List of mammals of the Canary Islands
This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Canary Islands, Spain. Since the Osorian shrew was proven to be actually a population of introduced European greater white-toothed shrew the Canarian shrew, C. canariensis is believed to be the only surviving native terrestrial mammal of the archipelago, every other species now present having been voluntarily or accidentally introduced by humans.
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: Sciuridae
- **Subfamily: Xerinae
- ***Genus: Atlantoxerus
- **** Barbary ground squirrel, Atlantoxerus getulus introduced
- Suborder: Myomorpha
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Mus
- **** House mouse, Mus musculus introduced
- ***Genus: Rattus
- **** Black rat, Rattus rattus introduced
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: Atelerix
- *** North African hedgehog, Atelerix algirus
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
- *** Canarian shrew, Crocidura canariensis
- *** Greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula introduced
- **Genus: Suncus
- *** Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus introduced
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.
- Suborder: Microchiroptera
- *Family: Molossidae
- **Subfamily: Molossinae
- ***Genus: Tadarida
- **** European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis
- *Family: Vespertilionidae
- **Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- ***Genus: Barbastella
- **** Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus
- ***Genus: Hypsugo
- **** Savi's pipistrelle, Hypsugo savii
- ***Genus: Nyctalus
- **** Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri
- ***Genus: Pipistrellus
- **** Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii
- **** Madeira pipistrelle, Pipistrellus maderensis
- ***Genus: Plecotus
- **** Canary big-eared bat, Plecotus teneriffae
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
and calf
and calf
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
- *** Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
- **Genus: Megaptera
- *** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
- *Family: Balaenidae
- **Genus: Eubalaena
- *** North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Family: Delphinidae
- **Genus: Delphinus
- *** Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
- **Genus: Globicephala
- *** Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
- *** Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
- **Genus: Grampus
- *** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
- **Genus: Lagenodelphis
- *** Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei
- **Genus: Orcinus
- *** Orca, Orcinus orca
- **Genus: Pseudorca
- *** False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
- **Genus: Stenella
- *** Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
- *** Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis
- **Genus: Steno
- *** Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis
- **Genus: Tursiops
- *** Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
- *Family: Kogiidae
- **Genus: Kogia
- *** Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps
- *** Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima
- *Family: Physeteridae
- **Genus: Physeter
- *** Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
- *Family: Ziphiidae
- **Genus: Hyperoodon
- *** Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus
- **Genus: Mesoplodon
- *** Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris
- *** Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus
- *** True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus
- **Genus: Ziphius
- *** Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- **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: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Ammotragus
- *** Barbary sheep, Ammotragus lervia introduced