List of mammals of California

This is a list of mammals in California, including both current and recently historical inhabitants.

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

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) 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 noted below, as are endemic, introduced, harvest, and vagrant species.

There are 221 mammal species listed, including 181 terrestrial and 40 marine.

Opossums
Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Order: Didelphimorphia Family: Didelphidae

One species of opossum occurs in California.

Common name Scientific name Status Distribution
Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana Common,

Introduced,
Harvest

 Statewide up to

1,000 m (3,000 ft)

Eulipotyphlans
Desert shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi)

Order: Eulipotyphla Family: Soricidae

Thirteen species of shrews occur in California.

Common name Scientific name Status Distribution
Mount Lyell shrew Sorex lyelli Endemic

Special concern

 Central Sierra Nevada

High elevation

Vagrant shrew Sorex vagrans 1 ssp. of special concern North outside

Central Valley

Montane shrew Sorex monticolus Sierra Nevada and

San Bernardino ranges

Pacific shrew Sorex pacificus Northwest
Ornate shrew Sorex ornatus 5 ssp. of special concern Central and

southwest

Fog shrew Sorex sonomae Northwest
Inyo shrew Sorex tenellus East central
American water shrew Sorex palustris Sierra Nevada, Cascades

and Coast Ranges above
1,300 m (4,000 ft)

Preble's shrew Sorex preblei Cascades above 1,200 m (4,000 ft)
Marsh shrew Sorex bendirii Northwest
Trowbridge's shrew Sorex trowbridgii North outside

Central Valley

Merriam's shrew Sorex merriami Great Basin
Desert (or Crawford's gray) shrew Notiosorex crawfordi Southern deserts

Order: Eulipotyphla Family: Talpidae

Four species of moles occur in California.

Bats
Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus)

Order: Chiroptera Family: Phyllostomidae

Four species of leaf-nosed bats occur in California.

Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae

Nineteen species of vesper bats occur in California.

Order: Chiroptera Family: Molossidae

Four species of free-tailed bats occur in California.

Lagomorphs

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Ochotonidae

One species of pika occurs in California.

Brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae

Eight species of rabbits and hares occur in California.

  • Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis (CDFW special concern, harvest)
  • Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus (harvest)
    • Oregon snowshoe hare, L. americanus klamathensis (CDFW special concern)
    • Sierra Nevada snowshoe hare, L. americanus tahoensis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus (harvest)
    • San Diego black-tailed jackrabbit, L. californicus bennettii (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii (CDFW special concern, harvest)
  • European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (introduced)
  • Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii (harvest)
  • Brush rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani (harvest, except for endangered Riparian subspecies)
    • Riparian brush rabbit, S. bachmani riparius (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii (harvest)

Rodents

Order: Rodentia Family: Aplodontiidae

One species of mountain beaver occurs in California.

  • Mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa
    • Sierra Nevada mountain beaver, A. rufa californica (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Point Arena mountain beaver, A. rufa nigra (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Point Reyes mountain beaver, A. rufa phaea (CDFW special concern; endemic)
California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi)

Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

Twenty-nine species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in California.

Subfamily Sciurinae (tree squirrels and flying squirrels)

Subfamily Xerinae (chipmunks and ground squirrels)

Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae

One species of beaver occurs in California.

  • American beaver, Castor canadensis (harvest)

Order: Rodentia Family: Geomyidae

Five species of pocket gophers occur in California.

The giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) is endemic to California

Order: Rodentia Family: Heteromyidae

Twenty-six species of pocket mice and kangaroo rats occur in California.

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 (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • San Diego pocket mouse, Chaetodipus fallax
    • Northwestern San Diego pocket mouse, C. fallax fallax (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Pallid San Diego pocket mouse, C. fallax pallidus (CDFW 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 (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Tehachapi pocket mouse, P. alticola inexpectatus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • San Joaquin pocket mouse, Perognathus inornatus (endemic)
    • Salinas pocket mouse, P. inornatus psammophilus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Little pocket mouse, Perognathus longimembris
    • Palm Springs pocket mouse, P. longimembris bangsi (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Los Angeles pocket mouse, P. longimembris brevinasus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Jacumba pocket mouse, P. longimembris internationalis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Pacific pocket mouse, P. longimembris pacificus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus parvus
The salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) is endemic to California

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

Twenty-nine species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in California.

