This is a list of the native mammal species recorded in Argentina. As of January 2020, the list contains 402 mammal species from Argentina, of which one is extinct, seven are critically endangered, seventeen are endangered, sixteen are vulnerable, and thirty are near threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; those on the left are used here, those in the second column in some other articles:
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 population well outside its historic range. CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent danger of extinction in the wild. EN Endangered The species is facing a very 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 qualify as being at high risk of extinction but is likely to do so in the future. LC Least concern The species is not currently at risk of extinction in the wild. DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to assess the risk of extinction for this species. NE Not evaluated The conservation status of the species has not been studied.
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Metatheria
Superorder: Ameridelphia
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 Brown-eared woolly opossum, C. lanatus LC Subfamily: Didelphinae Genus: Chacodelphys Chacoan pygmy opossum, Chacodelphys formosa NT Genus: Chironectes Water opossum, Chironectes minimus LC Genus: Cryptonanus Chacoan gracile opossum, Cryptonanus chacoensis LC Red-bellied gracile opossum, Cryptonanus ignitus Genus: Didelphis White-eared opossum, Didelphis albiventris LC Big-eared opossum, Didelphis aurita LC Genus: Gracilinanus Agile gracile opossum, Gracilinanus agilis LC Brazilian gracile opossum, Gracilinanus microtarsus LC Genus: Lestodelphys Patagonian opossum, Lestodelphys halli LC Genus: Lutreolina Big lutrine opossum, Lutreolina crassicaudata LC Massoia's lutrine opossum, Lutreolina massoia LC Genus: Marmosa Subgenus: Micoureus White-bellied woolly mouse opossum, Marmosa constantiae LC Tate's woolly mouse opossum, Marmosa paraguayana LC Genus: Metachirus Brown four-eyed opossum, Metachirus nudicaudatus LC Genus: Monodelphis Yellow-sided opossum, Monodelphis dimidiata LC Gray short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica LC Pygmy short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis kunsi LC Long-nosed short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis scalops LC Southern red-sided opossum, Monodelphis sorex LC One-striped opossum, Monodelphis unistriata CR Genus: Philander Southeastern four-eyed opossum, Philander frenata LC Genus: Thylamys Cinderella fat-tailed mouse opossum, Thylamys cinderella LC Elegant fat-tailed mouse opossum, Thylamys elegans LC White-bellied fat-tailed mouse opossum, Thylamys pallidior LC Common fat-tailed mouse opossum, Thylamys pusillus LC Argentine fat-tailed mouse opossum, Thylamys sponsorius LC Buff-bellied fat-tailed mouse opossum, Thylamys venustus DD
Order: Paucituberculata (shrew opossums) There are six extant species of shrew opossum. They are small shrew-like marsupials confined to the Andes. Family: Caenolestidae Genus: Rhyncholestes Long-nosed caenolestid, Rhyncholestes raphanurus NT
Superorder: Australidelphia
Order: Microbiotheria (monito del monte) The monito del monte is the only extant member of its family and the only surviving member of an ancient order, Microbiotheria. It appears to be more closely related to Australian marsupials than to other Neotropic marsupials; this is a reflection of the South American origin of all Australasian marsupials.
Family: Microbiotheriidae Genus: Dromiciops Monito del monte, D. gliroides
Infraclass: Eutheria
Superorder: Xenarthra
Order: Cingulata (armadillos) Armadillos are small mammals with a bony armored shell. There are 21 extant species in the Americas, 19 of which 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 became extinct following the appearance of humans.
