List of mammals in Tunisia

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Tunisia. There are 84 mammal species in Tunisia, of which 3 are critically endangered, 3 are endangered, 9 are vulnerable, and 2 are near-threatened.1 of the species listed for Tunisia 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 Institute, 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 IUCN:

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:

ubclass: Theria

Infraclass: Eutheria

Order: Macroscelidea (elephant-shrews)

----

Often called sengisi, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews.

**Family: Macroscelididae (elephant-shrews)
****Genus: Elephantulus
***** North African Sengi "Elephantulus rozeti" 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 keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).

*Suborder: Hystricognathi
***Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
*****Genus: Hystrix
****** Crested Porcupine "Hystrix cristata" LC
*Suborder: Sciurognathi
***Family: Gliridae (dormice)
****Subfamily: Leithiinae
*****Genus: Eliomys
****** Asian Garden Dormouse "Eliomys melanurus" LC
***Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
****Subfamily: Dipodinae
*****Genus: Jaculus
****** Lesser Egyptian Jerboa "Jaculus jaculus" LC
****** Greater Egyptian Jerboa "Jaculus orientalis" LC
***Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
****Subfamily: Gerbillinae
*****Genus: Dipodillus
****** North African Gerbil "Dipodillus campestris" LC
*****Genus: Gerbillus
****** Anderson's Gerbil "Gerbillus andersoni" LR/lc
****** "Gerbillus gerbillus" LC
****** Pygmy Gerbil "Gerbillus henleyi" LC
****** James's Gerbil "Gerbillus jamesi" DD
****** "Gerbillus latastei" DD
****** "Gerbillus nanus" LC
****** "Gerbillus simoni" LC
****** Tarabul's Gerbil "Gerbillus tarabuli" LC
*****Genus: Meriones
****** Libyan Jird "Meriones libycus" LC
****** Shaw's Jird "Meriones shawi" LC
*****Genus: Pachyuromys
****** Fat-tailed Gerbil "Pachyuromys duprasi" LC
*****Genus: Psammomys
****** Sand Rat "Psammomys obesus" LC
****** Thin Sand Rat "Psammomys vexillaris" DD
****Subfamily: Murinae
*****Genus: Apodemus
****** Wood mouse "Apodemus sylvaticus" LC
*****Genus: Lemniscomys
****** Barbary Striped Grass Mouse "Lemniscomys barbarus" LC
*****Genus: Mus
****** Algerian Mouse "Mus spretus" LC
***Family: Ctenodactylidae
****Genus: Ctenodactylus
***** Gundi "Ctenodactylus gundi" 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 twentieth 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 "Lepus capensis" LR/lc
**** African Savanna Hare "Lepus microtis" LR/lc

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
****Genus: Hemiechinus
***** Desert Hedgehog "Hemiechinus aethiopicus" LR/lc

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and soledons)

----The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mmmals. The shrews and soledons 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
****Genus: Suncus
***** Etruscan Shrew "Suncus etruscus" LC

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

----The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

**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: Eptesicus
***** Serotine bat "Eptesicus serotinus" LR/lc
****Genus: Hypsugo
***** Savi's Pipistrelle "Hypsugo savii" LR/lc
****Genus: Otonycteris
***** Desert Long-eared Bat "Otonycteris hemprichii" LR/lc
****Genus: Pipistrellus
***** Kuhl's Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus kuhlii" LC
***** Common Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus pipistrellus" LC
***** RÜppel's Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus rueppelli" LC
****Genus: Plecotus
***** Canary Big-eared Bat "Plecotus teneriffae" DD
***Subfamily: Miniopterinae
****Genus: Miniopterus
***** Schreiber's Long-fingered Bat "Miniopterus schreibersii" LC
**Family: Rhinopomatidae
***Genus: Rhinopoma
**** Lesser Mouse-tailed Bat "Rhinopoma hardwickei" LC
**** Greater Mouse-tailed Bat "Rhinopoma microphyllum" LC
**Family: Nycteridae
***Genus: Nycteris
**** Egyptian Slit-Faced Bat "Nycteris thebaica" LC
**Family: Rhinolophidae
***Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
****Genus: Rhinolophus
***** Blasius's Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus blasii" NT
***** Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus euryale" VU
***** Greater Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus ferrumequinum" LR/nt
***** Lesser horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus hipposideros" LC
***** Mehely's Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus mehelyi" VU
***Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
****Genus: Asellia
***** Trident Leaf-nosed Bat "Asellia tridens" LC

