List of mammals of the Balearic Islands
This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Balearic Islands, Spain.[1] All three land mammal species once endemic to the islands (Majorcan giant dormouse, Balearic shrew and the goat-like ruminant Myotragus balearicus) are currently extinct,[2] while those presently found on the archipelago have been introduced voluntarily or accidentally by humans in different colonization waves beginning in the Neolithic.[3]
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)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Eliomys_quercinus01.jpg/220px-Eliomys_quercinus01.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Apodemus_sylvaticus_%28Sardinia%29.jpg/220px-Apodemus_sylvaticus_%28Sardinia%29.jpg)
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: Sciuromorpha
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Genus: Eliomys
- Garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus VU
- Genus: Hypnomys
- Majorcan giant dormouse Hypnomys morphaeus EX
- Genus: Eliomys
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
- Suborder: Myomorpha
- Family: Muridae (mice and rats)
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Genus: Apodemus
- Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- Genus: Mus
- House mouse Mus musculus LR/lc
- Algerian mouse Mus spretus LC
- Genus: Rattus
- Genus: Apodemus
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Family: Muridae (mice and rats)
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Kaninchen.jpg/220px-Kaninchen.jpg)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
- Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
- Genus: Oryctolagus
- European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus LR/lc
- Genus: Lepus
- Granada hare Lepus granatensis LR/lc
- Genus: Oryctolagus
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Atelerix_algirus.jpg/220px-Atelerix_algirus.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: Atelerix
- North African hedgehog Atelerix algirus LR/lc
- Genus: Atelerix
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Gartenspitzmaus.jpg/220px-Gartenspitzmaus.jpg)
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
- North African white-toothed shrew Crocidura ichnusae LC
- Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens LC
- Genus: Crocidura
- Subfamily: Soricinae
- Genus: Nesiotites
- Balearic shrew Nesiotites hidalgo EX
- Genus: Nesiotites
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Bat%2820070605%29.jpg/220px-Bat%2820070605%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Myotis.jpg/220px-Myotis.jpg)
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: Miniopteridae (long-winged bats)
- Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- Genus: Miniopterus
- Common bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersi CD
- Genus: Miniopterus
- Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- Family: Molossidae (free-tailed bats)
- Subfamily: Molossinae
- Genus: Tadarida
- European free-tailed bat Tadarida teniotis LC
- Genus: Tadarida
- Subfamily: Molossinae
- Family: Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats)
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LC
- Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
- Mehely's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus mehelyi VU
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- Family: Vespertilionidae (mouse-eared bats)
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Genus: Myotis
- Lesser mouse-eared bat Myotis blythii LC
- Long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii VU
- Geoffroy's bat Myotis emarginatus LC
- Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis LC
- Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LC
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Verpertilioninae
- Genus: Barbastella
- Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus NT
- Genus: Eptesicus
- Serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus LC
- Genus: Hypsugo
- Savi's pipistrelle Hypsugo savii LC
- Genus: Plecotus
- Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus LC
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
- Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
- Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus LC
- Genus: Barbastella
- Subfamily: Myotinae
Order: Cetacea (whales)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Humpback_Whale_underwater_shot.jpg/220px-Humpback_Whale_underwater_shot.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Delphinus_delphis_with_calf.jpg/220px-Delphinus_delphis_with_calf.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Mother_and_baby_sperm_whale.jpg/220px-Mother_and_baby_sperm_whale.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.
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus EN
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale Megaptera novaengliae LC
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Delphinidae (dolphins and pilot whales)
- Genus: Delphinus
- Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis LC
- Genus: Globicephala
- Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas DD
- Genus: Grampus
- Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus LC
- Genus: Orcinus
- Orca Orcinus orca DD
- Genus: Pseudorca
- False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens DD
- Genus: Stenella
- Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LC
- Genus: Tursiops
- Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus LC
- Genus: Delphinus
- Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
- Genus: Physeter
- Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
- Genus: Physeter
- Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
- Genus: Ziphius
- Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris LC
- Genus: Ziphius
- Family: Delphinidae (dolphins and pilot whales)
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae (cats)
- Family: Viverridae (civets and mongooses)
- Genus: Genetta
- Common genet Genetta genetta LR/lc
- Genus: Genetta
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Mustelidae (weasels)
- Genus: Martes
- Beech marten Martes foina possibly EX
- Pine marten Martes martes LR/lc
- Genus: Mustela
- Least weasel Mustela nivalis LR/lc
- Genus: Martes
- Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
- Genus: Monachus
- Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus CR
- Genus: Monachus
- Family: Mustelidae (weasels)
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
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)
- Subfamily: Caprinae
- Genus: Capra
- Majorcan Feral goat Capra aegagrus hircus LR/lc
- Genus: Myotragus
- Balearic cave goat Myotragus balearicus EX
- Genus: Capra
- Subfamily: Caprinae
Notes
- ^ The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 9 January 2013 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN where no Wikipedia article was available.
- ^ Bover, Pere; Alcover, Josep A.; Michaux, Jacques J.; Hautier, Lionel; Hutterer, Rainer (2010). Goswami, Anjali. ed. "Body Shape and Life Style of the Extinct Balearic Dormouse Hypnomys (Rodentia, Gliridae): New Evidence from the Study of Associated Skeletons". PLoS ONE 5 (12): e15817. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015817. PMC 3013122. PMID 21209820.
- ^ Alcover, Josep Antoni (1980) "Note on the origin of the present mammalian fauna from the Balearic and Pityusic Islands". Misc. Zool., 6: 141-149
References
- "Atlas y Libro Rojo de los mamíferos terrestres de España". Gobierno de España - Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. 2012. Retrieved 2 Jan 2013.
- Aulagnier, S. et al. (2008) Guide des mammifères d'Europe, d'Afrique du Nord et de Moyen-Orient. Delachaux et Niestlé, Paris
- Purroy, F.J. and Varela, J.M. (2003) Guía de los Mamíferos de España. Península, Baleares y Canarias. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.