List of mammals of Sardinia
This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Sardinia, Italy.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. | |
Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. | |
Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. | |
Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. | |
Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. | |
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. | |
Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. | |
Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Subclass: [Theria]
Infraclass: [Eutheria]
Order: [Rodent]ia (rodents)
----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.
- Suborder: Sciuromorpha
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Glirinae
- ***Genus: Glis
- **** Edible dormouse, Glis glis
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus
- ***Genus: Mus
- **** House mouse, Mus musculus
- ***Genus: Rattus
- **** Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus introduced
- **** Black rat, Rattus rattus introduced
Order: [Lagomorpha] (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae, and Ochotonidae. 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
- *Genus: Oryctolagus
- **European hare, L. europaeus introduced
- *Genus: Lepus
- ** Cape hare, L. capensis
- Family: Prolagidae
- *Genus: Prolagus
- ** Sardinian pika, P. sardus c. 1700
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
- *Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- **Genus: Erinaceus
- *** European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus
Order: [Soricomorpha] (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae
- *Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- **Genus: Crocidura
- *** North African white-toothed shrew, Crocidura ichnusae
- **Genus: Suncus
- *** Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus
Order: [Chiroptera] (bats)
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.
- Family: Miniopteridae
- *Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- **Genus: Miniopterus
- *** Common bent-wing bat, Miniopterus schreibersii
- Family: Molossidae
- *Subfamily: Molossinae
- **Genus: Tadarida
- *** European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- *Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- **Genus: Rhinolophus
- *** Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale
- *** Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
- *** Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros
- *** Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- *Subfamily: Myotinae
- **Genus: Myotis
- *** Long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii
- *** Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii
- *** Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus
- *** Felten's myotis, Myotis punicus
- *Subfamily: Verpertilioninae
- **Genus: Barbastella
- *** Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus
- **Genus: Hypsugo
- *** Savi's pipistrelle, Hypsugo savii
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus
- *** Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus
- *** Sardinian long-eared bat, Plecotus sardus
- **Genus: Pipistrellus
- *** Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii
- *** Nathusius's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii
- *** Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus
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
- **Genus: Balaenoptera
- *** Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
- *** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Family: Delphinidae
- ***Genus: Delphinus
- **** Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
- ***Genus: Tursiops
- **** Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
- ***Genus: Stenella
- **** Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
- **Genus: Steno
- *** Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis
- **Genus: Grampus
- *** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
- **Genus: Globicephala
- *** Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
- **Genus: Orcinus
- *** Killer whale, Orcinus orca
- *Family: Physeteridae
- **Genus: Physeter
- *** Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
- *Family: Ziphiidae
- **Genus: Ziphius
- *** Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
es
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- *Family: Felidae
- **Genus: Felis
- *** Wildcat, Felis silvestris
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Martes
- *** Pine marten, Martes martes
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** Least weasel, Mustela nivalis
- Family: Phocidae
- *Genus: Monachus
- ** Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus
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
- *Subfamily: Suinae
- **Genus: Sus
- *** Wild boar, Sus scrofa
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Ovis
- *** Mouflon, Ovis orientalis
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- **Genus: Cervus
- *** Corsican red deer, Cervus elaphus corsicanus
- **Genus: Dama
- *** Fallow deer, Dama dama