Family: Dasypodidae (long-nosed armadillos) Subfamily: Dasypodinae Genus: Dasypus Southern long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus hybridus NT Nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus LC Seven-banded armadillo, Dasypus septemcinctus LC Yepes's mulita, Dasypus yepesi DD Family: Chlamyphoridae (armadillos) Subfamily Chlamyphorinae Genus: Calyptophractus Greater fairy armadillo, Calyptophractus retusus DD Genus: Chlamyphorus Pink fairy armadillo, Chlamyphorus truncatus DD Subfamily: Euphractinae Genus: Chaetophractus Andean hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus nationi NE Screaming hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus vellerosus LC Big hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus villosus LC Genus: Euphractus Six-banded armadillo, Euphractus sexcinctus LC Genus: Zaedyus Pichi, Zaedyus pichiy NT Subfamily: Tolypeutinae Genus: Cabassous Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo, Cabassous chacoensis NT Greater naked-tailed armadillo, Cabassous tatouay LC Genus: Priodontes Giant armadillo, Priodontes maximus VU Genus: Tolypeutes Southern three-banded armadillo, Tolypeutes matacus NT
Order: Pilosa (anteaters, sloths and tamanduas)
The order Pilosa is extant only in the Americas and includes the anteaters, sloths, and tamanduas. Their ancestral home is South America. Numerous ground sloths, some of which reached the size of elephants, were once present in both North and South America, as well as on the Antilles, but all went extinct following the arrival of humans.
Suborder: Folivora Family: Bradypodidae (three-toed sloths) Genus: Bradypus Brown-throated sloth, Bradypus variegatus LC possibly extirpated Suborder: Vermilingua Family: Myrmecophagidae (American anteaters) Genus: Myrmecophaga Giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla VU Genus: Tamandua Southern tamandua, Tamandua tetradactyla LC
Superorder: Euarchontoglires
Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.
Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Platyrrhini Family: Cebidae Subfamily: Cebinae Genus: Sapajus Black-striped capuchin, Sapajus libidinosus NT Black capuchin, Sapajus nigritus NT Family: Aotidae Genus: Aotus Azara's night monkey, Aotus azarae LC Family: Atelidae Subfamily: Alouattinae Genus: Alouatta Black howler, Alouatta caraya LC Brown howler, Alouatta guariba LC
Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent 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 45 kg (100 lb).
Suborder: Hystricomorpha Family: Erethizontidae (New World porcupines) Subfamily: Erethizontinae Genus: Coendou Bicolored-spined porcupine, Coendou bicolor LC Brazilian porcupine, Coendou prehensilis LC Paraguaian hairy dwarf porcupine, Coendou spinosus LC Family: Chinchillidae (viscachas and chinchillas) Genus: Chinchilla Short-tailed chinchilla, Chinchilla chinchilla EN Genus: Lagidium Southern viscacha, Lagidium viscacia LC Wolffsohn's viscacha, Lagidium wolffsohni DD Genus: Lagostomus Plains viscacha, Lagostomus maximus LC Family: Caviidae (guinea pigs) Subfamily: Caviinae Genus: Cavia Brazilian guinea pig, Cavia aperea LC Montane guinea pig, Cavia tschudii LC Genus: Galea Common yellow-toothed cavy, Galea musteloides LC Genus: Microcavia Southern mountain cavy, Microcavia australis LC Shipton's mountain cavy, Microcavia shiptoni NT Subfamily: Dolichotinae Genus: Dolichotis Patagonian mara, Dolichotis patagonum NT Chacoan mara, Dolichotis salinicola LC Subfamily: Hydrochoerinae (capybaras and rock cavies) Genus: Hydrochoerus Capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris LC Family: Dasyproctidae (agoutis and pacas) Genus: Dasyprocta Azara's agouti, Dasyprocta azarae DD Central American agouti, Dasyprocta punctata LC Family: Cuniculidae Genus: Cuniculus Lowland paca, Cuniculus paca LC Family: Ctenomyidae