Topographic map of Texas

This is a list of mammals of Texas. Mammals native to or immediately off the coast of the U.S. state of Texas are listed first. Introduced mammals, whether intentional or unintentional, are listed separately.

The varying geography of Texas, the second largest state, provides a large variety of habitats for mammals. The land varies from swamps, Piney Woods in the east, rocky hills and limestone karst in the central Hill Country of the Edwards Plateau, desert in the south and west, mountains in the far west (the Trans-Pecos), and grassland prairie in the north, also known as the Panhandle.[1][2][3] The state's many rivers, including the Rio Grande, the Colorado River, and the Trinity River, also provide diverse river habitats.[4][5] Its central position in the United States means that species found primarily in either the western or eastern reaches of the country often have their ranges meeting in the state. Additionally, its proximity to Mexico is such that many species found there and into Central America also range as far north as Texas.[1]

Texas recognizes three official mammals: the nine-banded armadillo, the Texas Longhorn, and the Mexican free-tailed bat. State law protects numerous species. The state also recognizes the Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons State Park since 2011,[6] the State Longhorn herd at multiple state parks since 1969,[7][6] and the State dog breed, Blue Lacy since 2005.[6]

Dark-colored Cattle with very long, sharp horns.
A hard-shelled mammals with long ears and nose.
A brown-furred bat with wings that are made of skin.
The state mammals were all named by the legislature in 1995.[8]

List of species

Order Xenarthra

Dasypodidae

Dasypodidae is a family of armoured mammals found mainly in Latin America.[9]

Dasypodidae
Species Common name Distribution Status[a] Image
Dasypus novemcinctus Nine-banded armadillo Found in all of Texas, except the Trans-Pecos region[10]

Order Chiroptera

Phyllostomidae

Phyllostomidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Choeronycteris mexicana Mexican long-tongued bat Only found in South Texas; may be slowly increasing distribution northward.[11]
Diphylla ecaudata Hairy-legged vampire bat Only one specimen found in 1967, in Val Verde County.[11]
Leptonycteris nivalis Greater long-nosed bat Only found in Presidio County and Brewster County.[11]

Mormoopidae

Mormoopidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Mormoops megalophylla Ghost-faced bat Found in the Trans-Pecos, South Texas Plains, and the southern edge of the Edwards Plateau.[12]

Vespertilionidae

Vespertilionidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Aeorestes cinereus Hoary bat Found in mature forested areas across the state[11]
Antrozous pallidus Pallid bat Commonly found in the western half of Texas, including the panhandle.[13][11]
Corynorhinus rafinesquii Rafinesque's big-eared bat Found in small localities in the Pineywoods of East Texas.[11]
Corynorhinus townsendii Townsend's big-eared bat Commonly found in the western half of Texas, including the panhandle. Population in West Texas and Panhandle are divided into subspecies.[11]
Dasypterus ega Southern yellow bat Found in seven counties in the Rio Grande Valley.[11]
Dasypterus intermedius Northern yellow bat Occurs in the eastern and southern part of the state, including along the coast.[11]
Dasypterus xanthinus Western yellow bat Reported in the southernmost counties of Texas surrounding Big Bend National Park.[11]
Eptesicus fuscus Big brown bat Found primarily iy the eastern, northern and western parts of the state.[11]
Euderma maculatum Spotted bat Found only in Big Bend National Park.[11]
Lasionycteris noctivagans Silver-haired bat Found in forested areas across the state, not seen often in cities.[11]
Lasiurus blossevillii Desert red bat One specimen found in Presidio County in 1988[11]
Lasiurus borealis Eastern red bat Found state-wide, but most commonly found in the eastern and central part of the state[11]
Lasiurus seminolus Seminole bat Found in the eastern part of the state[11]
Myotis austroriparius Southeastern myotis Found in eastern Texas caves[11]
Myotis californicus California myotis Found primarily in the Chihuahuan Desert and Trans-Pecos region of Texas[11]
Myotis ciliolabrum Western small-footed myotis Found primarily in the Trans-Pecos mountains and small populations in the panhandle[11]
Myotis occultus Arizona myotis One found in Hudspeth Co., likely a migrant individual.[11]
Myotis septentrionalis Northern long-eared myotis Only one specimen ever found in Dimmit Co.[11]
Myotis thysanodes Fringed myotis Found in the Trans-Pecos region, with one migrant speciment collected in the Panhandle.[11]
Myotis velifer Cave myotis Found in most areas in Texas except the Pineywoods.[11]
Myotis volans Long-legged myotis Found in the Trans-Pecos region, with one migrant speciment collected in the Panhandle.[11]
Myotis yumanensis Yuma myotis Found in south Texas along the Rio Grande River.[11]
Nycticeius humeralis Evening bat Found widespread throughout the state except for the Panhandle, with westward expansion of their range.[11]
Parastrellus hesperus Canyon bat Found in the western half of the state, especially the Trans-Pecos Mountains.[11]
Perimyotis subflavus Tricolored bat Found in most regions of Texas except the Trans-Pecos.[11]

