List of mammals of the Balearic Islands

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All three land mammal species once endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain (the Majorcan giant dormouse, the Balearic shrew and the goat-like ruminant Myotragus balearicus ) are currently extinct, [1] while those presently found on the archipelago have been introduced voluntarily or accidentally by humans in colonization waves beginning in the Neolithic. [2] [3]

Contents

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

EXExtinctNo reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EWExtinct in the wildKnown only to survive in captivity or as a naturalised population well outside its previous range.
CRCritically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
ENEndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VUVulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NTNear threatenedThe species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to in the future.
LCLeast concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DDData deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus01.jpg
Garden dormouse
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus (Sardinia).jpg
Wood mouse

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 45 kg (99 lb).

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus 1a.JPG
European rabbit

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.

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

North African Hedgehog Atelerix algirus.jpg
North African Hedgehog

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.

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

Lesser white-toothed shrew Gartenspitzmaus.jpg
Lesser white-toothed shrew

The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout bodied burrowers.

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

European free-tailed bat Tadarida Teniotis263.JPG
European free-tailed bat
Lesser horseshoe bat Bat(20070605).jpg
Lesser horseshoe bat
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis.jpg
Greater mouse-eared bat

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.

Order: Cetacea (whales)

Humpback whale Humpback Whale underwater shot.jpg
Humpback whale
Short-beaked common dolphin and calf Delphinus delphis with calf.jpg
Short-beaked common dolphin and calf
Sperm whale and calf Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg
Sperm whale and calf

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.

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

Common genet Common Genet (Genetta genetta) (7076892781).jpg
Common genet

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

A boc or Majorcan feral goat Far de Formentor Mallorca msu 2018-4361.jpg
A boc or Majorcan feral goat

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.

Locally extinct

Mediterranean monk seal To blemma tes phokias.jpg
Mediterranean monk seal

The following species are locally extinct in the area but continue to exist elsewhere:

Notes

  1. ↑ Bover, Pere; Alcover, Josep A.; Michaux, Jacques J.; Hautier, Lionel; Hutterer, Rainer (2010). Goswami, Anjali. ed. "Body Shape and Life Style of the Extinct Balearic Dormouse Hypnomys (Rodentia, Gliridae): New Evidence from the Study of Associated Skeletons". PLoS ONE 5 (12): e15817. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0015817. PMC   3013122. PMID   21209820.
  2. ↑ Alcover, Josep Antoni (1980) "Note on the origin of the present mammalian fauna from the Balearic and Pityusic Islands". Misc. Zool., 6: 141-149
  3. ↑ The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 9 January 2013 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN where no Wikipedia article was available.
  4. ↑ Palomo, 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.

References

See also

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