Subfamily Arvicolinae (lemmings, voles, and muskrat)

  • White-footed vole, Arborimus albipes (CDFW special concern)
  • Sonoma tree vole, Arborimus pomo (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Western red-backed vole, Clethrionomys californicus
  • Sagebrush vole, Lemmiscus curtatus
  • California vole, Microtus californicus
    • Monterey vole, M. californicus halophilus (endemic)
    • Mojave River vole, M. californicus mohavensis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • San Pablo vole, M. californicus sanpabloensis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Amargosa vole, M. californicus scirpensis (federal and state endangered; endemic)
    • South coast marsh vole, M. californicus stephensi (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Owens Valley vole, M. californicus vallicola (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudus
  • Montane vole, Microtus montanus
  • Creeping vole, Microtus oregoni
  • Townsend's vole, Microtus townsendii
  • Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (introduced, harvest)
  • Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius

Subfamily Neotominae (North American rats and mice)

Subfamily Sigmodontinae (cotton rats)

Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae

Three species of Old World rats and mice occur in California.

Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae

Two species of jumping mice occur in California.

  • Western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps
  • Pacific jumping mouse, Zapus trinotatus

Order: Rodentia Family: Erethizontidae

One species of porcupine occurs in California.

Whales, dolphins and porpoises
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.

Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenopteridae

Six species of rorquals occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenidae

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

Order: Cetacea Family: Delphinidae

Eleven species of dolphins occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Phocoenidae

Two species of porpoises occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Kogiidae

Two species of small sperm whales occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Physeteridae

One species of sperm whale occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Ziphiidae

Eight species of beaked whales occur in California's waters.

Carnivorans
The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to California

Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae

Six species of canids occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.

  • Coyote, Canis latrans
  • Gray wolf, Canis lupis (extirpated in 1924, but two packs have settled down in Northern California as of 2017)[3]
  • Gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus (harvest)
  • Island fox, Urocyon littoralis (endemic)
  • Red fox, Vulpes vulpes (introduced)
  • Kit fox, Vulpes macrotis

Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae

Two species of bears occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.

Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae

Two species of this nocturnal, omnivorous family occur in California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae

Two species of skunks occur in California.

  • Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis (harvest)
  • Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis (harvest)
    • Channel Islands spotted skunk, S. gracilis amphiala (CDFW special concern; endemic)

Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae

Four species of cats occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.

Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)

Order: Carnivora Family: Otariidae

Four species of eared seals occur in California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Phocidae

Two species of earless seals occur in California.

Even-toed ungulates

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Antilocapridae

One species of pronghorn occurs in California.

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae

Two species of bison, cattle, goats, and sheep occur in California.

  • Barbary sheep, Ammotragus lervia (introduced, harvest)
  • Bison, Bison bison (extirpated in the early 1800s; semi-wild animals on private ranches may occur in California, introduced wild population on Santa Catalina Island)
  • Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis (harvest)
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

Five species of deer and elk occur in California.

  • Fallow deer, Dama dama (introduced, harvest)
  • Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus (harvest)
    • California mule deer, O. h. californicus
    • Southern mule deer, O. h. fuliginatus
    • Inyo mule deer, O. h. inyoensis
    • Columbian black-tailed deer, O. h. columbianus

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Suidae

One species of pig occurs in California.

  • Wild boar, Sus scrofa (introduced, harvest)
    • European wild boar, Sus scrofa scrofa

References
  1. | NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources, Short-beaked Common Dolphin
  2. | NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources, Long-beaked Common Dolphin
  3. "CDFW Confirms Presence of Wolf Pack in Lassen County, Collars Adult Wolf". CDFW News. July 5, 2017.
  4. Sahagun, Louis (September 4, 2019). "California becomes first state to ban fur trapping after Gov. Newsom signs law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.