This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Panama. Among the mammals in Panama, two are classified as critically endangered, seven are endangered, eleven are vulnerable and three are near threatened. One species is classified as 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 according to assessment done 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.
In the table below, the species were assessed by using an older set of criteria. Species assessed using this system are classified as 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: Metatheria
Order: Didelphimorphia (common opossums)
Didelphimorphia is the order of common opossums of the Western Hemisphere. Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late Cretaceous or early Paleocene. They are small to medium-sized marsupials, about the size of a large house cat, with a long snout and prehensile tail.
Family: Didelphidae (American opossums) Subfamily: Caluromyinae Genus: Caluromys Derby's woolly opossum, C. derbianus LC Subfamily: Didelphinae Genus: Chironectes Water opossum, Chironectes minimus LR/nt Genus: Didelphis Common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis LR/lc Genus: Marmosa Alston's mouse opossum, Marmosa alstoni LR/nt Isthmian mouse opossum, Marmosa isthmica Mexican mouse opossum, Marmosa mexicana LR/lc Robinson's mouse opossum, Marmosa robinsoni LR/lc Genus: Marmosops Panama slender opossum, Marmosops invictus LR/nt Genus: Metachirus Brown four-eyed opossum, Metachirus nudicaudatus LR/lc Genus: Monodelphis Sepia short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis adusta LR/lc Genus: Philander Gray four-eyed opossum, Philander opossum LR/lc
Infraclass: Eutheria
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: Cingulata (armadillos)
Armadillos are small mammals with a bony armored shell. Two of twenty-one extant species are still present in Panama; the remainder are only found in South America, where they originated. Their much larger relatives, the pampatheres and glyptodonts, once lived in North and South America but went extinct following the appearance of humans.
Family: Dasypodidae (long-nosed armadillos) Subfamily: Dasypodinae Genus: Dasypus Nine-banded armadillo, D. novemcinctus Family: Chlamyphoridae (armadillos) Subfamily: Tolypeutinae Genus: Cabassous Northern naked-tailed armadillo, C. centralis
Order: Pilosa (anteaters, sloths and tamanduas)
The order Pilosa is extant only in the Americas and includes the anteaters, sloths, and tamanduas.
Suborder: Folivora Family: Bradypodidae (three-toed sloths) Genus: Bradypus Pygmy three-toed sloth, B. pygmaeus Brown-throated three-toed sloth, B. variegatus Family: Choloepodidae (two-toed sloths) Genus: Choloepus Hoffmann's two-toed sloth, C. hoffmanni Suborder: Vermilingua Family: Cyclopedidae Genus: Cyclopes Silky anteater, C. didactylus Central American silky anteater, C. dorsalis Family: Myrmecophagidae (American anteaters) Genus: Myrmecophaga Giant anteater, M. tridactyla Genus: Tamandua Northern tamandua, T. mexicana
Order: Primates
The order Primates includes humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes. All the non-human Panamanian primates are New World monkeys.
Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Platyrrhini (New World monkeys) Family: Aotidae Genus: Aotus Panamanian night monkey, Aotus zonalis DD – may be a subspecies of gray-bellied night monkey, Aotus lemurinus VU Family: Cebidae Subfamily: Callitrichinae Genus: Saguinus Geoffroy's tamarin, Saguinus geoffroyi LC Subfamily: Cebinae Genus: Cebus Colombian white-faced capuchin, Cebus capucinus LC Panamanian white-faced capuchin, Cebus imitator LC Genus: Saimiri Central American squirrel monkey, Saimiri oerstedii VU Family: Atelidae Subfamily: Alouattinae Genus: Alouatta Mantled howler, Alouatta palliata LC Coiba Island howler, Alouatta coibensis EN Subfamily: Atelinae Genus: Ateles Black-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps) CR Geoffroy's spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi EN
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 unlike the capybara which can weigh up to .
