Table of Contents

• Foreword by Carter Smith, Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Overview and Introduction to Texas Mammals
  • Diversity of Land Mammals
  • Geographic Distribution of Land Mammals
  • Mammals of the Barrier Islands of Texas
  • Mammals in the Coastal Waters and Gulf of Mexico
  • Historical Changes in the Texas Mammal Fauna
  • Twentieth-Century Landscape and Land Use Changes in Texas: Impact on Wildlife Diversity
  • Impact of Climate Change
  • Conservation Strategies
  • History of Mammalogy in Texas
• Species Accounts For Texas Mammals
  • Instructions for Interpreting Distribution Maps
  • Key to the Major Groups (Orders) of Mammals in Texas
  • Order Didelphimorphia—Opossums and Allies
    • Family Didelphidae—Opossums
    • Didelphis virginiana, Virginia Opossum
  • Order Sirenia—Manatees and Allies
    • Family Trichechidae—Manatees
    • Trichechus manatus, West Indian Manatee
  • Order Cingulata—Armadillos and Allies
    • Family Dasypodidae—Armadillos
    • Dasypus novemcinctus, Nine-banded Armadillo
  • Order Primates—Primates
    • Family Cercopithecidae—Old World Monkeys
    • Macaca fuscata, Japanese Macaque*
  • Order Lagomorpha—Pikas, Hares, and Rabbits
    • Key to the Hares and Rabbits of Texas
    • Family Leporidae—Hares and Rabbits
    • Lepus californicus, Black-tailed Jackrabbit
    • Sylvilagus aquaticus, Swamp Rabbit
    • Sylvilagus audubonii, Desert Cottontail
    • Sylvilagus floridanus, Eastern Cottontail
    • Sylvilagus robustus, Davis Mountains Cottontail
  • Order Soricomorpha—Shrews and Moles
    • Key to the Shrews and Moles of Texas
    • Family Soricidae—Shrews
    • Blarina carolinensis, Southern Short-tailed Shrew
    • Blarina hylophaga, Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew
    • Cryptotis parva, Least Shrew
    • Notiosorex crawfordi, Crawford’s Desert Shrew
    • Family Talpidae—Moles
    • Scalopus aquaticus, Eastern Mole
  • Order Chiroptera—Bats
    • Key to the Bats of Texas
    • Family Molossidae—Free-tailed Bats
    • Eumops perotis, Western Bonneted Bat
    • Nyctinomops femorosaccus, Pocketed Free-tailed Bat
    • Nyctinomops macrotis, Big Free-tailed Bat
    • Tadarida brasiliensis, Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
    • Family Mormoopidae—Leaf-chinned Bats
    • Mormoops megalophylla, Ghost-faced Bat
    • Family Phyllostomidae—New World Leaf-nosed Bats
    • Choeronycteris mexicana, Mexican Long-tongued Bat
    • Diphylla ecaudata, Hairy-legged Vampire Bat
    • Leptonycteris nivalis, Mexican Long-nosed Bat
    • Family Vespertilionidae—Vesper Bats
    • Aeorestes cinereus, Hoary Bat
    • Antrozous pallidus, Pallid Bat
    • Corynorhinus rafinesquii, Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat
    • Corynorhinus townsendii, Townsend’s Big-eared Bat
    • Dasypterus ega, Southern Yellow Bat
    • Dasypterus intermedius, Northern Yellow Bat
    • Dasypterus xanthinus, Western Yellow Bat
    • Eptesicus fuscus, Big Brown Bat
    • Euderma maculatum, Spotted Bat
    • Lasionycteris noctivagans, Silver-haired Bat
    • Lasiurus blossevillii, Western Red Bat
    • Lasiurus borealis, Eastern Red Bat
    • Lasiurus seminolus, Seminole Bat
    • Myotis austroriparius, Southeastern Myotis
    • Myotis californicus, California Myotis
    • Myotis ciliolabrum, Western Small-footed Myotis
    • Myotis occultus, Southwestern Little Brown Myotis
    • Myotis septentrionalis, Northern Long-eared Myotis
    • Myotis thysanodes, Fringed Myotis
    • Myotis velifer, Cave Myotis
    • Myotis volans, Long-legged Myotis
    • Myotis yumanensis, Yuma Myotis
    • Nycticeius humeralis, Evening Bat
    • Parastrellus hesperus, American Parastrelle
