This is a list of the mammal species present in Saudi Arabia. There are 78 mammal species in Saudi Arabia, of which three are critically endangered, three are endangered, nine are vulnerable, and two are near threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature: 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.
Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)
The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes) Genus: Procavia Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis
Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.
Family: Dugongidae Genus: Dugong Dugong, Dugong dugon
Order: Primates The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, monkeys, and apes.
Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys) Genus: Papio Hamadryas baboon, Papio hamadryas
Order: Rodentia (rodents) 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 Indian porcupine, Hystrix indica Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Asian garden dormouse, Eliomys melanurus Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Allactaginae Genus: Allactaga Euphrates jerboa, Allactaga euphratica LC Subfamily: Dipodinae Genus: Jaculus Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus LC Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis LC Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Deomyinae Genus: Acomys Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus LC Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Gerbillus Cheesman's gerbil, Gerbillus cheesmani LC Wagner's gerbil, Gerbillus dasyurus LC Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi LC Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus LC Large Aden gerbil, Gerbillus poecilops LC Genus: Meriones Arabian jird, Meriones arimalius EN Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC King jird, Meriones rex LC Genus: Psammomys Sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC Genus: Sekeetamys Bushy-tailed jird, Sekeetamys calurus LC Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Apodemus Broad-toothed field mouse, Apodemus mystacinus LC Genus: Arvicanthis African grass rat, Arvicanthis niloticus LC Genus: Myomyscus Yemeni mouse, Myomys yemeni LC Genus: Nesokia Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica LC
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs) Lagomorphs comprise rabbits, hares, and pikas. Unlike rodents, they have four incisors on their upper jaws.
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: Paraechinus Desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus
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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats) Subfamily: Pteropodinae Genus: Eidolon Straw-coloured fruit bat, Eidolon helvum NT Genus: Rousettus Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus LC Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Myotinae Genus: Myotis Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Eptesicus Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae LC Genus: Hypsugo Bodenheimer's pipistrelle, Hypsugo bodenheimeri LC Genus: Nycticeinops Schlieffen's twilight bat, Nycticeinops schlieffeni LC Genus: Otonycteris Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LC Genus: Pipistrellus Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC Genus: Plecotus Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LC Genus: Rhyneptesicus Sind bat, Rhyneptesicus nasutus Subfamily: Miniopterinae Genus: Miniopterus Common bent-wing bat, Miniopterus schreibersii Family: Rhinopomatidae Genus: Rhinopoma Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma cystops Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum LC Family: Molossidae Genus: Chaerephon Nigerian free-tailed bat, Chaerephon nigeriae LC Genus: Mops Midas free-tailed bat, Mops midas LC Genus: Tadarida Egyptian free-tailed bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca LC European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis LC Family: Emballonuridae Genus: Taphozous Egyptian tomb bat, Taphozous perforatus LC Family: Nycteridae Genus: Nycteris Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica LC Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus LC Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros Subfamily: Hipposiderinae Genus: Asellia Patrizi's trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia patrizii VU Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens LC Genus: Hipposideros Ethiopian large-eared roundleaf bat, Hipposideros megalotis NT
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 Subfamily: Balaenopterinae Genus: Balaenoptera Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus ENCarpenter E. K.. 1997. Living Marine Resources of Kuwait, Eastern Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates - Marine Mammals. pp.255-260. The Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved on April 14, 2017 Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni DD Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata ntBaldwin R.. Gallagher M.. Waerebeek V. K..A Review of Cetaceans from Waters off the Arabian Peninsula (pdf). Retrieved on April 14, 2017 Subfamily: Megapterinae Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae CR (Arabian Sea population) Suborder: Odontoceti Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Phocoenidae Genus: Neophocaena Finless porpoise, Neophocaena phocaenoides DD Family: Kogiidae Genus: Kogia Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima LR/lc Family: Ziphiidae Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae Genus: Indopacetus Longman's beaked whale, Indopacetus pacificus DD Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis LR/lc Genus: Tursiops Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DDBabbington J.. 2013. Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin – Offshore Farasan Islands. Birds of Saudi Arabia. Retrieved on April 14, 2017 Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LR/lc Genus: Sousa Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin, Sousa chinensis DD Genus: Stenella Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LR/cd Striped dolphin, Stenella cueruleoalba LR/lc Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LR/cd Genus: Delphinus Common dolphin, Delphinus capensis LR/lc Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD Genus: Feresa Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition. Suborder: Feliformia Family: Felidae (cats) Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Caracal Caracal, Caracal caracal Genus: Felis African wildcat, Felis lybica Sand cat, Felis margarita Subfamily: Pantherinae Genus: Panthera Leopard, Panthera pardus Arabian leopard, Panthera pardus nimr Family: Viverridae Genus: Genetta Common genet, Genetta genetta Family: Herpestidae (mongooses) Subfamily: Herpestinae Genus: Urva Indian grey mongoose, Urva edwardsii Genus: Ichneumia White-tailed mongoose, Ichneumia albacauda Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas) Genus: Hyaena Striped hyena, Hyaena hyaena Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Canis Golden jackal, Canis aureus Gray wolf, Canis lupus Arabian wolf, Canis lupus arabs Genus: Vulpes Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana Rüppell's fox, Vulpes rueppellii Red fox, Vulpes vulpes Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Mellivora Honey badger, Mellivora capensis
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: Antilopinae Genus: Gazella Arabian gazelle, Gazella arabica Arabian sand gazelle, Gazella marica Subfamily: Caprinae Genus: Capra Nubian ibex, Capra nubiana Subfamily: Hippotraginae Genus: Oryx Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx reintroduced
Locally extinct The following species are locally extinct in the country: Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus Onager, Equus hemionus Saudi gazelle, Gazella saudiya Lion, Panthera leo
See also List of chordate orders Lists of mammals by region Mammal classification Wildlife of Saudi Arabia
References
External links