MAMMALS OF CALIFORNIA  

 

The following list includes all species and subspecies of California mammals.  Common names are given for most species, and in [brackets] for names specific to subspecies.    

?? indicates species that likely are present but remain insufficiently documented.

If you find any errors of omission or of fact please contact me at dakelt@ucdavis.edu.

 

Metatheria

Didelphimorphia

Didelphidae

Didelphis virginiana virginiana                                     Virginia opossum

 

Eutheria

Insectivora

Soricidae

Sorex bendirii bendirii                                                   Marsh shrew

    S. b. palmeri

Sorex lyelli                                                                     Mt. Lyell shrew

Sorex merriami leucogenys                                           Merriam's shrew

    S. m. merriami

Sorex monticolus obscurus                                            Montane shrew

Sorex ornatus californicus                                             Ornate shrew

    S. o. lagunae

    S. o. ornatus

    S. o. relictus                                                               [Buena Vista Lake shrew]

    S. o. salarius

    S. o. salicornicus

    S. o. willetti

Sorex pacificus                                                              Pacific shrew

Sorex palustris navigator                                              Water shrew

Sorex preblei                                                                  Preble's shrew

Sorex sinuosus                                                               Suisun shrew

Sorex sonomae sonomae                                               Fog shrew

    S. s. tenelloidus

Sorex tenellus                                                                Inyo shrew

Sorex trigonirostris                                                       Ashland shrew

Sorex trowbridgii humboldtensis                                  Trowbridge's shrew

    S. t. mariposae

    S. t. montereyensis

    S. t. trowbridgii

Sorex vagrans halicoetes                                              Vagrant shrew

    S. v. pacificus

    S. v. paludivagus

    S. v. parvidens

    S. v. vagrans

Notiosorex crawfordi crawfordi                                   Desert shrew

Talpidae

 Neurotrichus gibbsii gibbsii                                         Shrew-mole

    N. g. hyacinthinus

Scapanus townsendii                                                     Townsend's mole

Scapanus orarius orarius                                              Coast mole

Scapanus latimanus anthonyi                                       Broad-footed mole

    S. l. campi

    S. l. caurinus

    S. l. dilatus

    S. l. grinnelli

    S. l. insularis

    S. l. latimanus

    S. l. minusculus

    S. l. monoensis

    S. l. occultus

    S. l. parvus

    S. l. sericatus

Chiroptera

Phyllostomidae

Macrotus californicus                                                    California Leaf-nosed bat

Choeronycteris mexicana                                              Hog-nosed bat

Vespertilionidae

Myotis californicus californicus                                     California bat

    M. c. caurinus

    M. c. stephensi

Myotis ciliolabrum                                                         Western small-footed bat

 [Previously M. leibii -- see van Zyll de Jong 1984]

Myotis yumanensis oxalis                                              Yuma bat

    M. y. saturatus

    M. y. sociabilis

    M. y. yumanensis

Myotis lucifugus alascensis                                            Little Brown bat

    M. l. carissima

    M. l. occultus

    M. l. relictus

Myotis velifer brevis                                                       Cave bat

Myotis volans interior                                                     Long-legged bat

    M. v. longicrus

Myotis thysanodes thysanodes                                        Fringed bat

Myotis evotis evotis                                                        Long-eared bat

    M. e. pacificus

Lasionycteris noctivagans                                              Silver-haired bat

Pipistrellus hesperus hesperus                                        Western pipistrelle

Eptesicus fuscus bernardinus                                         Big Brown bat

    E. f. pallidus

Lasiurus cinerea cinerea                                                Hoary bat

Lasiurus xanthinus ??                                                    Southwestern yellow bat

Lasiurus blossevillii teliotis??                                        Western red bat

Euderma maculatum                                                      Spotted bat

Idionycteris phyllotis                                                      Allen's Long-eared bat

Corynorhinus townsendii pallescens                              Townsend's Long-eared bat

