List of mammals of Massachusetts

This is a list of Massachusetts mammals. It includes all mammals currently living in Massachusetts, whether resident or as migrants. For the most part, it does not include each mammals specific habitat, but instead shows the mammals range in the state and its abundance.For a look at these mammals' habitats, see List of mammals of Connecticut. This list does not include the American Bison and Caribou, which have been reported archaeologically, but disappeared after European settlers came to the state. It also does not include the Fox Squirrel, which only occurs accidentally.

The Atlantic right whale is the state marine mammal of Massachusetts

Bats

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red List
Big brown bat
Eptesicus fuscus
Beauvois, 1796
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeCommon, live statewide
[1]
Silver-haired bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
Le Conte, 1831
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeMigratory, Uncommon, statewide
[2]
Eastern red bat
Lasiurus borealis
Müller, 1776
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeMigratory, Common, statewide
[3]
Hoary bat
Lasiurus cinereus
Beauvois, 1796
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeMigratory, rarely seen, statewide
[4]
Eastern small-footed myotis
Myotis leibii
Audubon & Bachman, 1842
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeBerkshire and Hampden Counties, extremely rare, listed as Special Concern
[5]
Little brown bat
Myotis lucifugus
Le Conte, 1831
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeEndangered, distribution spotty
[6]
Northern long-eared myotis
Myotis septentrionalis
Trouessart, 1897
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeEndangered, distribution spotty, reportedly breeding in Martha's Vineyard
[7]
Indiana bat
Myotis sodalis
Miller & Allen, 1928
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeVery rare, Western Massachusetts only, Listed as Endangered in the state and Federally
[8]
Tricolored bat
Perimyotis subflavus
Cuvier, 1832
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeEndangered, Distribution spotty
[9]

Carnivora

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red list
American black bear
Ursus americanus
CarnivoraUrsidaeLocally Common to Uncommon; Found in most of the state, however not common in southeast Massachusetts.
Coyote
Canis latrans
CarnivoraCanidaeCommon; Statewide except Nantucket; 3 records from Martha's Vineyard, but has yet to be established
Gray wolf
Canis lupus lycaon
CarnivoraCanidaeExtirpated; last reported in 1840, although there were 2 sighting in 1918 and 2007 in Franklin County
Gray fox
Urocyon cineroargentatus
CarnivoraCanidaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes, Nantucket, and Suffolk County
Red fox
Vulpes vulpes fulves
CarnivoraCanidaeCommon; Statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
Hooded seal
Cystophora cristata
CarnivoraPhocidae Uncommon Winter visitor Reported from Essex, Plymouth, Dukes, Nantucket, Barnstable, and Suffolk counties
Bearded seal
Erignathus barbatus
CarnivoraPhocidaeOne record; Essex County (2002)
Grey seal
Halichoerus grypus
CarnivoraPhocidae Found in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties; Population has increased after seal hunting became illegal in 1962, Known pupping sights are in Monomoy and Muskeget islands
Harp seal
Pagophilus groenlandicus
CarnivoraPhocidaeCommon Winter visitor; Reported from Plymouth, Suffolk, Essex, and Barnstable counties. Sightings are increasing, especially in winter
Harbor seal
Phoca vitulina
CarnivoraPhocidaeA common seal in Massachusetts. Found in coastal areas, including Barnstable, Suffolk, Essex, and Plymouth counties. Regular winter visitor in Cape Cod and the Islands. Originally bred in the state but no known breeding areas. However, pups have been reported in Plymouth
Ringed seal
Pusa hispida
CarnivoraPhocidae Uncommon in Massachusetts; are most seen in winter
Canada lynx
Lynx canadensis
CarnivoraFelidaeExtirpated; Formerly Central and Western Mass; Reported in Hampshire county (1866) and Worcester county (1884–1885), Questionable reports in the 1930s were probably bobcats, 2 records in 1991
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
CarnivoraFelidaeCommon in Northeastern, Central and Western Mass, but rare in Southeastern Mass, the Cape, and absent in the islands
Cougar
Puma concolor couguar
CarnivoraFelidaeExtirpated; Last known record was in 1858. However, In 1997, a DNA testing of feces found in the Quabbin Reservoir in Franklin County was that of a Cougar, although it could have been an escaped captive
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
CarnivoraMustelidaeExtirpated; lasted reported in 1835, Formerly Western Mass
North American river otter
Lontra canadensis
CarnivoraMustelidaeCommon; Statewide except Suffolk County; 2 records in Nantucket were in 1984 and 2007
American marten
Martes americana
CarnivoraMustelidaeExtirpated; Formerly Central, Western, and possibly Northeastern Mass; last reported in Worcester County (1880) although 2 records in 1992 and 1993 may have come from Vermont
Fisher
Martes pennanti
CarnivoraMustelidaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket Counties
Stoat
Mustela erminea
CarnivoraMustelidaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket Counties; Rare in Cape Cod
Long-tailed weasel
Mustela frenata
CarnivoraMustelidaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket Counties
Sea mink
Neovison macrodon
CarnivoraMustelidae (considered here to be a subspecies of American mink. Other experts consider it a separate species) Formerly Coastal Mass; became Extinct from overtrapping
American mink
Neovison vison
CarnivoraMustelidaeCommon; Statewide except Nantucket, possibly extirpated from Martha's Vineyard
Walrus
Odobenus rosmarus
CarnivoraOdobenidae Rare vagrant. Reported from Essex (1937) and Plymouth (1734) counties
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
CarnivoraProcyonidaeCommon, Statewide except Nantucket
Striped skunk
Mephitis mephitis
CarnivoraMephitidaeCommon, Statewide except the Elizabeth Islands and Nantucket

