List of mammals in Lesotho

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Lesotho. There are 60 mammal species in Lesotho, of which 0 are critically endangered, 1 is endangered, 2 are vulnerable, and 1 is 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: Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles)

----

The order Afrosoricida contains the golden moles of southern Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar and Africa, two families of small mammals that were traditionally part of the order Insectivora.

***Family: Chrysochloridae
****Subfamily: Chrysochlorinae
*****Genus: Chlorotalpa
****** Sclater's Golden Mole "Chlorotalpa sclateri" LC
****Subfamily: Amblysominae
*****Genus: Amblysomus
****** Hottentot Golden Mole "Amblysomus hottentotus" LC

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)

----The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stmpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.

***Family: Procaviidae (hylaxes)
****Genus: Procavia
***** Cape Hyrax "Procavia capensis" LC

Order: Primates

----The order Primates contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. It is divided informally into three main groupings: prosimians, monkeys of the New World, and monkeys and apes of the Old World.

*Suborder: Haplorrhini
**Infraorder: Simiiformes
***Parvorder: Catarrhini
****Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
*****Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
******Genus: Papio
******* Chacma Baboon "Papio ursinus" LR/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: Bathyergidae
***Genus: Cryptomys
**** African Mole Rat "Cryptomys hottentotus" LC
**Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
***Genus: Hystrix
**** Cape Porcupine "Hystrix africaeaustralis" LC
*Suborder: Sciurognathi
**Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
***Subfamily: Xerinae
****Tribe: Xerini
*****Genus: Xerus
****** South African Ground Squirrel "Xerus inauris" LC
**Family: Gliridae (dormice)
***Subfamily: Graphiurinae
****Genus: Graphiurus
***** Small-eared Dormouse "Graphiurus microtis" LC
**Family: Nesomyidae
***Subfamily: Dendromurinae
****Genus: Dendromus
***** Chestnut Climbing Mouse "Dendromus mystacalis" LC
****Genus: Steatomys
***** Kreb's Fat Mouse "Steatomys krebsii" LC
***Subfamily: Mystromyinae
****Genus: Mystromys
***** White-tailed Rat "Mystromys albicaudatus" EN
**Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
***Subfamily: Otomyinae
****Genus: Otomys
***** Vlei Rat "Otomys irroratus" LC
***** Sloggett's Vlei Rat "Otomys sloggetti" LC
***Subfamily: Gerbillinae
****Genus: Tatera
***** Highveld Gerbil "Tatera brantsii" LC
***Subfamily: Murinae
****Genus: Aethomys
***** Namaqua Rock Rat "Aethomys namaquensis" LC
****Genus: Mastomys
***** Southern Multimammate Mouse "Mastomys coucha" LC
***** Natal Multimammate Mouse "Mastomys natalensis" LC
****Genus: Mus
***** Orange Mouse "Mus orangiae" LC
****Genus: Rhabdomys
***** Four-striped Grass Mouse "Rhabdomys pumilio" 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

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
**** Southern African Hedgehog "Atelerix frontalis" 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
**** Reddish-gray Musk Shrew "Crocidura cyanea" LC
**** Greater Red Musk Shrew "Crocidura flavescens" LC
**** Tiny Musk Shrew "Crocidura fuscomurina" LC
***Genus: Suncus
**** Lesser Dwarf Shrew "Suncus varilla" LC
**Subfamily: Myosoricinae
***Genus: Myosorex
**** Forest Shrew "Myosorex varius" 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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
**Subfamily: Pteropodinae
***Genus: Eidolon
**** Straw-coloured Fruit Bat "Eidolon helvum" LC
***Genus: Rousettus
**** Egyptian fruit bat "Rousettus aegyptiacus" LC
*Family: Vespertilionidae
**Subfamily: Myotinae
***Genus: Cistugo
**** Lesueur's Hairy Bat "Cistugo lesueuri" VU
**Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
***Genus: Eptesicus
**** Long-tailed House Bat "Eptesicus hottentotus" LC
***Genus: Laephotis
**** De Winton's Long-eared Bat "Laephotis wintoni" LC
***Genus: Neoromicia
**** Cape Serotine "Neoromicia capensis" LC
***Genus: Scotophilus
**** African Yellow Bat "Scotophilus dinganii" LC
**Subfamily: Miniopterinae
***Genus: Miniopterus
**** Natal Long-fingered Bat "Miniopterus natalensis" NT
*Family: Nycteridae
**Genus: Nycteris
*** Egyptian Slit-Faced Bat "Nycteris thebaica" LC
*Family: Rhinolophidae
**Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
***Genus: Rhinolophus
**** Geoffroy's Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus clivosus" LC
**** Darling's Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus darlingi" 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: 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
***** Cape Genet "Genetta tigrina" LR/lc
**Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
***Genus: Hyaena
**** Brown Hyena "Hyaena brunnea" LR/nt
***Genus: Proteles
**** Aardwolf "Proteles cristatus" LR/lc
*Suborder: Caniformia
**Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
***Genus: Canis
**** Black-backed Jackal "Canis mesomelas" LC
**Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
***Genus: Ictonyx
**** Striped Polecat "Ictonyx striatus" LR/lc
***Genus: Lutra
**** Speckle-throated Otter "Lutra maculicollis" LC
***Genus: Aonyx
**** African Clawless Otter "Aonyx capensis" LC

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)

----The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.

*Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
**Genus: Equus
*** Burchell's Zebra "Equus burchellii" LC

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: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
**Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
***Genus: Alcelaphus
**** Hartebeest "Alcelaphus buselaphus" LR/cd
***Genus: Connochaetes
**** Black Wildebeest "Connochaetes gnou" LC
***Genus: Damaliscus
**** Bontebok "Damaliscus pygargus" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Antilopinae
***Genus: Oreotragus
**** Klipspringer "Oreotragus oreotragus" LR/cd
***Genus: Ourebia
**** Oribi "Ourebia ourebi" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Bovinae
***Genus: Tragelaphus
**** Common Eland "Tragelaphus oryx" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Cephalophinae
***Genus: Cephalophus
**** Blue Duiker "Cephalophus monticola" LR/lc
***Genus: Sylvicapra
**** Common Duiker "Sylvicapra grimmia" LR/lc
**Subfamily: Peleinae
***Genus: Pelea
**** Grey Rhebok "Pelea capreolus" LC
**Subfamily: Reduncinae
***Genus: Redunca
**** Mountain Reedbuck "Redunca fulvorufula" LC

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=LS&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 Lesotho
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