    • Perimyotis subflavus, American Perimyotis
  • Order Carnivora—Carnivores
    • Key to the Carnivores of Texas
    • Family Canidae—Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves
      • Canis latrans, Coyote
      • Urocyon cinereoargenteus, Common Gray Fox
      • Vulpes macrotis, Kit Fox
      • Vulpes velox, Swift Fox
    • Family Felidae—Cats
      • Leopardus pardalis, Ocelot
      • Lynx rufus, Bobcat
      • Puma concolor, Mountain Lion
      • Family Mephitidae—Skunks
      • Conepatus leuconotus, Hog-nosed Skunk
      • Mephitis macroura, Hooded Skunk
      • Mephitis mephitis, Striped Skunk
      • Spilogale gracilis, Western Spotted Skunk
      • Spilogale putorius, Eastern Spotted Skunk
    • Family Mustelidae—Weasels, Otters, and Badgers
      • Lontra canadensis, Northern River Otter
      • Mustela frenata, Long-tailed Weasel
      • Vison vison, American Mink
      • Taxidea taxus, American Badger
      • Family Procyonidae—Raccoons, Ringtails, and Coatis
      • Bassariscus astutus, Ringtail
      • Nasua narica, White-nosed Coati
      • Procyon lotor, Northern Raccoon
    • Family Ursidae—Bears
      • Ursus americanus, American Black Bear
      • Extinct Carnivora
      • Family Canidae—Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves
      • Canis lupus, Gray Wolf
      • Canis rufus, Red Wolf
    • Family Felidae—Cats
      • Leopardus wiedii, Margay
      • Panthera onca, Jaguar
      • Puma yagouaroundi, Jaguarundi
    • Family Mustelidae—Weasels, Otters, and Badgers
      • Mustela nigripes, Black-footed Ferret
    • Family Ursidae—Bears
      • Ursus arctos, Grizzly or Brown Bear
    • Family Phocidae—Earless Seals
      • Monachus tropicalis, Caribbean Monk Seal
    • Introduced Carnivora
      • Family Canidae—Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves
        • Vulpes vulpes, Red Fox*
      • Family Otariidae—Eared Seals
        • Zalophus californianus, California Sea Lion*
  • Order Artiodactyla—Even-toed Ungulates
    • Key to the Even-Toed Ungulates of Texas
    • Family Antilocapridae—Pronghorn
      • Antilocapra americana, Pronghorn
    • Family Bovidae—Cattle, Antelope, Sheep, Goats, and African Exotics
      • Bos bison, American Bison
      • Ovis canadensis, Bighorn Sheep
    • Family Cervidae—Deer and Allies
      • Cervus canadensis, Wapiti or Western Elk
      • Odocoileus hemionus, Mule Deer
      • Odocoileus virginianus, White-tailed Deer
    • Family Tayassuidae—Peccaries
      • Pecari tajacu, Collared Peccary
    • Introduced Artiodactyla
      • Family Bovidae—Cattle, Antelope, Sheep, Goats, and African Exotics
        • Ammotragus lervia, Barbary Sheep or Aoudad*
        • Antilope cervicapra, Blackbuck*
        • Boselaphus tragocamelus, Nilgai*
      • Family Cervidae—Deer and Allies
        • Axis axis, Axis Deer*
        • Cervus nippon, Sika*
        • Dama dama, Fallow Deer*
      • Family Suidae—Pigs
        • Sus scrofa, Feral Hog* (see also Domesticated Mammals)
      • Other Artiodactylids Introduced in Texas
        • Tragelaphus strepsiceros, Greater Kudu*
        • Eudorcas thomsonii, Eastern Thomson’s Gazelle*
        • Hippotragus niger, Sable Antelope*
        • Oryx dammah, Scimitar-horned Oryx*
        • Taurotragus oryx, Common Eland*
        • Cervus elaphus, Eastern Red Deer*
  • Order Cetacea—Whales, Porpoises, and Dolphins
    • Key to the Whales and Dolphins of the Texas Coast
    • Suborder Mysticeti—Baleen Whales
      • Family Balaenidae—Right Whales
        • Eubalaena glacialis, North Atlantic Right Whale
      • Family Balaenopteridae—Rorquals or Baleen Whales
        • Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Common Minke Whale
        • Balaenoptera borealis, Sei Whale
