List of mammals of the State of Palestine

List of mammals of the State of Palestine
This is a list of mammal species recorded in the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)
The hyraxes are four species of furry, cat-sized, thickset, herbivorous mammals that might resemble rodents at first glance, but have hooves and two caniniform incisors among other features that betray their distant evolutionary relation to elephants. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes)
Genus: Procavia
Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis
Order: Rodentia (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: Hystricognathi
Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
Genus: Hystrix
Indian porcupine, Hystrix indica
Family: Myocastoridae (coypu)
Genus: Myocastor
Coypu, Myocastor coypu (introduced)
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Sciurinae
Genus: Sciurus
Caucasian squirrel, Sciurus anomalus
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Dryomys
Forest dormouse, Dryomys nidetula
Genus: Eliomys
Asian garden dormouse, Eliomys melanurus
Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
Subfamily: Allactaginae
Genus: Allactaga
Euphrates jerboa, Allactaga euphratica
Subfamily: Dipodinae
Genus: Jaculus
Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus
Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis
Family: Spalacidae (bamboo and mole rats)
Subfamily: Spalacinae
Genus: Spalax
Palestine mole rat, Spalax ehrenbergi
Family: Cricetidae (hamsters, voles, lemmings)
Subfamily: Cricetinae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Microtus
Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, gerbils)
Subfamily: Deomyinae
Subfamily: Gerbillinae
Genus: Gerbillus
Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni
Wagner's gerbil, Gerbillus dasyurus
Flower's gerbil, Gerbillus floweri
Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus
Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi
Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus
Genus: Meriones
Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus
Libyan jird, Meriones libycus
Buxton's jird, Meriones sacramenti
Tristram's jird, Meriones tristrami
Genus: Psammomys
Sand rat, Psammomys obesus
Genus: Sekeetamys
Bushy-tailed jird, Sekeetamys calurus
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
Steppe field mouse, Apodemus witherbyi
Genus: Nesokia
Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica
Genus: Rattus
Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus
Black rat, Rattus rattus
Genus: Mus
Macedonian mouse, Mus macedonicus
House mouse, Mus musculus
Subfamily: Deomyinae
Genus: Acomys
Eastern spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus
Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus
Order: Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares and picas)
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 (hares and rabbits)
Subfamily: Leporinae
Genus: Lepus
Cape hare, Lepus capensis
European hare, Lepus europaeus
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
Southern white-breasted hedgehog, Erinaceus concolor
Genus: Hemiechinus
Long-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus auritus
Genus: Paraechinus
Desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus
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 (shrews)
Subfamily: Crocidurinae
Genus: Crocidura
Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon
Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens
Negev shrew, Crocidura ramona
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.
Suborder: Megachiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
Genus: Rousettus
Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus
Suborder: Microchiroptera
Family: Emballonuridae (sac-winged bats)
Genus: Taphozous
Naked-rumped tomb bat, Taphozous nudiventris
Egyptian tomb bat, Taphozous perforatus
Family: Hipposideridae (Old World leaf-nosed bats)
Genus: Asellia
Trident bat, Asellia tridens
Family: Molossidae (free-tailed bats)
Genus: Tadarida
European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis
Family: Nycteridae (slit-faced bats)
Genus: Nycteris
Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica
Family: Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats)
Genus: Rhinolophus
Blasius's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus blasii
Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus
Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale
Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros
Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi
Family: Rhinopomatidae (mouse-tailed bats)
Genus: Rhinopoma
Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei
Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum
Family: Vespertilionidae (vesper bats)
Genus: Eptesicus
Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae
Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus
Genus: Hypsugo
Desert pipistrelle, Hypsugo ariel
Genus: Miniopterus
Common bent-wing bat, Miniopterus schreibersii CD
Genus: Myotis
Lesser mouse-eared bat, Myotis blythii
Long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii
Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus
Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri
Genus: Nyctalus
Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula
Genus: Otonycteris
Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LR/
Genus: Pipistrellus
Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhli
Rüppell's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus rueppellii
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.
Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea.
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Subfamily: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
Genus: Hyperoodon
Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus
Genus: Mesoplodon
Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Genus: Mesoplodon
Gervais' beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Family: Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins)
Genus: Delphinus
Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata
Genus: Sousa
Sousa chinensis
Genus: Steno
Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis
Genus: Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
Genus: Orcinus
Orca, Orcinus orca
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
Genus: Globicephala
Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
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.
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae (cats)
Genus: Caracal
Caracal, C. caracal
Genus: Felis
Jungle cat, F. chaus
African wildcat, F. lybica
Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
Genus: Herpestes
Egyptian mongoose, H. ichneumon
Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
Genus: Hyaena
Striped hyena, H. hyaena
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Canis
Golden jackal, C. aureus
Persian jackal, C. a. aureus
Syrian jackal, C. a. syriacus
Gray wolf, C. lupus
Arabian wolf, C. l. arabs
Indian wolf, C. l. pallipes
Genus: Vulpes
Blanford's fox, V. cana
Rüppell's fox, V. rueppellii
Red fox, V. vulpes
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Martes
Beech marten, M. foina
Genus: Meles
Caucasian badger, M. canescens
Genus: Mellivora
Honey badger, M. capensis
Genus: Vormela
Marbled polecat, V. peregusna
Suborder: Pinnipedia
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Monachus
Mediterranean monk seal, M. 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 (pigs)
Subfamily: Suinae
Genus: Sus
Wild boar, S. scrofa
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelopes, goats)
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Genus: Gazella
Arabian gazelle, G. arabica
Dorcas gazelle, G. dorcas
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Capra
Nubian ibex, C. nubiana
Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in Palestine:
Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
Addax, Addax nasomaculatus
Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus
Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus
Red deer, Cervus elaphus
Persian fallow deer, Dama mesopotamica
Onager, Equus hemionus
Sand cat, Felis margarita
Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx
Lion, Panthera leo
Leopard, Panthera pardus
Brown bear, Ursus arctos
See also
List of chordate orders
Lists of mammals by region
List of prehistoric mammals
Mammal classification
List of mammals described in the 2000s
Notes
References
Aulagnier, S. et al. (2008) Guide des mammifères d'Europe, d'Afrique du Nord et de Moyen-Orient. Delachaux et Niestlé, Paris
McDonald, D. & Barrett, P. (1993) Collins Field Guide. Mammals of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins Publishers, London
Reeves, R.R. et al. (2002) Sea Mammals of the World. A & C Black, London
IUCN Red List - The Red List of Threatened Species
Palestine
mammals
'Palestine