Cetacea

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red list
Bowhead whale
Balaena mysticetus
CetaceaBalaenidaeOccasionally seen in Winter;Probably Uncommon
North Atlantic right whale
Eubalaena glacialis
CetaceaBalaenidaeUncommon, Winter and Spring visitor in Cape Cod Bay
Northern bottlenose whale
Hyperoodon ampullatus
CetaceaZiphiidaeRare, Pelagic, Stranded in Barnstable and Essex counties
Sowerby's beaked whale
Mesoplodon bidens
CetaceaZiphiidaeOnly two records in Nantucket
Blainville's beaked whale
Mesoplodon densirostris
CetaceaZiphiidae One record in Essex County
Gervais' beaked whale
Mesoplodon europaeus
CetaceaZiphiidaeOne record in Cape Cod
True's beaked whale
Mesoplodon mirus
CetaceaZiphiidaeOne record in Nantucket
Cuvier's beaked whale
Ziphius cavirostris
CetaceaZiphiidaePelagic, Stranded in Barnstable, Norfolk, and Dukes counties
Beluga whale
Delphinapterus leucas
CetaceaMonodontidaeVagrant, Observed in the waters of Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Bristol counties
Short-beaked common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
CetaceaDelphinidaeUncommon, Found in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties
Long-finned pilot whale
Globicephala melas
CetaceaDelphinidaeUncommon, Occurs in schools and is frequently stranded
Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
CetaceaDelphinidaeUncommon, Occurs in schools, primarily found in warmer waters offshore
Risso's dolphin
Grampus griseus
CetaceaDelphinidaeUncommon, Offshore waters, Stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, and Norfolk counties
Atlantic white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus acutus
CetaceaDelphinidaeCommon, Found in coastal waters, Stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket
White-beaked dolphin
Lagenorhynchus albirostris
CetaceaDelphinidaeRare, Found in coastal waters, Reported from Barnstable and Essex counties
Killer whale
Orcinus orca
CetaceaDelphinidaeRare, Offshore waters, Stranded in Barnstable and Dukes county, Observed in Plymouth and Suffolk counties
Pantropical spotted dolphin
Stenella attenuata
CetaceaDelphinidaeUncommon, found in Offshore waters
Striped dolphin
Stenella coeruleoalba
CetaceaDelphinidae Rare, Pelagic, Reported from Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Essex counties
Atlantic spotted dolphin
Stenella frontalis
CetaceaDelphinidae Rare, Reported from Nantucket and Dukes counties
Common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
CetaceaDelphinidaeRare, Found in inshore waters, Stranded in Barnstable and Plymouth counties
Pygmy sperm whale
Kogia breviceps
CetaceaPhyseteroideaRare, Found in offshore waters, Stranded in Barnstable, Plymouth, Essex, Norfolk, and Dukes counties, Recorded in Bristol County waters
Dwarf sperm whale
Kogia sima
CetaceaPhyseteroideaRarely seen, Stranded in Nantucket and Plymouth counties, Distinguished from the Pygmy sperm whale by being smaller and having a larger dorsal fin
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
CetaceaPhyseteroideaRare, Formerly abundant offshore, Stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, and Plymouth counties. The largest toothed whale. Dives deep to hunt for food
Harbour porpoise
Phocoena phocoena
CetaceaPhocoenidaeCommon, Found entirely in coastal waters
Common minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
CetaceaRorqualCommon, Found in the inshore waters, Stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties
Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis
CetaceaRorqual Found in Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay, Stranded in Cape Cod (1910 and 1974), Essex (2007), and Plymouth (1948) counties, Endangered and rare in Massachusetts
Blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus
CetaceaRorqualOne questionable stranding in Essex County reported in 1755, Recent near-shore records, Endangered and rare in Massachusetts
Fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus
CetaceaRorqualCommon but Endangered, Stranded in Barnstable, Essex, Dukes, and Plymouth counties
Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
CetaceaRorqualCommon but Endangered, Stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties

Even-toed ungulates

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red list
Moose
Alces alces
ArtiodactylaCervidaeCommon; found in North, central Western, and northeast Massachusetts, but can be found in Eastern. Total population is over 1000
Elk
Cervus canadensis
ArtiodactylaCervidaeExtirpated; Formerly Western Mass; last record in Worcester County in 1732
Fallow deer
Dama dama
ArtiodactylaCervidaeIntroduced in Dukes County; last reported in 1980
White-tailed deer
Odocoileus virginianus
ArtiodactylaCervidaeCommon; Statewide

Lagomorpha

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red list
Snowshoe hare
Lepus americanus
LagomorphaLeporidaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes County; introduced to Nantucket
Black-tailed jackrabbit
Lepus californicus
LagomorphaLeporidaeIntroduced, Uncommon; found only in Nantucket
European hare
Lepus europaeus
LagomorphaLeporidaeIntroduced; Found in Berkshire County
European rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
LagomorphaLeporidaeIntroduced; found in Lovells Island and Gallops Island
Eastern cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
LagomorphaLeporidaeIntroduced, Common, Statewide
New England cottontail
Sylvilagus transitionalis
LagomorphaLeporidaeRare, Formerly Common and found Statewide, now found only in Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Southwestern Mass

Opossums

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red List
Virginia opossum
Didelphis virginiana
DidelphimorphiaDidelphinaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket county