        • Balaenoptera brydei, Bryde’s Whale
        • Balaenoptera musculus, Blue Whale
        • Balaenoptera physalus, Fin Whale
        • Megaptera novaeangliae, Humpback Whale
    • Suborder Odontoceti—Toothed Whales
      • Family Delphinidae—Toothed Whales and Dolphins
        • Feresa attenuata, Pygmy Killer Whale
        • Globicephala macrorhynchus, Short-finned Pilot Whale
        • Grampus griseus, Risso’s Dolphin
        • Lagenodelphis hosei, Fraser’s Dolphin
        • Orcinus orca, Killer Whale
        • Peponocephala electra, Melon-headed Whale
        • Pseudorca crassidens, False Killer Whale
        • Stenella attenuata, Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
        • Stenella clymene, Clymene Dolphin
        • Stenella coeruleoalba, Striped Dolphin
        • Stenella frontalis, Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
        • Stenella longirostris, Spinner Dolphin
        • Steno bredanensis, Rough-toothed Dolphin
        • Tursiops truncatus, Common Bottlenose Dolphin
      • Family Kogiidae—Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales
        • Kogia breviceps, Pygmy Sperm Whale
        • Kogia sima, Dwarf Sperm Whale
        • Family Physeteridae—Sperm Whale
        • Physeter macrocephalus, Sperm Whale
      • Family Ziphiidae—Beaked Whales
        • Mesoplodon densirostris, Blainville’s Beaked Whale
        • Mesoplodon europaeus, Gervais’s Beaked Whale
        • Ziphius cavirostris, Cuvier’s or Goose-beaked Whale
  • Order Rodentia—Rodents
    • Key to the Rodents of Texas
    • Family Castoridae—Beavers
      • Castor canadensis, American Beaver
    • Family Cricetidae—New World Mice, Rats, and Voles
      • Baiomys taylori, Northern Pygmy Mouse
      • Microtus mogollonensis, Mogollon Vole
      • Microtus ochrogaster, Prairie Vole
      • Microtus pinetorum, Woodland Vole
      • Neotoma floridana, Eastern Woodrat
      • Neotoma leucodon, White-toothed Woodrat
      • Neotoma mexicana, Mexican Woodrat
      • Neotoma micropus, Southern Plains Woodrat
      • Ochrotomys nuttalli, Golden Mouse
      • Ondatra zibethicus, Common Muskrat
      • Onychomys arenicola, Chihuahuan or Mearns’s Grasshopper Mouse
      • Onychomys leucogaster, Northern Grasshopper Mouse
      • Oryzomys couesi, Coues’s Rice Rat
      • Oryzomys texensis, Texas Marsh Rice Rat
      • Peromyscus attwateri, Texas Deermouse
      • Peromyscus boylii, Brush Deermouse
      • Peromyscus eremicus, Cactus Deermouse
      • Peromyscus gossypinus, Cotton Deermouse
      • Peromyscus laceianus, Lacey’s White-ankled Deermouse
      • Peromyscus leucopus, White-footed Deermouse
      • Peromyscus maniculatus, North American Deermouse
      • Peromyscus nasutus, Northern Rock Deermouse
      • Peromyscus truei, Piñon Deermouse
      • Reithrodontomys fulvescens, Fulvous Harvest Mouse
      • Reithrodontomys humulis, Eastern Harvest Mouse
      • Reithrodontomys megalotis, Western Harvest Mouse
      • Reithrodontomys montanus, Plains Harvest Mouse
      • Sigmodon fulviventer, Tawny-bellied Cotton Rat
      • Sigmodon hispidus, Hispid Cotton Rat
      • Sigmodon ochrognathus, Yellow-nosed Cotton Rat
    • Family Erethizontidae—New World Porcupines
      • Erethizon dorsatum, North American Porcupine
    • Family Geomyidae—Pocket Gophers
      • Cratogeomys castanops, Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys arenarius, Desert Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys attwateri, Attwater’s Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys breviceps, Baird’s Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys bursarius, Plains Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys jugossicularis, Hall’s Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys knoxjonesi, Jones’s Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys personatus, Texas Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys streckeri, Strecker’s Pocket Gopher
