This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Tunisia. Of the mammal species in Tunisia, three are critically endangered, three are endangered, nine are vulnerable, and two are near threatened. One of the species listed for Tunisia can no longer be found in the wild.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.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature: Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. 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. Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species. Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.
Order: Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)
Often called sengis, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews.
Family: Macroscelididae (elephant shrews) Genus: Elephantulus North African elephant shrew, E. rozeti
Order: Rodentia (rats and mice)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to . Suborder: Hystricognathi Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) Genus: Hystrix Crested porcupine, H. cristata Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Asian garden dormouse, E. melanurus Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Dipodinae Genus: Jaculus Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Dipodillus North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris Genus: Gerbillus Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi James's gerbil, Gerbillus jamesi Lataste's gerbil, Gerbillus latastei Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus Lesser short-tailed gerbil, Gerbillus simoni Tarabul's gerbil, Gerbillus tarabuli Genus: Meriones Libyan jird, Meriones libycus Shaw's jird, Meriones shawi Genus: Pachyuromys Fat-tailed gerbil, Pachyuromys duprasi Genus: Psammomys Fat sand rat, Psammomys obesus Thin sand rat, Psammomys vexillaris Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Apodemus Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus Genus: Lemniscomys Barbary striped grass mouse, Lemniscomys barbarus Genus: Mus Algerian mouse, Mus spretus Family: Ctenodactylidae Genus: Ctenodactylus Common gundi, Ctenodactylus gundi
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae (rabbits and hares) Genus: Lepus Cape hare, L. capensis
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
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 Genus: Hemiechinus Desert hedgehog, Hemiechinus aethiopicus
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 Whitaker's shrew, Crocidura whitakeri Genus: Suncus Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals. Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Myotinae Genus: Myotis Long-fingered bat, M. capaccinii Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus Felten's myotis, Myotis punicus Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Eptesicus Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus Genus: Hypsugo Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii Genus: Otonycteris Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii Genus: Pipistrellus Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus Rüppell's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus rueppelli Subfamily: Miniopterinae Genus: Miniopterus Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii Family: Rhinopomatidae Genus: Rhinopoma Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, R. cystops Lesser mouse-tailed bat, R. hardwickei Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Blasius's horseshoe bat, R. blasii Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi Subfamily: Hipposiderinae Genus: Asellia Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens
Order: Cetacea (whales)
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 Genus: Balaenoptera Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus Subfamily: Megapterinae Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae Family: Balaenidae Genus: Eubalaena North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis (possible)COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the North Atlantic Right Whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada - 2013- Wildlife Species Description and Significance Suborder: Odontoceti Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis Genus: Orcinus Orca, Orcinus orca Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens Genus: Globicephala Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba Genus Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus Family Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter catodon Superfamily Ziphioidea (beaked whales) Family Ziphidae Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
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) Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Caracal Caracal, C. caracal Genus: Felis African wildcat, F. lybica Genus: Leptailurus Serval, L. serval reintroduced Family: Viverridae Subfamily: Viverrinae Genus: Genetta Common genet, G. genetta Family: Herpestidae (mongooses) Genus: Herpestes Egyptian mongoose, H. ichneumon Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas) Genus: Hyaena Striped hyena, H. hyaena Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Canis African golden wolf, C. lupaster Genus: Vulpes Rüppell's fox, V. rueppellii Red fox, V. vulpes Fennec fox, V. zerda Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Ictonyx Saharan striped polecat, Ictonyx libyca Genus: Lutra Eurasian otter, L. lutra Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Monachus Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus possibly extirpated
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: Suidae (pigs) Subfamily: Suinae Genus: Sus Wild boar, S. scrofa Family: Cervidae (deer) Subfamily: Cervinae Genus: Cervus Red deer, C. elaphus Barbary stag, C. e. barbarus Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats) Subfamily: Antilopinae Genus: Gazella Cuvier's gazelle, G. cuvieri Dorcas gazelle, G. dorcas Rhim gazelle, G. leptoceros Subfamily: Caprinae Genus: Ammotragus Barbary sheep, A. lervia Subfamily: Hippotraginae Genus: Oryx Scimitar oryx, O. dammah vagrant
Extinct The following species are locally extinct in the country: Addax, Addax nasomaculatus. Though the last animal disappeared in 1932, it has been successfully reintroduced since 2007 from specimens from Niger and others kept in zoos. It was able to reproduce in the wild and even able to multiply outside of the fenced enclosure of the large national park where it had been reintroduced. Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus Aurochs, Bos primigenius Atlas wild ass, Equus africanus atlanticus (c. 300 AD) North African elephant, Loxodonta africana pharaohensis Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus Dama gazelle, Nanger dama Barbary lion, Panthera leo Leopard, Panthera pardus Brown bear, Ursus arctos
See also Wildlife of Tunisia List of chordate orders Lists of mammals by region List of prehistoric mammals Mammal classification List of mammals described in the 2000s
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