    C. t. townsendii

Antrozous pallidus cantwelli                                          Pallid bat

    A. p. pacificus

    A. p. pallidus

Molossidae

Nyctinomops femerosacca                                             Pocketed Free-tailed bat

Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana                                     Guano bat

Nyctinomops macrotis                                                   Big Free-tailed bat

Eumops perotis californicus                                          Western Mastiff bat

Primates

Hominidae

Homo sapiens                                                                Human

Lagomorpha

Ochotonidae

Ochotona princeps albata                                             Pika

    O. p. muiri

    O. p. schisticeps

    O. p. sheltoni

    O. p. taylori

Leporidae

Oryctolagus cuniculus                                                   European rabbit

Brachylagus idahoensis                                                 Pygmy rabbit

Sylvilagus bachmani bachmani                                     Brush rabbit

    S. b. cinerascens

    S. b. macroshinus

    S. b. mariposae

    S. b. riparius                                                              [Riparian brush rabbit]

    S. b. tehamae

    S. b. ubericolor

    S. b. virgulti

Sylvilagus nuttallii grangeri                                          Nuttall's cottontail

    S. n. nuttallii

Sylvilagus audobonii arizonae                                       Audobon's cottontail

    S. a. audobonii

    S. a. sanctidiegi

    S. a. vallicola

Lepus americanus klamathensis                                    Snowshoe hare

    L. a. tahoensis

Lepus townsendii townsendii                                        White-tailed jackrabbit

Lepus californicus bennettii                                          Black-tailed jackrabbit

    L. c. californicus

    L. c. deserticola

    L. c. richardsonii

    L. c. wallawalla

Rodentia

Aplodontidae

Aplodontia rufa californica                                          Mountain beaver

    A. r. humboldtiana

    A. r. nigra                                                                 [Point Arena mountain beaver]

    A. r. pacifica

    A. r. phaea

Castoridae

Castor canadensis repentinus                                      Beaver

    C. c. shastensis

    C. c. subauratus

Capromyidae

Myocastor coypu                                                          Nutria

Erethizontidae

Erethizon dorsatum couesi                                           Porcupine

    E. d. epixanthum

Geomyidae

Thomomys talpoides fisheri                                         Northern pocket gopher

    T. t. monoensis

    T. t. quadratus

Thomomys mazama mazama                                       Mazama pocket gopher

    T. m. premaxillaris

Thomomys monticola                                                   Mountain pocket gopher

Thomomys bottae                                                         Botta's pocket gopher

Thomomys townsendii ??                                             Townsend's pocket gopher

Heteromyidae

Perognathus parvus mollipilosus                                 Great Basin pocket mouse

    P. p. olivaceus

    P. p. parvus

Perognathus alticola alticola                                       White-eared pocket mouse

    P. a. inexpectatus                                                     [Tehachapi pocket mouse]

Perognathus xanthonotus                                            Yellow-eared pocket mouse

Perognathus longimembris bangsi                               Little pocket mouse [Palm Springs pocket mouse]

    P. l. bombycinus

    P. l. brevinasus                                                         [Los Angeles pocket mouse]

    P. l. internationalis                                                   [Jacumba pocket mouse]

    P. l. longimembris

    P. l. nevadensis

    P. l. pacificus                                                            [Pacific pocket mouse]

    P. l. panamintinus

    P. l. salinensus

    P. l. tularensis

Perognathus inornatus inornatus                                San Joaquin pocket mouse

    P. i. neglectus

    P. i. psammophilus                                                   [Salinas pocket mouse]

Chaetodipus formosus melanurus                                Long-tailed pocket mouse

    C. f. mesembrinus

    C. f. mohavensis

Chaetodipus baileyi hueyi                                             Bailey's pocket mouse

Chaetodipus penicillatus angustirostris                       Desert pocket mouse

    C. p. stephensi

Chaetodipus fallax fallax                                             San Diego pocket mouse