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
****Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
*****Genus: Balaenoptera
****** Fin Whale "Balaenoptera physalus" EN
*Suborder: Odontoceti
**Superfamily: Platanistoidea
***Family: Phocoenidae
****Genus: Phocoena
***** Harbour Porpoise "Phocoena phocoena" VU
***Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
****Genus: Steno
***** Rough-toothed Dolphin "Steno bredanensis" DD
****Genus: Tursiops
***** Bottlenose Dolphin "Tursiops truncatus" DD
****Genus: Delphinus
***** Common dolphin "Delphinus delphis" LR/lc
****Genus: Feresa
***** Pygmy Killer Whale "Feresa attenuata" DD
****Genus: Orcinus
***** Orca "Orcinus orca" LR/cd
****Genus: Globicephala
***** Pilot whale "Globicephala melas" LR/lc

Order: Carnivora (carnivores)

----The carnivores include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. Carnivores 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
***** Wildcat "Felis silvestris" LC
****Genus: Leptailurus
***** Serval "Leptailurus serval" LC
***Subfamily: Pantherinae
****Genus: Panthera
***** Lion "Panthera leo" VU
***** Leopard "Panthera pardus" LC
**Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
***Subfamily: Viverrinae
****Genus: Genetta
***** Common Genet "Genetta genetta" LR/lc
**Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
***Genus: Herpestes
**** Egyptian Mongoose "Herpestes ichneumon" LR/lc
**Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
***Genus: Hyaena
**** Striped Hyena "Hyaena hyaena" LR/nt
*Suborder: Caniformia
**Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
***Genus: Vulpes
**** Rueppell's Fox "Vulpes rueppelli" DD
**** Red Fox "Vulpes vulpes" LC
**** Fennec "Vulpes zerda" DD
***Genus: Canis
**** Golden Jackal "Canis aureus" LC
**Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
***Genus: Ictonyx
**** Saharan Striped Polecat "Ictonyx libyca" LR/lc
***Genus: Lutra
**** European Otter "Lutra lutra" NT
**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
**** Boar "Sus scrofa" LR/lc
*Family: Cervidae (deer)
**Subfamily: Cervinae
***Genus: Cervus
**** Red Deer "Cervus elaphus" LR/lc
*Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
**Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
***Genus: Alcelaphus
**** Hartebeest "Alcelaphus buselaphus" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Antilopinae
***Genus: Gazella
**** Cuvier's Gazelle "Gazella cuvieri" EN
**** Dama Gazelle "Gazella dama" CR
**** Dorcas Gazelle "Gazella dorcas" VU
**** Rhim Gazelle "Gazella leptoceros" EN
**Subfamily: Caprinae
***Genus: Ammotragus
**** Barbary Sheep "Ammotragus lervia" VU
**Subfamily: Hippotraginae
***Genus: Addax
**** Addax "Addax nasomaculatus" CR
***Genus: Oryx
**** Scimitar Oryx "Oryx dammah" EW

Notes

References

*cite web
url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/search.php?kingname=ANIMALIA&phyname=CHORDATA&claname=MAMMALIA&freetext=&modifier=phrase&criteria=wholedb&taxa_species=1&redlistCategory%5B0%5D=all&redlistAssessyear%5B0%5D=all&country%5B0%5D=TN&aquatic%5B0%5D=all&regions%5B0%5D=all&habitats%5B0%5D=all&threats%5B0%5D=all&Submit_x=34&Submit_y=9&extendedResults=0&terrestrial=0&marine=0&freshwater=0&offset=0&sortorder%5B0%5D=spcscientificname&sortorder%5B1%5D=genname&sortorder%5B2%5D=spcname&sortorder%5B3%5D=spcauthor&sortorder%5B4%5D=spcinfrarank&sortorder%5B5%5D=spcinfraepithet&sortorder%5B6%5D=spcinfrarankauthor&sortorder%5B7%5D=spcstockname&sortorder%5B8%5D=comname_comp&sortorder%5B9%5D=rlcabb&sortorder%5B10%5D=rlscriteria&sortorder%5B11%5D=poptrend_code&sortorder%5B12%5D=rlcatcrit2001&sortorder%5B13%5D=spcrecid&sortorder%5B14%5D=kingname&debug=0&taxa_subspc=0&taxa_stock=0&newsort=Genus
title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Tunisia
publisher=IUCN
date=2001
accessdaymonth = 22 May
accessyear=2007
*cite web
url=http://nmnhgoph.si.edu/msw/
title=Mammal Species of the World
publisher=Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
date=2005
accessdaymonth = 22 May
accessyear=2007
*cite web
url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html
title=Animal Diversity Web
publisher=University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
date=1995-2006
accessdaymonth = 22 May
accessyear=2007

ee also

*List of chordate orders
*List of regional mammals lists
*List of prehistoric mammals
*Mammal classification
*New mammal species