Suborder: Hystricognathi Family: Erethizontidae (New World porcupines) Subfamily: Erethizontinae Genus: Coendou Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, Coendou mexicanus LR/lc Rothschild's porcupine, Coendou rothschildi LR/lc Andean porcupine, Coendou quichua LR/dd Family: Caviidae (guinea pigs) Subfamily: Hydrochoerinae (capybaras and rock cavies) Genus: Hydrochoerus Lesser capybara, Hydrochoerus isthmius LR/dd Family: Dasyproctidae (agoutis and pacas) Genus: Dasyprocta Coiban agouti, Dasyprocta coibae EN Central American agouti, Dasyprocta punctata LR/lc Family: Cuniculidae Genus: Cuniculus Lowland paca, Cuniculus paca LC Family: Echimyidae Subfamily: Echimyinae Genus: Diplomys Rufous soft-furred spiny-rat, Diplomys labilis LR/lc Subfamily: Eumysopinae Genus: Hoplomys Armored rat, Hoplomys gymnurus LR/lc Genus: Proechimys Tome's spiny-rat, Proechimys semispinosus LR/lc Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Sciurinae Tribe: Sciurini Genus: Microsciurus Central American dwarf squirrel, Microsciurus alfari LR/lc Western dwarf squirrel, Microsciurus mimulus LR/lc Genus: Sciurus Red-tailed squirrel, Sciurus granatensis LR/lc Variegated squirrel, Sciurus variegatoides LR/lc Genus: Syntheosciurus Bangs's mountain squirrel, Syntheosciurus brochus LR/nt Family: Geomyidae Genus: Orthogeomys Chiriqui pocket gopher, Orthogeomys cavator LR/lc Darien pocket gopher, Orthogeomys dariensis LR/lc Family: Heteromyidae Subfamily: Heteromyinae Genus: Heteromys Panamanian spiny pocket mouse, Heteromys adspersus LR/nt Southern spiny pocket mouse, Heteromys australis LR/lc Desmarest's spiny pocket mouse, Heteromys desmarestianus LR/lc Family: Cricetidae Subfamily: Tylomyinae Genus: Nyctomys Sumichrast's vesper rat, Nyctomys sumichrasti LR/lc Genus: Tylomys Fulvous-bellied climbing rat, Tylomys fulviventer LR/nt Panamanian climbing rat, Tylomys panamensis VU Watson's climbing rat, Tylomys watsoni LR/lc Subfamily: Neotominae Genus: Isthmomys Yellow isthmus rat, Isthmomys flavidus LR/lc Mount Pirri isthmus rat, Isthmomys pirrensis LR/nt Genus: Peromyscus Mexican deer mouse, Peromyscus mexicanus LR/lc Genus: Reithrodontomys Chiriqui harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys creper LR/lc Darien harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys darienensis LR/lc Mexican harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys mexicanus LR/lc Sumichrast's harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys sumichrasti LR/lc Genus: Scotinomys Alston's brown mouse, Scotinomys teguina LR/lc Chiriqui brown mouse, Scotinomys xerampelinus LR/lc Subfamily: Sigmodontinae Genus: Ichthyomys Tweedy's crab-eating rat, Ichthyomys tweedii LR/lc Genus: Melanomys Dusky rice rat, Melanomys caliginosus LR/lc Genus: Neacomys Painted bristly mouse, Neacomys pictus LR/nt Genus: Oecomys Bicolored arboreal rice rat, Oecomys bicolor LR/lc Trinidad arboreal rice rat, Oecomys trinitatis LR/lc Genus: Oligoryzomys Fulvous pygmy rice rat, Oligoryzomys fulvescens LR/lc Sprightly pygmy rice rat, Oligoryzomys vegetus LR/nt Genus: Oryzomys Tomes's rice rat, Oryzomys albigularis LR/lc Alfaro's rice rat, Oryzomys alfaroi LR/lc Bolivar rice rat, Oryzomys bolivaris LR/lc Coues' rice rat, Oryzomys couesi LR/lc Boquete rice rat, Oryzomys devius LR/lc Talamancan rice rat, Oryzomys talamancae LR/lc Genus: Rheomys Goldman's water mouse, Rheomys raptor LR/lc Underwood's water mouse, Rheomys underwoodi LR/lc Genus: Rhipidomys Broad-footed climbing mouse, Rhipidomys scandens VU Genus: Sigmodon Southern cotton rat, Sigmodon hirsutus LC Genus: Sigmodontomys Alfaro's rice water rat, Sigmodontomys alfari LR/lc Genus: Zygodontomys Short-tailed cane rat, Zygodontomys brevicauda LR/lc
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs) 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: Sylvilagus Dice's cottontail, Sylvilagus dicei VU Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus LR/lc Central American tapeti, Sylvilagus gabbi LC Northern tapeti, Sylvilagus incitatus NE
Order: Eulipotyphla (shrews, hedgehogs, moles, and solenodons) Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice, hedgehogs carry spines, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Soricidae (shrews) Subfamily: Soricinae Tribe: Blarinini Genus: Cryptotis Enders's small-eared shrew, Cryptotis endersi EN Talamancan small-eared shrew, Cryptotis gracilis VU Blackish small-eared shrew, Cryptotis nigrescens LR/lc North American least shrew, Cryptotis parva LR/lc
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 Lesser bulldog bat, Noctilio albiventris LR/lc Greater bulldog bat, Noctilio leporinus LR/lc Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Myotinae Genus: Myotis Silver-tipped myotis, Myotis albescens LR/lc Hairy-legged myotis, Myotis keaysi LR/lc Black myotis, Myotis nigricans LR/lc Montane myotis, Myotis oxyotus LR/lc Riparian myotis, Myotis riparius LR/lc Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Eptesicus Brazilian brown bat, Eptesicus brasiliensis LR/lc Argentine brown bat, Eptesicus furinalis LR/lc Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus LR/lc Genus: Lasiurus Desert red bat, Lasiurus blossevillii LR/lc Tacarcuna bat, Lasiurus castaneus VU