    C. f.  pallidus

Chaetodipus californicus bensoni                                California pocket mouse

    C. c. bernardinus

    C. c. californicus

    C. c. dispar

    C. c. femoralis

    C. c. marinensis

    C. c. ochrus

Chaetodipus spinatus rufescens                                   Spiny pocket mouse

    C. s. spinatus

Microdipodops megacephalus ambiguus                     Dark kangaroo mouse

    M. m. californicus

    M. m. nasutus

    M. m. oregonus

    M. m. polionotus

Microdipodops pallidus pallidus                                  Pale kangaroo mouse

Dipodomys ordii columbianus                                     Ord's kangaroo rat

    D. o. monoensis

Dipodomys microps aquilonius                                    Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat

    D. m. levipes

    D. m. microps

    D. m. occidentalis

    D. m. preblei

Dipodomys panamintinus argusensis                          Panamint kangaroo rat

    D. p. argusensis

    D. p. caudatus

    D. p. leucogenys

    D. p. mohavensis

    D. p. panamintinus

Dipodomys elephantinus                                             Big-eared kangaroo rat

Dipodomys venustus sanctiluciae                               Narrow-faced kangaroo rat

    D. v. venustus

Dipodomys agilis agilis                                               Pacific kangaroo rat

    D. a. cabezonae

    D. a. fuscus

    D. a. perplexus

Dipodomys simulans                                                   San Diego kangaroo rat

Dipodomys heermanni arenae                                    Heermann's kangaroo rat

    D. h. berkeleyensis

    D. h. dixoni

    D. h. goldmani

    D. h. heermanni

    D. h. jolonensis

    D. h. morroensis                                                      [Morro Bay kangaroo rat]

    D. h. swarthi

    D. h. tularensis

Dipodomys californicus californicus                          California kangaroo rat

    D. c. eximius

    D. c. saxatilis

Dipodomys ingens                                                       Giant kangaroo rat

Dipodomys stephensi                                                   Stephens kangaroo rat

Dipodomys merriami arenivagus                                Merriam's kangaroo rat

    D. m. collinus

    D. m. merriami

    D. m. parvus                                                            [San Bernardino kangaroo rat]

    D. m. trinidadensis

Dipodomys nitratoides brevinasus                              San Joaquin kangaroo rat

    D. n. exilis                                                                [Fresno kangaroo rat]

    D. n. nitratoides                                                       [Tipton kangaroo rat]

Dipodomys deserti aquilus                                           Desert kangaroo rat

    D. d. deserti

Muridae

Reithrodontomys megalotus catalinae                        Western Harvest mouse

    R. m. distichlis

    R. m. limicola

    R. m. longicaudus

    R. m. megalotus

    R. m. santacruzae

Reithrodontomys raviventris halicoetes                     Salt Marsh Harvest mouse

    R. r. raviventris

Peromyscus eremicus eremicus                                  Cactus mouse

    P. e. fraterculus

Peromyscus californicus benitoensis                          Parasitic mouse, California mouse

    P. c. californicus

    P. c. insignis

    P. c. maripose

    P. c. parasiticus

Peromyscus maniculatus anacapae                           Deer mouse [Anacapa Island deer mouse]

    P. m. catalinae

    P. m. clementinus                                                   [San Clemente deer mouse]

    P. m. elusus

    P. m. exterus

    P. m. gambelii

    P. m. rubidus

    P. m. sanctaerosae

    P. m. santacruzae

    P. m. sonoriensis

    P. m. streatori

Peromyscus crinitus crinitus                                      Canyon mouse

    P. c. stephensi

Peromyscus boylii boylii                                             Brush mouse

    P. b. rowleyi

Peromyscus truei chlorus                                           Pinyon mouse

    P. t. dyselius

    P. t. gilberti

    P. t. martirensis

    P. t. montipinois

    P. t. sequoiensis

    P. t. truei

Onychomys leucogaster brevicaudus                         Northern grasshopper mouse

