List of mammals in Malta

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Malta. There are 20 mammal species in Malta, of which 1 is critically endangered, 0 are endangered, 0 are vulnerable, and 0 are near-threatened. [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: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

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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 soledons)

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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
**** Sicilian Shrew "Crocidura sicula" LR/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
**** Greater Mouse-eared Bat "Myotis myotis" LR/nt
**** Felten's Myotis "Myotis punicus" DD
**Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
***Genus: Nyctalus
**** Common Noctule "Nyctalus noctula" LR/lc
***Genus: Pipistrellus
**** Kuhl's Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus kuhlii" LC
**** Common Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus pipistrellus" LC
***Genus: Plecotus
**** Grey long-eared bat "Plecotus austriacus" LR/lc
**Subfamily: Miniopterinae
***Genus: Miniopterus
**** Schreiber's Long-fingered Bat "Miniopterus schreibersii" LC
*Family: Rhinolophidae
**Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
***Genus: Rhinolophus
**** Greater Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus ferrumequinum" LR/nt
**** Lesser horseshoe bat "Rhinolophus hipposideros" 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: Odontoceti
**Superfamily: Platanistoidea
***Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
****Genus: Tursiops
***** Bottlenose Dolphin "Tursiops truncatus" DD
****Genus: Delphinus
***** Common dolphin "Delphinus delphis" LR/lc
****Genus: Grampus
***** Risso's Dolphin "Grampus griseus" DD
****Genus: Pseudorca
***** False Killer Whale "Pseudorca crassidens" LR/lc
****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: 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

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=MT&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 Malta
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