This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Dominican Republic. Of the mammal species in the Dominican Republic, one is critically endangered, one is endangered, three are vulnerable, and ten 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 the early Holocene. 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: 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 threatened.
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: Capromyidae Tribe: Plagiodontini Genus: Plagiodontia Hispaniolan hutia, P. aedium Suborder: Muridae Family: Muridae Genus: Rattus Brown rat, R. norvegicus introduced Black rat, R. rattus introduced Genus: Mus House mouse, M. musculus introduced
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: Solenodontidae Genus: Solenodon Hispaniolan solenodon, S. paradoxus
Order: lagomorpha (rabbits and hares) Lagomorphs can be distinguish by their long ears. Family: Leporidae Genus: Oryctolagus European rabbit, O. cuniculus introduced
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 Genus: Eptesicus Big brown bat, E. fuscus Genus: Lasiurus Minor red bat, L. minor Family: Noctilionidae Genus: Noctilio Greater bulldog bat, N. leporinus Family: Molossidae Genus: Molossus Velvety free-tailed bat, M. molossus Genus: Nyctinomops Big free-tailed bat, N. macrotis Genus: Tadarida Mexican free-tailed bat, T. brasiliensis Family: Mormoopidae Genus: Mormoops Antillean ghost-faced bat, M. blainvillei Genus: Pteronotus Parnell's mustached bat, P. parnellii Sooty mustached bat, P. quadridens Family: Phyllostomidae Subfamily: Phyllostominae Genus: Macrotus Waterhouse's leaf-nosed bat, M. waterhousii Genus: Erophylla Brown flower bat, E. bombifrons Subfamily: Brachyphyllinae Genus: Brachyphylla Cuban fruit-eating bat, B. nana Subfamily: Phyllonycterinae Genus: Phyllonycteris Cuban flower bat, P. poeyi Subfamily: Glossophaginae Genus: Monophyllus Leach's single leaf bat, M. redmani Subfamily: Stenodermatinae Genus: Artibeus Jamaican fruit bat, A. jamaicensis Genus: Phyllops Cuban fig-eating bat, P. falcatus Family: Natalidae Genus: Chilonatalus Cuban funnel-eared bat, C. micropus Genus: Natalus Hispaniolan greater funnel-eared bat, N. major
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, B. acutorostrata Sei whale, B. borealis Bryde's whale, B. brydei Blue whale, B. musculus Fin whale, B. physalus Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, M. novaeangliae Suborder: Odontoceti Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, D. delphis Genus: Feresa Pygmy killer whale, F. attenuata Genus: Globicephala Short-finned pilot whale, G. macrorhyncus Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, G. griseus Genus: Lagenodelphis Fraser's dolphin, L. hosei Genus: Orcinus Killer whale, O. orca Genus: Peponocephala Melon-headed whale, P. electra Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, P. crassidens Genus: Stenella Pantropical spotted dolphin, S. attenuata Clymene dolphin, S. clymene Striped dolphin, S. coeruleoalba Atlantic spotted dolphin, S. frontalis Spinner dolphin, S. longirostris Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, S. bredanensis Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, T. truncatus Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, P. macrocephalus Family: Kogiidae (dwarf sperm whales) Genus: Kogia Pygmy sperm whale, K. breviceps Dwarf sperm whale, K. sima Superfamily Ziphioidea Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales) Genus: Mesoplodon Blainville's beaked whale, M. densirostris Gervais' beaked whale, M. europaeus Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Z. 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. Family: Canidae Genus: Canis Feral dog, C. familiaris introduced Family: Procyonidae Genus: Procyon Common raccoon, P. lotor introduced to Isla Catalina. Possibly native but extirpatated from the mainland possibly since 1513 Family: Phocidae Genus Cystophora Hooded seal, C. cristata occasional visitor Genus: Neomonachus Caribbean monk seal, N. tropicalis Family: Felidae Genus: Felis Feral cat, F. catus introduced Family: Herpestidae Genus: Urva Small Indian mongoose, U. auropunctata introduced
Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) Odd-toed ungulates are herbivorous, hoofed mammals distinguished by an odd number of toes on each foot. They bear the majority of their weight on the middle (third) digit. Today, this group is represented by only three living families: horses (one toe), rhinoceroses (three toes), and tapirs (four toes in front, three in back). Family: Equidae Genus: Equus Feral donkey, E. asinus introduced (extirpated in 2017)
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 Family Suidae (pigs) Genus: Sus Wild boar, S. scrofa introduced Family Bovidae (bovines) Genus: Bos Feral cattle, B. taurus introduced (multiple introductions, all ended in extirpation. The first started in the 1600s and ended in the early 20th century. The second introduction happened at Valle Nuevo in the mid-1930s and ended in late 2023. The third introduction happened in late 2004 and were extirpated in 2017.) Genus: Capra Feral goat, C. hircus introduced
Pre-Columbian extinctions The following species went extinct before or a few years after human arrival Hispaniolan edible rat, Brotomys voratus 1670 Wide-toothed hutia, Hyperplagiodontia araeum 1500s Samaná hutia, Plagiodontia ipnaeum 1600s Small Haitian hutia, Plagiodontia spelaeum 1500s Lemke's hutia, Rhizoplagiodontia lemkei 1500s Montane hutia, Isolobodon montanus 1600s Puerto Rican hutia, Isolobodon portoricensis 1600s Imposter hutia, Hexolobodon phenax 1500s Twisted-toothed mouse, Quemisia gravis 1500s Atalaye nesophontes, Nesophontes hypomicrus 1600s Western Cuban nesophontes, Nesophontes micrus 1650 St. Michel nesophontes, Nesophontes paramicrus 1500s Haitian nesophontes, Nesophontes zamicrus 1500s Marcano's solenodon, Solenodon marcanoi 1500s Hispaniola monkey, Antillothrix bernensis 1600s Large Hispaniolan sloth, Megalocnus ziliz 1000 BC Dominican flat-nosed sloth, Acratocnus simorhynchus Borroto-Páez, R., Mancina, C. A., Woods, C. A., & Kilpatrick, C. W. (2012) Updated checklist of endemic terrestrial mammals of the West Indies. In: Borroto-Páez, R., Woods, C.A., Sergile, F.E. (eds) Terrestrial mammals of the West Indies: Contributions. Wacahoota Press/ University of Vermont, Burlington. 1000 BC Haitian giant sloth, Parocnus dominicanus 1000 BC Curved-tooth sloth, Parocnus serus 1000 BC Antillean tree sloth, Neocnus comes 1000 BC Major's tree sloth, Neocnus dousmanis 1000 BC
See also List of chordate orders Lists of mammals by region Mammal classification
Notes
References