    O. l. fuscogriseus

Onychomys torridus clarus                                         Southern grasshopper mouse

    O. t. longicaudus

    O. t. pulcher

    O. t. ramona                                                           [Tulare grasshopper mouse]

    O. t. tularensis

Sigmodon hispidus eremicus                                      Hispid cotton rat [Yuma hispid cotton rat]

Sigmodon arizonae plenus                                         Arizona cotton rat [Colorado River cotton rat]

Neotoma albigula venusta                                         White-throated woodrat

Neotoma lepida californica                                        Desert woodrat

    N. l. gilva

    N. l. grinnelli

    N. l. intermedia                                                       [San Diego desert woodrat]

    N. l. lepida

    N. l .nevadensis

    N. l. petricola

Neotoma fuscipes annectans                                      [San Francisco] Dusky-footed woodrat

    N. f. bullatior

    N. f. fuscipes

    N. f. luciana                                                            [Monterey dusky-footed woodrat]

    N. f. macrotis

    N. f. monchroura

    N. f. perplexa

    N. f. riparia                                                             [Riparian (=San Joaquin valley) dusky-footed woodrat]

    N. f. simplex

    N. f. streatori

Neotoma cinerea acraia                                             Bushy-tailed woodrat

    N. c. alticola

    N. c. lucida

    N. c. pulla

Clethrionomys californicus californicus                     California Red-backed vole

    C. c. mazama

    C. c. obscurus

Phenacomys intermedius celsus                                 Heather vole

    P. i. intermedius

Arborimus albipes                                                      White-footed vole

Arborimus pomo California red tree vole

Microtus montanus dutcheri                                      Montane vole

    M. m. montanus

    M. m. nevadensis

Microtus californicus aestuarinus                              California meadow vole

    M. c. californicus

    M. c. constrictus

    M. c. eximius

    M. c. halophilus

    M. c. kernensis

    M. c. mariposae

    M. c. mohavensis                                                    [Mohave river vole]

    M. c. pauludicola

    M. c. sanctidiegi

    M. c. sanpabloensis                                                 [San Pablo vole]

    M. c. scirpensis                                                        [Amargosa vole]

    M. c. stephensi                                                         [Stephens' California vole]

    M. c. vallicola                                                          [Owen's Valley vole]

Microtus townsendii townsendii                                  Townsend's vole

Microtus longicaudus angusticeps                               Long-tailed vole

    M. l. bernardinus

    M. l. latus

    M. l. longicaudus

    M. l. sierrae

Microtus oregoni adocetus                                          Creeping vole

    M. o. bairdi

    M. o. oregoni

Lemmiscus curtatus curtatus                                       Sagebrush vole

    L. c. intermedius

Ondatra zibethicus bernardi                                        Muskrat

    O. z. mergens

Rattus rattus                                                                Black rat

Rattus norvegicus                                                        Norway rat

Mus musculus                                                              House mouse

Sciuridae

Tamias alpinus                                                             Alpine chipmunk

Tamias minimus scrutator                                           Least chipmunk

Tamias amoenus amoenus                                           Yellow-pine chipmunk

    T. a. monoensis

    T. a. ochraceus

Tamias ochrogenys                                                      Redwood chipmunk

Tamias senex                                                               Shadow chipmunk

Tamias siskiyou                                                           Siskiyou chipmunk

Tamias sonomae alleni                                                Sonoma chipmunk

    T. s. sonomae

Tamias merriami kernensis                                         Merriam's chipmunk

    T. m. merriami

    T. m. pricei

Tamias obscurus davisi                                               Chaparral chipmunk

    T. o. obscurus

Tamias quadrimaculatus                                             Long-eared chipmunk

Tamias speciosus callipeplus                                       Lodgepole chipmunk

    T. s. frater

    T. s. sequoiensis

    T. s. speciosus

Tamias panamintinus acrus                                         Panamint chipmunk

