This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Puerto Rico. These are the mammal species in Puerto Rico, of which one is critically endangered, none are endangered, two are vulnerable, and none are near threatened. Two of the species listed for Puerto Rico are considered to be extinct.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: 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.
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: Trichechidae Genus: Trichechus West Indian manatee, T. manatus
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: Hystricomorpha Family: Echimyidae Subfamily: Heteropsomyinae Genus: Heteropsomys Insular cave rat, H. insulans Subfamily: Isolobodontinae Genus: Isolobodon Puerto Rican hutia, I. portoricensis introduced Suborder: Muridae Family: Muridae Genus: Mus House mouse, M. musculus introduced Genus: Rattus Brown rat, R. norvegicus introduced Black rat, R. rattus introduced
Order: Primates The order Primates includes the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans.
Family: Cercopithecidae Genus: Erythrocebus Common patas monkey, E. patas introducedDe Jong, Y.A., Rylands, A.B. & Butynski, T.M. 2022. Erythrocebus patas (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T174391079A217739569. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T174391079A217739569.en. Accessed on 04 August 2023.
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: Noctilionidae Genus: Noctilio Greater bulldog bat, Noctilio leporinus LR/lc Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Lasiurus Eastern red bat, Lasiurus borealis LR/lc Family: Molossidae Genus: Molossus Velvety free-tailed bat, Molossus molossus LR/lc Genus: Tadarida Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis LR/nt Family: Mormoopidae Genus: Mormoops Antillean ghost-faced bat, Mormoops blainvillii LR/nt Genus: Pteronotus Parnell's mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii LR/lc Sooty mustached bat, Pteronotus quadridens LR/nt Family: Phyllostomidae Subfamily: Phyllostominae Genus: Macrotus Waterhouse's leaf-nosed bat, Macrotus waterhousii extirpated LR/lc Subfamily: Brachyphyllinae Genus: Brachyphylla Antillean fruit-eating bat, Brachyphylla cavernarum LR/lc Subfamily: Phyllonycterinae Genus: Phyllonycteris Puerto Rican flower bat, Phyllonycteris major EX Subfamily: Glossophaginae Genus: Monophyllus Insular single leaf bat, Monophyllus plethodon LC possibly extirpated Puerto Rican long-nosed bat, M. p. prater Leach's single leaf bat, Monophyllus redmani LR/lc Subfamily: Stenodermatinae Genus: Artibeus Jamaican fruit bat, Artibeus jamaicensis LR/lc Genus: Stenoderma Red fruit bat, Stenoderma rufum VU
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 (baleen whales) Genus: Balaenoptera Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera brydei Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae Suborder: Odontoceti Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis DD Genus: Feresa Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD Genus: Globicephala Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus DD Genus: Lagenodelphis Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD Genus: Orcinus Killer whale, Orcinus orca DD Genus: Peponocephala Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra DD Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD Genus: Stenella Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata DD Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene DD Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis DD Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris DD Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter catodon DD Family: Kogiidae (dwarf sperm whales) Genus: Kogia Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps DD Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima DD Superfamily Ziphioidea Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales) Genus: Mesoplodon Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus DD Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus DD Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD
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. Family: Herpestidae Genus: Urva Small Indian mongoose, U. auropunctata introduced Suborder: Pinnipedia Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Cystophora Hooded seal, C. cristata vagrant Genus: Neomonachus Caribbean monk seal, N. tropicalis
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates – hoofed animals – which bear weight equally on two (an even number) of their five toes: the third and fourth. The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or pointing posteriorly. Family: Cervidae Subfamily: Capreolinae Genus: Odocoileus White-tailed deer, O. virginianus introduced
See also
List of chordate orders Lists of mammals by region List of prehistoric mammals Mammal classification List of mammals described in the 2000s
Notes
References