Molossidae

Molossidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Eumops perotis Western mastiff bat Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas and in Midland County in the west[11]
Nyctinomops femorosacca Pocketed free-tailed bat Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas.[11]
Nyctinomops macrotis Big free-tailed bat Scattered localities in the Panhandle, Trans-Pecos region, and recently in Wise County[11]
Tadarida brasiliensis Mexican free-tailed bat State-wide distribution in the summer, with the eastern population being year-round residents[11]

Order Carnivora

Canidae

Canidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Canis latrans Coyote ubiquitous throughout Texas
Canis lupus Gray wolf all subspecies previously found in Texas are either extinct or extirpated; see below
C. l. baileyi Mexican wolf extirpated
C. l. monstrabilis Texas wolf extinct
C. l. nubilus Great Plains wolf extinct
Canis rufus Red wolf extirpated
Urocyon cinereoargenteus Gray fox Ubiquitous throughout Texas.[11]
Vulpes macrotis Kit fox Found in the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau regions.[11]
Vulpes velox Swift fox Found in the Panhandle region.[11]

Felidae

Felidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Herpailurus yagouaroundi Jaguarundi Extirpated; Last U.S sighting in 1986 in Brownsville.[14]
Leopardus pardalis Ocelot Only found in and around Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
Leopardus wiedii Margay Extirpated; Only U.S. record found in 1852 outside Kingsville.[11][15][16]
Lynx rufus Bobcat ubiquitous throughout Texas
Panthera onca Jaguar Extirpated by 1948.[11]
Puma concolor Cougar Western counties only

Procyonidae

Procyonidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Bassariscus astutus Ring-tailed cat Common in the Trans-Pecos, Edwards Plateau and Cross Timbers ecoregions, but also seen statewide except the panhandle[11]
Nasua narica White-nosed coati Recently, only seen in the Big Bend and Padre Island regions[11]
Procyon lotor Raccoon Ubiquitous throughout Texas

Mephitidae

Mephitidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Conepatus leuconotus American hog-nosed skunk Found throughout central and southern Texas.[11]
Mephitis macroura Hooded skunk Found in the central Trans-Pecos region.[11]
Mephitis mephitis Striped skunk Ubiquitous throughout Texas.[11]
Spilogale gracilis Western spotted skunk Found in the southwestern part of the state, north to Garza Co. and east to Duvall Co.[11]
Spilogale putorius Eastern spotted skunk Found in the eastern half of the state and up into the Panhandle. Somewhat rare.[11]

Mustelidae

Mustelidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Lontra canadensis North American river otter Found historically along tributaries and rivers of the Red River. Has been limited further east,[11] but recently found as far west as Abilene.[17]
Mustela nigripes Black-footed ferret Extirpated. Before extirpation, was found wherever prairie dogs were in the Panhandle.[11]
Neogale frenata Long-tailed weasel Secretive species with few scientific records across the state. Found in a variety of habitats where water is present. Not found in the northern Panhandle.[11]
Neogale vison American mink Found in the eastern half of the state where water is present.[11]
Taxidea taxus American badger Found throughout the state except the far eastern Pineywoods.Habitat loss pushes it further east.[11]

Phocidae

Phocidae
Species Common name Distribution Status[a] Image
Neomonachus tropicalis Caribbean monk seal extinct[11]

Ursidae

Ursidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Ursus americanus American black bear Found in the forested areas of east Texas, the Trans-Pecos region, and at the tip of the Panhandle[11]
Ursus arctos Brown bear all populations once present in Texas are either extirpated or extinct; see below
U. a. horribilis Grizzly bear extirpated; the only documented grizzly bear (U. a. horribilis) specimen was killed in 1905 in Jeff Davis County[11]
U. a. horribilis Mexican grizzly bear extinct[18][19]

Order Artiodactyla

Tayassuidae

Tayassuidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Dicotyles tajacu Collared peccary Mostly restricted to western Texas and south of San Antonio. Introduced populations occur in north Texas[11]

Cervidae

Cervidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Cervus canadensis Elk Reintroduced, see below
C. c. merriami Merriam's elk Extinct by 1906[20]
C. c. nelsoni Rocky Mountain elk Introduced to the state in 1928, currently found in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions[11]
Odocoileus hemionus Mule deer Found in the western-half of the state through the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos.[11]
Odocoileus virginianus White-tailed deer Ubiquitous throughout Texas.[11]

Antilocapridae

Antilocapridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Antilocapra americana Pronghorn Native to Central and Western Texas; considered the pronghorn's easternmost range

