This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Morocco. There are 118 mammal species in Morocco, of which three are extinct, three are critically endangered, seven are endangered, thirteen are vulnerable, five are near threatened, and one 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 Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout, which is vaguely similar to the trunk of an elephant (to whom they are distantly related) and their resemblance to the true shrews.
Family: Macroscelididae (elephant shrews) Genus: Elephantulus North African elephant shrew, E. rozeti
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, P. capensis The Status of Biological Resources in Morocco
Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes. Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys) Subfamily: Cercopithecinae Genus: Macaca Barbary macaque, M. sylvanus
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) Subfamily: Hystricinae Genus: Hystrix Crested porcupine, H. cristata Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Xerinae Tribe: Xerini Genus: Atlantoxerus Barbary ground squirrel, Atlantoxerus getulus Genus: Xerus Striped ground squirrel, Xerus erythropus Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Dipodinae Genus: Jaculus Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Maghreb garden dormouse, Eliomys munbyanus Family: Muridae (mice, rats, gerbils) Subfamily: Deomyinae Genus: Acomys Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus Chudeau's spiny mouse, Acomys chudeaui Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Dipodillus North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris Genus: Gerbillus Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi Western gerbil, Gerbillus hesperinus Hoogstraal's gerbil, Gerbillus hoogstraali Greater short-tailed gerbil, Gerbillus maghrebi Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus Occidental gerbil, Gerbillus occiduus Lesser short-tailed gerbil, Gerbillus simoni Tarabul's gerbil, Gerbillus tarabuli Genus: Meriones Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus Moroccan jird, Meriones grandis Libyan jird, Meriones libycus Shaw's jird, Meriones shawi Genus: Pachyuromys Fat-tailed gerbil, Pachyuromys duprasi Genus: Psammomys Fat sand rat, Psammomys obesus Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Apodemus Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus Genus: Lemniscomys Barbary striped grass mouse, Lemniscomys barbarus Genus: Mastomys Guinea multimammate mouse, Mastomys erythroleucus Genus: Mus House mouse, M. musculus Algerian mouse, M. spretus Genus: Rattus Black rat, R. rattus introduced Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus introduced Family: Ctenodactylidae Genus: Ctenodactylus Common gundi, Ctenodactylus gundi Val's gundi, Ctenodactylus vali
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: Lepus Cape hare, L. capensis African savanna hare, L. victoriae Genus: Oryctolagus European rabbit, O. cuniculus
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, A. algirus Genus: Paraechinus Desert hedgehog, P. 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 Mauritanian shrew, C. lusitania Greater white-toothed shrew, C. russula Saharan shrew, C. tarfayensis Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens Savanna path shrew, C. viaria Whitaker's shrew, C. whitakeri Genus: Suncus Etruscan shrew, S. 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 Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus Zenati myotis, M. zenatius Felten's myotis, M. punicus Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Barbastella Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus Genus: Eptesicus Serotine bat, E. serotinus Genus: Hypsugo Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii Genus: Nyctalus Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus Lesser noctule, N. leisleri Genus: Otonycteris Desert long-eared bat, O. hemprichii Genus: Pipistrellus Egyptian pipistrelle, P. deserti Kuhl's pipistrelle, P. kuhlii Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus Rüppell's pipistrelle, P. rueppelli Genus: Plecotus Mediterranean long-eared bat, P. kolombatovici 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 Greater mouse-tailed bat, R. microphyllum Family: Molossidae Genus: Tadarida Egyptian free-tailed bat, T. aegyptiaca European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis Family: Emballonuridae Genus: Taphozous Naked-rumped tomb bat, T. nudiventris Family: Nycteridae Genus: Nycteris Egyptian slit-faced bat, N. thebaica Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Blasius's horseshoe bat, R. blasii Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi Subfamily: Hipposiderinae Genus: Asellia Trident leaf-nosed bat, A. tridens Genus: Hipposideros Sundevall's roundleaf bat, H. caffer
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: Balaenidae (right whales) Genus: Eubalaena North Atlantic right whale, E. glacialis Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals) Genus: Balaenoptera Northern minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaengliae Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae (pilot whales and dolphins) Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis Genus: Globicephala Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus Genus: Lagenodelphis Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei Genus: Orcinus Orca, Orcinus orca Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens Genus: Feresa Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus Family: Kogiidae (small sperm whales) Genus: Kogia Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises) Genus: Phocoena Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales) Genus: Hyperoodon Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus Genus: Mesoplodon Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus 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 Sand cat, F. margarita presence uncertain Genus: Leptailurus Serval, L. serval 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 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 European otter, L. lutra Genus: Mellivora Honey badger, M. capensis Genus: Mustela Least weasel, M. nivalis European polecat, M. putorius Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Monachus Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus presence uncertain
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)