Rodents

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red List
North American beaver
Castor canadensis
RodentiaCastoridaeCommon; Northeastern, Central, and Western Mass
Beach vole
Microtus breweri
RodentiaCricetidaeMuskeget Island
Meadow vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
RodentiaCricetidaeCommon; Statewide
Woodland vole
Microtus pinetorum
RodentiaCricetidaeLocally Common; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties
Southern red-backed vole
Myodes gapperi
RodentiaCricetidaeCommon; Statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
Allegheny woodrat
Neotoma magister
RodentiaCricetidaeExtirpated; May have occurred in Southwestern Berkshire County but if so is now undoubtedly extirpated
Muskrat
Ondantra zibethicus
RodentiaCricetidaeCommon; Statewide except Nantucket
White-footed mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
RodentiaCricetidaeCommon; Statewide
Deer mouse
Peromyscus maniculatus
RodentiaCricetidaeCommon; Central and Western Mass
Southern bog lemming
Synaptomys cooperi
RodentiaCricetidaeVery Rare; listed as Special Concern. Known from the towns of Plymouth, Wareham, New Salem, Ware, and Belchertown
Woodland jumping mouse
Napaeozapus insignis
RodentiaDipodidaeCommon; Central and Western Mass
Meadow jumping mouse
Zapus hudsonius
RodentiaDipodidaeCommon; Statewide
House mouse
Mus musculus
RodentiaMuridaeIntroduced; Statewide except Martha's Vineyard
Brown rat
Rattus norvegicus
RodentiaMuridaeIntroduced; Statewide
Black rat
Rattus rattus
RodentiaMuridaeIntroduced; Eradicated
North American porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum
RodentiaNew World porcupineCommon; Northeastern, Central, and Western Mass
Northern flying squirrel
Glaucomys sabrinus
RodentiaSciuridaeUncommon; Northeastern, Central, and Western Mass
Southern flying squirrel
Glaucomys volans
RodentiaSciuridaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties
Groundhog
Marmota monax
RodentiaSciuridaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties
Eastern gray squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
RodentiaSciuridaeCommon; Statewide, introduced in Nantucket (1989)
American red squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
RodentiaSciuridaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties
Eastern chipmunk
Tamias striatus
RodentiaSciuridaeCommon; Statewide except Nantucket

Soricomorpha

Talpidae

Name Species/Authority Order Family Range and status IUCN Red list
Northern short-tailed shrew
Blarina brevicauda
SoricomorphaSoricidaeCommon; Statewide
Cinereus shrew
Sorex cinereus
SoricomorphaSoricidaeCommon; Statewide
Long-tailed shrew
Sorex dispar
SoricomorphaSoricidaeRare; Special concern; Found only in Berkshire County
Smoky shrew
Sorex fumeus
SoricomorphaSoricidaeUncommon; Central and Western Mass
American pygmy shrew
Sorex hoyi
SoricomorphaSoricidaeOne record; Berkshire County (1991)
American water shrew
Sorex palustris
SoricomorphaSoricidaeUncommon; Special concern, Found in Central and Western Mass
Star-nosed mole
Condylura cristata
SoricomorphaTalpidaeCommon; Statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties
Hairy-tailed mole
Parascalops breweri
SoricomorphaTalpidaeUncommon; Northeastern, Central, and Western Mass
Eastern mole
Scalopus aquaticus
SoricomorphaTalpidaeCommon; Found in southern Plymouth county, southern Connecticut river valley, Cape Cod, and Dukes and Nantucket counties

See also

References

  1. Miller, B.; Reid, F.; Arroyo-Cabrales, J.; Cuarón, A. D. & de Grammont, P. C. (2008). "Eptesicus fuscus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. Arroyo-Cabrales, J.; Miller, B.; Reid, F.; Cuarón, A. D. & de Grammont, P. C. (2008). "Lasionycteris noctivagans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  3. Arroyo-Cabrales, J.; Miller, B.; Reid, F.; Cuarón, A. D. & de Grammont, P. C. (2008). "Lasiurus borealis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  4. Gonzalez, E.; Barquez, R. & Arroyo-Cabrales, J. (2008). "Lasiurus cinereus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  5. Arroyo-Cabrales, J. & Ticul Alvarez Castaneda, S. (2008). "Myotis leibii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  6. Arroyo-Cabrales, J. & Ticul Alvarez Castaneda, S. (2008). "Myotis lucifugus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  7. Arroyo-Cabrales, J. & Ticul Alvarez Castaneda, S. (2008). "Myotis septentrionalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  8. Arroyo-Cabrales, J. & Ticul Alvarez Castaneda, S. (2008). "Myotis sodalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  9. Arroyo-Cabrales, J.; Miller, B.; Reid, F.; Cuarón, A. D. & de Grammont, P. C. (2008). "Pipistrellus subflavus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
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