Ceuta, Melilla and the Plazas de Soberanía are territories under Spanish sovereignty in or off the coast of Northern Africa. Mammals recorded in these territories and their conservation status are listed below. 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.

Subclass: Theria

Infraclass: Eutheria

Order: Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)

Elephant shrews are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa and members of the superorder Afrotheria. Their name derives from their elongated noses resembling the trunks of elephants, to whom they are distantly related.

Family: Macroscelididae Genus: Elephantulus North African elephant shrew, E. rozeti LC

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: Sciurognathi Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Maghreb garden dormouse, Eliomys munbyanus LC Suborder: Myomorpha Family: Cricetidae (hamsters, voles, lemmings) Family: Muridae (mice and rats) Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Dipodillus North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris LC Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Apodemus Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC Genus: Lemniscomys Barbary striped grass mouse, Lemniscomys barbarus LC Genus: Mus House mouse, Mus musculus LR/lc Algerian mouse, Mus spretus LC Genus: Rattus Black rat, Rattus rattus LR/lc Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus 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: Oryctolagus European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus LR/lc VU Genus: Lepus Moroccan hare, Lepus schlumbergheriRomán, J., Matutano, J., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, E. J., Rouco, C., Calzada, J., & Palomo, L. J. (2025). Las especies de mamíferos terrestres de Ceuta y Melilla (España, norte de África): una revisión histórica y reciente. Galemys, 37, 1-7.

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, Atelerix algirus LR/lc

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 Greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula LC Whitaker's shrew, Crocidura whitakeri 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.

Suborder: Microchiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Myotinae Genus: Myotis Long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii VU Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus VU Felten's myotis, Myotis punicus DD Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Barbastella Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus VU Genus: Eptesicus Mediterranean serotine bat Eptesicus isabellinus DDSpecies identified only by molecular data. Morphology is identical to E. serotinus. Palomo, L.J. et al. (2007) Atlas y Libro Rojo de los Mamíferos Terrestres de España. Dirección General para la Biodiversidad-SECEM-SECEMU, Madrid, 588 pp. Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus LR/lc Genus: Hypsugo Savi's pipistrelle, Hypsugo savii LR/lc Genus: Nyctalus Greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus LR/nt Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt Genus: Pipistrellus Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC Subfamily: Miniopterinae Genus: Miniopterus Schreibers' long-fingered bat, Miniopterus schreibersii LC VU Family: Molossidae Genus: Tadarida European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis LR/lc NT Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale VU Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum NT Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC NT Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi VU EN

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 (rorquals) Genus: Balaenoptera Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LR/l Genus: Feresa Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD Genus: Globicephala Pilot whale, Globicephala melas LR/lc Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD Genus: Orcinus Orca, Orcinus orca LR/cd Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens LR/lc Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LR/lc Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises) Genus: Phocoena Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales) Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD

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: Viverridae (civets) Subfamily: Viverrinae Genus: Genetta Common genet, Genetta genetta LR/lc Family: Herpestidae (mongooses) Genus: Herpestes Egyptian mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon LR/lc Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Vulpes Red fox, Vulpes vulpes LC Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Mustela Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LR/lc Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Monachus Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus CR

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) Subfamily: Suinae Genus: Sus Wild boar, Sus scrofa LR/lc North African boar, Sus scrofa algira

Locally extinct

The following species are locally extinct in the area but continue to exist elsewhere: African wolf, Canis lupasterPalomo, L. J., Gisbert, J., & Blanco, J. C. (Eds.). (2007). Atlas y libro rojo de los mamíferos terrestres de España. Madrid: Organismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionales. Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis African wildcat, Felis lybica LC Crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata LC

See also List of chordate orders Lists of mammals by region List of prehistoric mammals Mammal classification List of mammals described in the 2000s

Notes

References

Palomo, L.J. et al. (2007) Atlas y Libro Rojo de los Mamíferos Terrestres de España. Dirección General para la Biodiversidad-SECEM-SECEMU, Madrid, 588pp. Purroy, F.J. and Varela, J.M. (2003) Guía de los Mamíferos de España. Península, Baleares y Canarias. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.