This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Mauritania. Of the mammal species in Mauritania, three are critically endangered, nine are vulnerable, and one is near threatened. One of the species listed for Mauritania 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: 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: 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 LC
Order: Proboscidea (elephants)
The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals. Family: Elephantidae (elephants) Genus: Loxodonta African bush elephant, L. africana extirpated
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 African manatee, Trichechus senegalensis VU
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) Genus: Erythrocebus Patas monkey, Erythrocebus patas Genus: Chlorocebus Green monkey, Chlorocebus sabaeus Genus: Papio Olive baboon, Papio anubis Guinea baboon, Papio papio
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 Crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata LC Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Xerinae Tribe: Xerini Genus: Xerus Striped ground squirrel, Xerus erythropus LC Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Dipodinae Genus: Jaculus Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus LC Family: Nesomyidae Subfamily: Cricetomyinae Genus: Cricetomys Gambian pouched rat, Cricetomys gambianus LC Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Deomyinae Genus: Acomys Western Saharan spiny mouse, Acomys airensis LC Chudeau's spiny mouse, Acomys chudeaui LC Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Desmodilliscus Pouched gerbil, Desmodilliscus braueri LC Genus: Dipodillus North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris LC Genus: Gerbillus Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus LC Mauritania gerbil, Gerbillus mauritaniae DD Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus LC Nigerian gerbil, Gerbillus nigeriae LC Greater Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus pyramidum LC Tarabul's gerbil, Gerbillus tarabuli LC Genus: Meriones Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC Genus: Psammomys Fat sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC Genus: Taterillus Robbins's tateril, Taterillus arenarius LC Senegal gerbil, Taterillus pygargus LC Tranieri's tateril, Taterillus tranieri DD Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Arvicanthis African grass rat, Arvicanthis niloticus LC Genus: Mastomys Guinea multimammate mouse, Mastomys erythroleucus LC Hubert's multimammate mouse, Mastomys huberti LC Natal multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis LC Genus: Mus Hausa mouse, Mus haussa LC Family: Ctenodactylidae Genus: Felovia Felou gundi, Felovia vae DD
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. microtis
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 Four-toed hedgehog, Atelerix albiventris 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 Cinderella shrew, Crocidura cinderella LC Savanna shrew, Crocidura fulvastra LC Bicolored musk shrew, Crocidura fuscomurina LC Mauritanian shrew, Crocidura lusitania LC Savanna dwarf shrew, Crocidura nanilla LC Saharan shrew, Crocidura tarfayensis DD Savanna path shrew, Crocidura viaria 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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats) Subfamily: Pteropodinae Genus: Eidolon Straw-coloured fruit bat, Eidolon helvum LC Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Nycticeinops Schlieffen's bat, Nycticeinops schlieffeni LC Genus: Scotophilus White-bellied yellow bat, Scotophilus leucogaster LC Family: Rhinopomatidae Genus: Rhinopoma Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, R. cystops Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum LC Family: Emballonuridae Genus: Taphozous Naked-rumped tomb bat, Taphozous nudiventris LC Egyptian tomb bat, Taphozous perforatus LC Family: Nycteridae Genus: Nycteris Gambian slit-faced bat, Nycteris gambiensis LC Hairy slit-faced bat, Nycteris hispida LC Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica LC Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Rüppell's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus fumigatus LC Subfamily: Hipposiderinae Genus: Asellia Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens LC
Order: Pholidota (pangolins) The order Pholidota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species. Family: Manidae Genus: Manis Giant pangolin, M. gigantea
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 CR (Seen historically) Family: Balaenopteridae Subfamily: Balaenopterinae Genus: Balaenoptera Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata VU Omura's whale, Balaenoptera omurai DD (the first case found in Atlantic oceans)Jung J.-L*., Mullié W.C.*, Van Waerebeek K.*, Wagne M.M., Samba Ould Bilal A., Ould Sidaty Z.A., Toomey L., Méheust E. and Marret, F. (2015) Omura's whale off West Africa: autochthonous population or inter-oceanic vagrant in the Atlantic Ocean? Marine Biology Research. Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera brydei EN Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus EN Subfamily: Megapterinae Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU Suborder: Odontoceti Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Phocoenidae Genus: Phocoena Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU Family: Physeteridae Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU Family: Kogiidae Genus: Kogia Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps DD Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima DD Family: Ziphidae Genus: Mesoplodon Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus DD Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Orcinus Killer whale, Orcinus orca DD Genus: Feresa Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LR/cd Genus: Lagenodelphis Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD Genus: Stenella Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LR/cd Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene DD Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis DD Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LR/cd Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC Genus: Globicephala Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus DD Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD Genus: Peponocephala Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra 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: Acinonyx Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus VU Genus: Caracal Caracal, Caracal caracal LC Genus: Felis African wildcat, F. lybica Sand cat, F. margarita NT Subfamily: Pantherinae Genus: Panthera Lion, P. leo extirpated Leopard, P. pardus extirpated Family: Viverridae Subfamily: Viverrinae Genus: Genetta Common genet, Genetta genetta LC Family: Herpestidae (mongooses) Genus: Herpestes Common slender mongoose, Herpestes sanguineus LC Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas) Genus: Crocuta Spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta LC Genus: Hyaena Striped hyena, Hyaena hyaena NT Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Vulpes Pale fox, Vulpes pallida LC