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • Long-tailed Pocket Mouse, Chaetodipus formosus
  • Desert Pocket Mouse, Chaetodipus penicillatus
  • Spiny Pocket Mouse, Chaetodipus spinatus
  • White-eared Pocket Mouse, Perognathus alticola (Endemic)
    • White-eared Pocket Mouse, P. alticola alticola (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Tehachapi Pocket Mouse, P. alticola inexpectatus (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • San Joaquin Pocket Mouse, Perognathus inornatus (Endemic)
    • Salinas Pocket Mouse, P. inornatus psammophilus (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • Little Pocket Mouse, Perognathus longimembris
    • Palm Springs Pocket Mouse, P. longimembris bangsi (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Los Angeles Pocket Mouse, P. longimembris brevinasus (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Jacumba Pocket Mouse, P. longimembris internationalis (CDFG special concern; endemic)
    • Pacific Pocket Mouse, P. longimembris pacificus (CDFG special concern; endemic)
  • Great Basin Pocket Mouse, Perognathus parvus
The Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) is endemic to California
The Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) is endemic to California

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

29 species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in California[1].

Subfamily Arvicolinae (lemmings, voles, and muskrat)

Subfamily Neotominae (North American rats and mice)

Subfamily Sigmodontinae (cotton rats)

Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae

3 species of Old World rats and mice occur in California[1].

Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae

2 species of jumping mice occur in California[1].

Order: Rodentia Family: Myocastoridae

One species of coypu occurs in California[1].

  • Nutria, Myocastor coypus (Introduced)

Order: Rodentia Family: Erethizontidae

One species of porcupine occurs in California[1].

[edit] Whales, dolphins and porpoises

The Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) migrates off the coast of California
The Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) migrates off the coast of California

Order: Cetacea Family: Eschrichtiidae

One species of gray whale occurs in California's waters[1].

Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenopteridae

5 species of rorquals occur in California's waters[1].

Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenidae

One species of right whale occurs in California's waters[1].

Order: Cetacea Family: Delphinidae

11 species of dolphins occur in California's waters[1].

Order: Cetacea Family: Phocoenidae

2 species of porpoises occur in California's waters[1].

Order: Cetacea Family: Physeteridae

3 species of sperm whales occur in California's waters[1].

Order: Cetacea Family: Ziphiidae

7 species of beaked whales occur in California's waters[1].

[edit] Carnivores

The Island Fox(Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to California
The Island Fox(Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to California

Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae

7 species of canids occur in California[1].

Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae

2 species of bears occur in California[1].

Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae

2 species of raccoons and ringtails occur in California[1].

Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

9 species of weasels occur in California[1].

Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae

2 species of skunks occur in California[1].

Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae

3 species of cats occur in California[1].

[edit] Seals and sea lions

California Sea Lion(Zalophus californianus)
California Sea Lion(Zalophus californianus)

Order: Carnivora Family: Otariidae

4 species of eared seals occur in California[1].

Order: Carnivora Family: Phocidae

4 species of earless seals occur in California[1].

[edit] Hoofed mammals

Order: Perissodactyla Family: Equidae

3 species of horses occur in California[1].

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Antilocapridae

One species of pronghorn occurs in California[1].

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae

7 species of bison, cattle, goats, and sheep occur in California[1].

Mule Deer(Odocoileus hemionus)
Mule Deer(Odocoileus hemionus)

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

5 species of deer and elk occur in California[1].

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Suidae

One species of pig occurs in California[1].

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw Except where noted otherwise, species on this list come from the California DFG's List of Mammal Species. California Department of Fish and Game (March 2006). Complete List of Amphibian, Reptile, Bird and Mammal Species in California. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Mammals of California. American Society of Mammalogists website. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.