      • Geomys texensis, Llano Pocket Gopher
      • Thomomys bottae, Botta’s Pocket Gopher
    • Family Heteromyidae—Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Rats
      • Chaetodipus eremicus, Chihuahuan Desert Pocket Mouse
      • Chaetodipus hispidus, Hispid Pocket Mouse
      • Chaetodipus intermedius, Rock Pocket Mouse
      • Chaetodipus nelsoni, Nelson’s Pocket Mouse
      • Dipodomys compactus, Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat
      • Dipodomys elator, Texas Kangaroo Rat
      • Dipodomys merriami, Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat
      • Dipodomys ordii, Ord’s Kangaroo Rat
      • Dipodomys spectabilis, Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat
      • Liomys irroratus, Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse
      • Perognathus flavescens, Plains Pocket Mouse
      • Perognathus flavus, Silky Pocket Mouse
      • Perognathus merriami, Merriam’s Pocket Mouse
    • Family Sciuridae—Squirrels and Allies
      • Ammospermophilus interpres, Texas Antelope Squirrel
      • Cynomys ludovicianus, Black-tailed Prairie Dog
      • Glaucomys volans, Southern Flying Squirrel
      • Ictidomys parvidens, Rio Grande Ground Squirrel
      • Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
      • Otospermophilus variegatus, Rock Squirrel
      • Sciurus carolinensis, Eastern Gray Squirrel
      • Sciurus niger, Eastern Fox Squirrel
      • Tamias canipes, Gray-footed Chipmunk
      • Xerospermophilus spilosoma, Spotted Ground Squirrel
    • Introduced Rodentia
      • Family Echimyidae—Spiny Rats and Nutria
        • Myocastor coypus, Nutria*
      • Family Muridae—Old World Mice and Rats
        • Mus musculus, House Mouse*
        • Rattus norvegicus, Norway or Brown Rat*
        • Rattus rattus, Black Rat*
      • Family Sciuridae—Squirrels and Allies
      • Marmota monax, Woodchuck*
  • Domesticated Mammals
    • Order Carnivora—Carnivores
      • Family Canidae—Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves
        • Canis familiaris, Domestic Dog*
      • Family Felidae—Cats
        • Felis catus, Domestic Cat*
    • Order Perissodactyla—Odd-toed Ungulates
      • Family Equidae—Feral Horses and Asses
        • Equus asinus, Feral Ass or Burro*
        • Equus caballus, Feral Horse*
        • Equus caballus x Equus asinus, Mule*
    • Order Artiodactyla—Even-toed Ungulates
      • Family Bovidae—Cattle, Antelope, Sheep, Goats, and African Exotics
        • Bos taurus, Domestic Cattle*
        • Capra hircus, Domestic Goat*
        • Ovis aries, Domestic Sheep*
      • Family Suidae—Pigs
        • Sus scrofa, Feral Hog*
• Appendix 1. The Measurement System
• Appendix 2. Observation and Collection of Mammals
• Appendix 3. Selected References on Mammals from Texas and Adjoining States
• Appendix 4. Scientific Names
• Appendix 5. Mammalian Species: Accounts Available for Texas Mammals
• Appendix 6. Standard Measurements of Study Specimens
• Appendix 7. Basis for Distribution of Species
• Glossary
• Index to Scientific and Common Names

About the Author

David J. Schmidly has studied Texas mammals since 1966 and has written several books about Texas mammals and natural history. He is currently a research professor of biology at the University of New Mexico.

Robert D. Bradley is a professor of biological sciences at Texas Tech University, where he is also the director and curator of mammals at the Natural Science Research Laboratory.