Genus: Ctenomys Argentine tuco-tuco, Ctenomys argentinus NT Southern tuco-tuco, Ctenomys australis EN Azara's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys azarae EN Berg's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys bergi EN Bolivian tuco-tuco, Ctenomys boliviensis LC Bonetto's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys bonettoi EN Budin's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys budini NE Colburn's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys colburni DD Puntilla tuco-tuco, Ctenomys coludo DD Conover's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys conoveri LC D'Orbigny's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys dorbignyi NT Emily's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys emilianus LC Famatina tuco-tuco, Ctenomys famosus DD Foch's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys fochi DD Lago Blanco tuco-tuco, Ctenomys fodax DD Reddish tuco-tuco, Ctenomys frater LC Tawny tuco-tuco, Ctenomys fulvus DD Haig's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys haigi LC San Juan tuco-tuco, Ctenomys johannis DD Jujuy tuco-tuco, Ctenomys juris DD Catamarca tuco-tuco, Ctenomys knighti DD Mottled tuco-tuco, Ctenomys latro EN Magellanic tuco-tuco, Ctenomys magellanicus LC Maule tuco-tuco, Ctenomys maulinus LC Mendoza tuco-tuco, Ctenomys mendocinus LC Tiny tuco-tuco, Ctenomys minutus DD Furtive tuco-tuco, Ctenomys occultus EN Highland tuco-tuco, Ctenomys opimus LC Reig's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys osvaldoreigi CR Goya tuco-tuco, Ctenomys perrensis LC San Luis tuco-tuco, Ctenomys pontifex DD Porteous's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys porteousi NT Pundt's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys pundti EN Rio Negro tuco-tuco, Ctenomys rionegrensis EN Roig's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys roigi CR Salta tuco-tuco, Ctenomys saltarius DD Scaglia's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys scagliai DD Silky tuco-tuco, Ctenomys sericeus DD Social tuco-tuco, Ctenomys sociabilis CR Forest tuco-tuco, Ctenomys sylvanus DD Talas tuco-tuco, Ctenomys talarum LC Collared tuco-tuco, Ctenomys torquatus LC Robust tuco-tuco, Ctenomys tuconax DD Tucuman tuco-tuco, Ctenomys tucumanus DD Sierra Tontal tuco-tuco, Ctenomys tulduco DD Strong tuco-tuco, Ctenomys validus DD Vipos tuco-tuco, Ctenomys viperinus DD Yolanda's tuco-tuco, Ctenomys yolandae DD Family: Octodontidae Genus: Aconaemys Chilean rock rat, Aconaemys fuscus LC Sage's rock rat, Aconaemys sagei DD Genus: Octodon Bridges's degu, Octodon bridgesi VU Genus: Octodontomys Mountain degu, Octodontomys gliroides LC Genus: Octomys Mountain viscacha rat, Octomys mimax LC Genus: Pipanacoctomys Golden viscacha rat, Pipanacoctomys aureus CR Genus: Tympanoctomys Plains viscacha rat, Tympanoctomys barrerae NT Kirchner's viscacha rat, Tympanoctomys kirchnerorum DD Chalchalero viscacha rat, Tympanoctomys loschalchalerosorum CR Family: Abrocomidae Genus: Abrocoma Budin's chinchilla rat, Abrocoma budini DD Ashy chinchilla rat, Abrocoma cinerea LC Famatina chinchilla rat, Abrocoma famatina DD Sierra del Tontal chinchilla rat, Abrocoma shistacea LC Uspallata chinchilla rat, Abrocoma uspallata DD Punta de Vacas chinchilla rat, Abrocoma vaccarum DD Family: Echimyidae Subfamily: Dactylomyinae Genus: Kannabateomys Atlantic bamboo rat, Kannabateomys amblyonyx LC Subfamily: Eumysopinae Genus: Euryzygomatomys Fischer's guiara, Euryzygomatomys spinosus LC Family: Myocastoridae (coypus) Genus: Myocastor Coypu, Myocastor coypus LC
Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Castoridae (beavers) Genus: Castor American beaver, C. canadensis introduced Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Sciurinae Tribe: Sciurini Genus: Sciurus Brazilian squirrel, Sciurus aestuans LC