- List of mammals of Ireland
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This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Ireland. There are 55 mammal species in Ireland. A new Red List of Irish terrestrial mammals was published in 2009 and all 26 terrestrial species native to Ireland, or naturalised in Ireland before 1500, were assessed. Of these, one was found to be regionally extinct (grey wolf Canis lupus), one achieved a threat status of Vulnerable (black rat Rattus rattus), three were found to be Near Threatened (Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri), otter (Lutra lutra) and red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)), one was data deficient (Brandt’s bat Myotis brandtii) and the remaining 20 were of least concern.[1]
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:
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. RE Regionally Extinct The species is extinct in the wild in the region. 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. Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
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: Sciurognathi
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Genus: Sciurus
- Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris NT.
- Eastern grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis not assessed - a recent introduction in 1911.
- Genus: Sciurus
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Myodes
- Bank Vole Myodes glareolus not assessed - a recent introduction.
- Genus: Myodes
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, etc.)
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Genus: Mus
- House mouse Mus musculus LC. Very early introduction.
- Genus: Apodemus
- Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC.
- Genus: Rattus
- Genus: Mus
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
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 LC - an early introduction c. 1100s.
- Genus: Lepus
- Irish Hare Lepus timidus LC.
- European Hare Lepus europaeus - not assessed; recent introduction.
- Genus: Oryctolagus
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: Erinaceus
- West European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus LC.
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and soledons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and soledons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae (shrews)
- Subfamily: Soricinae
- Genus: Sorex
- Eurasian Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus LC.
- Genus: Crocidura
- Greater White-toothed Shrew Crocidura russula not assessed a very recent introduction.[2]
- Genus: Sorex
- Subfamily: Soricinae
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
- Daubenton's Bat Myotis daubentonii LC.
- Whiskered Bat Myotis mystacinus LC.
- Brandt's Bat Myotis brandti DD.
- Natterer's Bat Myotis nattereri LC.
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Nyctalus
- Subfamily: Myotinae
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- Leisler's Bat Nyctalus leisleri NT.
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC.
- Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus LC.
- Nathusius Pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii LC.
- Genus: Plecotus
- Brown Long-eared Bat Plecotus auritus LC.
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- Family: Rhinolophidae
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Lesser Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC.
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Order: Cetacea (whales)
Humpback Whale diving.Bull Killer WhaleThe 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: Balaenidae
- Genus: Eubalaena
- North Atlantic Right Whale Eubalaena glacialis EN
- Genus: Eubalaena
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalis
- Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LR/NT
- Sei Whale Balaenoptera borealis
- Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus [3]
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Family: Balaenidae
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- Family: Monodontidae
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Beluga Delphinapterus leucas VU
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Family: Phocoenidae
- Genus: Phocoena
- Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena VU
- Genus: Phocoena
- Family: Physeteridae
- Genus: Physeter
- Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
- Genus: Physeter
- Family: Kogiidae
- Genus: Kogia
- Pygmy Sperm Whale Kogia breviceps LR/LC
- Genus: Kogia
- Family: Ziphidae
- Genus: Ziphius
- Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris DD
- Genus: Ziphius
- Subfamily: Hyperoodontidae
- Genus: Hyperoodon
- Bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus LR/CD
- Genus: Mesoplodon
- Sowerby's Beaked Whale Mesoplodon bidens DD
- Gervais' Beaked Whale Mesoplodon europaeus DD
- True's Beaked Whale Mesoplodon mirus DD
- Genus: Hyperoodon
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Genus: Delphis
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis
- Genus: Tursiops
- Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus DD
- Genus: Stenella
- Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
- Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- Atlantic White-sided Dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus LR/LC
- White-beaked Dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris LR/LC
- Genus: Grampus
- Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus DD
- Genus: Orcinus
- Orca Orcinus orca LR/CD
- Genus: Globicephala
- Pilot whale Globicephala melas LR/LC
- Genus: Pseudorca
- False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens
- Genus: Delphis
- Family: Monodontidae
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
Carnivorans include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
- Genus: Neovison
- American Mink Neovison vison not assessed.
- Genus: Mustela
- Stoat Mustela erminea LC.
