List of mammals of Cyprus
This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Cyprus. There are 17 mammal species in Cyprus, of which one is critically endangered, three are vulnerable, and one is near-threatened.[1]
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
LR/cd | Lower risk/conservation dependent | Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
LR/lc | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
- Subfamily: Deomyinae
- Genus: Acomys
- Cyprus spiny mouse, Acomys nesiotes DD
- Genus: Acomys
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Genus: Mus
- Cypriot mouse, Mus cypriacus LC
- Genus: Mus
- Subfamily: Deomyinae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Long_Eared_hedgehog.jpg/220px-Long_Eared_hedgehog.jpg)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
- Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- Genus: Hemiechinus
- Long-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus auritus LR/lc
- Genus: Hemiechinus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae (shrews)
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- Genus: Crocidura
- Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LR/lc
- Genus: Suncus
- Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
- Genus: Crocidura
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
- Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
- Subfamily: Pteropodinae
- Genus: Rousettus
- Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus LC
- Genus: Rousettus
- Subfamily: Pteropodinae
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Genus: Myotis
- Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis LR/nt
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
- Genus: Plecotus
- Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LR/lc
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Blasius's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus blasii NT
- Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale VU
- Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Order: Cetacea (whales)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Stenella_coeruleoalba-cropped.jpg)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea except for gray whale.
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus♠ EN
- Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata♠ LC [2]
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Subfamily: Megapterinae
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae♠ LC[3]
- Genus: Megaptera
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Physeteridae
- Genus: Physeter
- Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus♠ VU[4]
- Genus: Physeter
- Family: Ziphidae
- Genus: Ziphius
- Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris♠ LC
- Genus: Mesoplodon
- Gervais' beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris♠ DD
- Genus: Ziphius
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Genus: Tursiops
- Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus♠ LC
- Genus: Steno
- Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis♠ DD (once being considered as vagrants, but later confirmed as residential[5])
- Genus: Stenella
- Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba♠ DD
- Genus: Sousa
- Sousa chinensis♠ DD
- Genus: Delphinus
- Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis♠ LC
- Genus: Grampus
- Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus♠ LC
- Genus: Orcinus
- Orca Orcinus orca♠ DD
- Genus: Pseudorca
- False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens♠ DD
- Genus: Globicephala
- Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas♠ DD
- Genus: Tursiops
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Family: Physeteridae
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Vulpes_vulpes_sitting.jpg/220px-Vulpes_vulpes_sitting.jpg)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Caniformia
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Goat_face.jpg/220px-Goat_face.jpg)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
- Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
See also
- List of chordate orders
- List of regional mammals lists
- List of prehistoric mammals
- Mammal classification
- New mammal species
Notes
- ^ This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
- ^ Update on the Cetacean Fauna of the Mediterranean Levantine Basin
- ^ Are humpback whales electing the Mediterranean Sea as new residence?
- ^ Whale spotted off Larnaca
- ^ https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/iucn_med_2012_marine_mammals___sea_turtles_def.pdf
References
- "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Cyprus". IUCN. 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2007. [dead link]
- "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995–2006. Retrieved 22 May 2007.