Bovidae

Bovidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Bison bison American bison Reintroduced, see below.[21]
B. b. bison Plains bison Reintroduced at Caprock Canyons State Park and Fort Worth Nature Center as well as private herds. All controlled by fences. Historically widespread.[11]
Ovis canadensis Bighorn sheep Extirpated throughout original Trans-Pecos mountain ranges. See below.
O. c. nelsoni Desert bighorn sheep Reintroduced populations in certain areas of the Trans-Pecos mountains are free-roaming and wild.[11]

Order Eulipotyphla

Soricidae

Soricidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Blarina carolinensis Southern short-tailed shrew
Blarina hylophaga Elliot's short-tailed shrew
Cryptotis parva North American least shrew
Notiosorex crawfordi Crawford's gray shrew

Talpidae

Talpidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Scalopus aquaticus Eastern mole Documented in the eastern two-thirds of the state, eastern areas of South Texas, along the Canadian River drainage in the Panhandle, and in Presidio County in the west[22]

Order Sirenia

Trichechidae

Trichechidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Trichechus manatus West Indian manatee Rare in Texas waters, but observed in the Laguna Madre, Cow Bayou, and near Sabine Lake, Copano Bay, San José Island, Bolivar Peninsula, and the mouth of the Rio Grande[24]

Order Didelphimorphia

Didelphidae

Didelphidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Didelphis virginiana Virginia opossum Found throughout the state except for the arid Trans-Pecos and Llano Estacado[25]

Order Lagomorpha

Leporidae

Leporidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Lepus californicus Black-tailed jackrabbit
Sylvilagus aquaticus Swamp rabbit
Sylvilagus audubonni Desert cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus Eastern cottontail
Sylvilagus holzneri Robust cottontail Davis Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains

Order Rodentia

Castoridae

Castoridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Castor canadensis North American beaver

Cricetidae

Erethizontidae

Erethizontidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Erethizon dorsatum North American porcupine Found in the western half of the state.[11]

Geomyidae

Geomyidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Cratogeomys castanops Yellow-faced pocket gopher Commonly found in the western-half of the state in the high plains and trans-pecos.[1][11]
Geomys arenarius Desert pocket gopher Common in El Paso County.[11]
Geomys attwateri Attwater's pocket gopher Endemic to Texas. East from the Brazos River to the San Antonio River, and along the coast in-between.[11]
Geomys breviceps Baird's pocket gopher Found in the eastern half of the state.[11]
Geomys bursarius Plains pocket gopher Found in the northwestern and north-central Texas panhandle.[11]
Geomys jugossicularis Hall's pocket gopher Found in the northwesternmost-counties of Dallam and Hartley.[11]
Geomys knoxjonesi Knox Jones's pocket gopher Found in the southwestern plains of Texas.[11]
Geomys personatus Texas pocket gopher Found in the far south counties of the state, including the Texas barrier islands.[11]
Geomys streckeri Strecker's pocket gopher Restricted to Zavala and Dimmit Counties.[11]
Geomys texensis Llano pocket gopher Found in two isolated areas in the Hill Country depending on subspecies. Endemic to Texas.[11]
Thomomys bottae Botta's pocket gopher Found in the Trans-Pecos eastward into the Edwards Plateau.[11]

Heteromyidae

Sciuridae

Order Cetacea

Balaenidae

Balaenidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic right whale

Balaenopteridae

Balaenopteridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Minke whale Seen stranded occasionally, rare sightings. Last seen in Texas in the 1980s.[26][11]
Balaenoptera brydei Balaenoptera edeni Bryde's whale Seen yearly in every season but the fall in shallow waters. Taxonomy up to debate[11][26]
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale
Megaptera novaeangliae Humpback whale

Kogiidae

Kogiidae is a family of whales.

Kogiidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Kogia breviceps Pygmy sperm whale
Kogia simus Dwarf sperm whale

Physeteridae

Physeteridae is a monotypic family of whales only containing the extant Physeter macrocephalus.

Physeteridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale A large black whale with a blunt head and proportionally-small flippers

Ziphiidae

Ziphiidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville's beaked whale
Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais' beaked whale
Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier's beaked whale

Delphinidae

Delphinidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Delphinus delphis Short-beaked common dolphin
Feresa attenuata Pygmy killer whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus Short-finned pilot whale
Grampus griseus Risso's dolphin
Orcinus orca Killer whale Uncommon in Texas waters, rare and poorly documented strandings, occasionally seen off South Padre Island[27]
Pseudorca crassidens False killer whale
Peponocephala electra Melon-headed whale
Stenella frontalis Atlantic spotted dolphin
Stenella attenuata Pantropical spotted dolphin
Stenella coeruleoalba Striped dolphin
Stenella clymene Clymene dolphin
Stenella longirostris Spinner dolphin
Steno brenadensis Rough-toothed dolphin
Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin

Introduced/invasive mammals

Order Primates

Primates
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Macaca fuscata Japanese macaque Introduced to a sanctuary in Frio County[28][29]

Order Carnivora

Canidae (canids)

Canidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Vulpes vulpes Red fox While native to North America, red foxes were introduced to Texas and have expanded over most of the state, except the far western and southern regions[11][30][31]

Order Artiodactyla

Suidae (pigs)

Suidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Sus scrofa Wild boar Ubiquitous throughout Texas

Cervidae (deer)

Cervidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Axis axis Chital
Axis porcinus Indian hog deer
Cervus elaphus Red deer
Cervus nippon Sika deer
Dama dama European fallow deer
Rusa unicolor Sambar deer

Bovidae (antelopes & sheep)

Bovidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Ammotragus lervia Barbary sheep
Antilope cervicapra Blackbuck
Boselaphus tragocamelus Nilgai

Order Rodentia

Muridae (Old World mice & rats)

Muridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Mus musculus House mouse Ubiquitous throughout Texas
Rattus norvegicus Brown rat Widespread throughout Texas, however not as common in the southern half of Texas as Rattus rattus[11]
Rattus rattus Black rat Ubiquitous throughout Texas

Myocastoridae (Nutria)

Myocastoridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Myocastor coypus Nutria Invasive species in eastern two-thirds of Texas, currently expanding westward[32]

See also

Notes and references

Notes

^ a: Conservation status at a world level of the species according to the IUCN Red List: Conservation status - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:

 EX  - Extinct
 EW  - Extinct in the wild
 CR  - Critically endangered
 EN  - Endangered
 VU  - Vulnerable
 NT  - Near threatened
 LC  - Least concern
 DD  - Data deficient
 NE  - Not evaluated

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "Texas Ecoregions". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Native Habitats & Ecosystems". Audubon. 17 December 2015. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Ecoregion Download Files by State - Region 6". Environmental Protection Agency. 9 March 2016. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Texas River Guide". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Texas". National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "Texas State Symbols". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "Legendary Longhorns". Texas Historical Commission. Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Learn About Texas State Symbols" (PDF). Texas Parks and Wildlife Publications. Texas Parks & Wildlife. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "Armadillo". Britannica. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Nine-Banded Armadillo". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 Schmidley, David. "The Mammals of Texas, Online Edition (7th Edition)". Texas Tech Natural Science Research Laboratory. University of Texas Press. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  12. ↑ "Ghost-faced Bat (Mormoops megalophylla)". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus)". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  14. ↑ Giordano, A.J. (2016). "Ecology and status of the jaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi: a synthesis of existing knowledge" (PDF). Mammal Review. 46 (1): 30–43. doi:10.1111/mam.12051.
  15. ↑ Kays, R.W.; Wilson, D. 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. ISBN 0-691-07012-1.
  16. ↑ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  17. ↑ Procopio, Michael. "North American River Otter at Abilene State Park". iNaturalist. iNaturalist. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ↑ Meyer, John R. (December 2006). "The Last Texas Grizzly". Texas Parks & Wildlife. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Mexican grizzly bear (extinct)". Bear Conversation. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  20. ↑ NatureServe. 1989. Cervus elaphus merriami, Merriam's Elk. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103499/Cervus_elaphus_merriami. Accessed 9 December 2021.
  21. ↑ Texas Parks & Wlidlife. "Texas State Bison Herd" (PDF). Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Eastern Mole". Natural Science Research Laboratory. Texas Tech University. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  23. ↑ Matson, J.; Woodman, N.; Castro-Arellano, I.; de Grammont, P.C. (2015). "Scalopus aquaticus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41471A22319923.en. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  24. ↑ "West Indian Manatee". Natural Science Research Laboratory. Texas Tech University. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  26. 1 2 Würsig, Bernd (27 June 2017). Habitats and Biota of the Gulf of Mexico: Before the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. New York, NY: Springer. pp. 1489–1587. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-3456-0_5. ISBN 978-1-4939-3456-0. S2CID 134821188. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  27. ↑ "Killer Whale". Natural Science Research Laboratory. Texas Tech University. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  28. ↑ Baker, Ed (5 August 2005). "The Legendary Snow Monkeys of Texas: A brief open season on monkeys resulted in protections for them in the Lone Star State". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  29. ↑ Born Free USA: Primate Sanctuary: About the Sanctuary, 2003–2011, archived from the original on 20 April 2011, retrieved 3 May 2011
  30. ↑ Potts, Allen (1912). Fox Hunting in America. Washington: The Carnahan Press. pp. 7, 38. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  31. ↑ "Introducing Mammals to Young Naturalists - Red Foxes". Texas Parks & Wildlife. Texas Parks & Wildlife. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  32. ↑ "Nutria". Natural Science Research Laboratory. Texas Tech University. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.