- Genus: Martes
- European Pine Marten Martes martes LC.
- Genus: Meles
- Eurasian Badger Meles meles LC.
- Genus: Lutra
- European Otter Lutra lutra NT.
- Genus: Neovison
- Family: Odobenidae
- Genus: Odobenus
- Walrus Odobenus rosmarus LR/LC
- Genus: Odobenus
- Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
- Genus: Halichoerus
- Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus LR/LC
- Genus: Phoca
- Common Seal Phoca vitulina LR/LC
- Genus: Halichoerus
- Family: Ursidae
- Genus: Ursus
- Brown Bear Ursus arctos not assessed - extirpated 11th century
- Genus: Ursus
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: Cervidae (deer)
- Subfamily: Cervinae
- Genus: Cervus
- Red Deer Cervus elaphus
- Sika Deer Cervus nipppon not assessed - recent introduction.
- Reeves's Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi not assessed - recent introduction[5]
- Genus: Cervus
- Subfamily: Capreolinae
- Genus: Capreolus
- Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Not assessed. No longer present. Introduced to the Lissadell Estate, Co. Sligo in 1870. Died out circa 1920.
- Genus: Dama
- Fallow Deer Dama dama
- Genus: Capreolus
- Subfamily: Cervinae
- Family: Bovidae
- Subfamily: Caprinae
- Genus: Capra
- Feral Bilberry goat Capra aegagrus hircus Not assessed as derived from domesticated animals.
- Genus: Capra
- Subfamily: Caprinae
Notes
- ^ 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.
- ^ Eccleston, Paul (28 April 2008). "Barn owl helps to find new Irish shrew". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/04/28/eashrew128.xml. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ orcaweb(www.orcaweb.org.uk
- ^ The Irish Times, 1 May 2007.
- ^ Natural Heritage Research Partnership Muntjac Knowledge Transfer
See also
- List of chordate orders
- List of regional mammals lists
- List of prehistoric mammals
- Mammal classification
- New mammal species
- List of butterflies of Ireland
References
- "Marnell, F., Kingston, N. & Looney, D. (2009) Ireland Red List No. 3: Terrestrial Mammals, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland.". National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government,Dublin, Ireland.. 2009. http://www.npws.ie/en/media/NPWS/Publications/Redlists/Red%20List%203%20Terrestrial%20Mammals.pdf. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070427043030/http://nmnhgoph.si.edu/msw/. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995-2006. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
Comparison with Great Britain
The following species are found in Great Britain but not in Ireland:
- Field Vole Microtus agrestis
- Common Vole M. arvalis
- Water Vole Arvicola terrestris
- Harvest Mouse Micromys minutus
- Yellow-necked Mouse A. flavicollis
- Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius
- Edible Dormouse Glis glis
- European Mole Talpa europaea
- Common Shrew Sorex araneus
- Eurasian Water Shrew Neomys fodiens
- Lesser White-toothed Shrew Crocidura suaveolens
- Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
- Greater Mouse-eared Bat Myotis myotis
- Bechstein's Bat M. bechsteini
- Parti-coloured Bat Vespertilio murinus
- Serotine Eptesicus serotinus
- Northern Bat E. nilssoni
- Common Noctule Nyctalus noctula
- Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus
- Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus
- Grey Long-eared Bat Plecotus austriacus
- Ringed Seal Phoca hispida
- Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus
- Hooded Seal Cystophora cristatus
- Harp Seal Pagophilus groenlandicus
- Least Weasel Mustela nivalis
- European Polecat M. putorius
- European Wildcat Felis sylvestris silvestris
- Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
- Reindeer Rangifer tarandus
- Water Deer Hydropotes inermis – Introduced c.1896.
External links
- Ulster Museum Northern Ireland Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles.Includes more extinct mammals.
- NPWS Breedig populations of Grey seals in the Republic of Ireland
- Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
Fauna of Ireland Invertebrates: Butterflies · Moths · Damselflies and dragonflies · Non-marine molluscs
Endemic species of Britain & Ireland
Vertebrates: Amphibians · Birds · Fish · Mammals · ReptilesList of mammals of Europe Sovereign
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- Suborder: Sciurognathi
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