    T. p. panamintinus

Tamias umbrinus inyoensis                                          Uinta chipmunk

Marmota flaviventris avara                                         Yellow-bellied marmot

    M. f. flaviventris

    M. f. fortirostris

    M. f. sierrae

Ammospermophilus nelsoni                                         Nelson's (=San Joaquin) Antelope ground squirrel

Spermophilus townsendii canus                                   Townsend's ground squirrel

    S. t. mollis

Spermophilus beldingi beldingi                                    Belding's ground squirrel

    S. b. oregonus

Spermophilus variegatus grammurus                          Rock squirrel

Spermophilus beecheyi beecheyi                                  California ground squirrel

    S. b. douglasii

    S. b. fisheri

    S. b. nesioticus

    S. b. nudipes

    S. b. parvulus

    S. b. sierrae

Spermophilus mohavensis                                            Mojave ground squirrel

Spermophilus tereticaudus chlorus                              Round-tailed ground squirrel

    S. t. tereticaudus

Spermophilus lateralis bernardinus                             Golden-mantled ground squirrel

    S. l. certus

    S. l. chrysodeirus

    S. l. mitratus

    S. l. trepidus

    S. l. trinitatis

Sciurus carolinensis ??                                                Eastern gray squirrel

Sciurus niger ??                                                           Fox squirrel

Sciurus griseus anthonyi                                              Western gray squirrel

    S. g. griseus

    S. g. nigripes

Tamiasciurus douglasii albolimbatus                          Douglas' squirrel

    T. d. mollipilosus

Glaucomys sabrinus californicus                                Northern flying squirrel

    G. s. flaviventris

    G. s. fuliginosus

    G. s. klamathensis

    G. s. lascivus

    G. s. stephensi

Ammospermophilus leucurus leucurus                       White-tailed Antelope ground squirrel

Dipodidae

Zapus princeps curtatus                                             Western Jumping mouse

    Z. p. oregonus

    Z. p. pacificus

Zapus trinotatus eureka                                             Pacific Jumping mouse

    Z. t. orarius                                                             [Point Reyes jumping mouse]

    Z. t. trinotatus

Cetacea

Delphinidae

Steno bredanensis                                                       Rough-toothed dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba                                                  Blue and White dolphin

    S. attenuata                                                             Pacific Spotted dolphin

Delphinus delphis                                                        Common dolphin

Lissodelphis borealis                                                   Northern Right Whale dolphin

Tursiops truncatus                                                      Bottlenosed dolphin

Lagenorhynchus obliquidens                                      White-sided dolphin

Pseudorca crassidens                                                 False killer whale

Orcinus orca                                                               Killer whale

Grampus griseus                                                        Risso's dolphin

Globicephala macrorhynchus                                    Pilot whale

Phocoenidae

Phoceona phocoena                                                   Harbor porpoise

Phocoenoides dalli                                                     Dall's porpoise

Physeteridae (Includes Kogiidae)

Kogia breviceps                                                         Pygmy sperm whale

Kogia sima                                                                 Dwarf sperm whale

Physeter macrocephalus                                            Sperm whale

Ziphiidae

Berardius bairdii                                                        Baird's Beaked whale, North Pacific bottle-nosed whale

Mesoplodon stejnegeri                                               Stejneger's Beaked whale, Bering Sea beaked whale

Mesoplodon densirostris                                            Blainville's beaked whale

Mesoplodon carlhubbsi                                              Hubbs's beaked whale

Mesoplodon ginkgodens                                             Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale

Mesoplodon hectori                                                    Hector's beaked whale

Ziphius cavirostris                                                      Cuvier's Beaked whale, Goose-beaked whale

Eschrichtidae

Eschrichtius robustus                                                 Gray whale

Balaenopteridae

Balaenoptera acutorostrata                                       Minke whale

Balaenoptera borealis                                                Sei whale

Balaenoptera brydei                                                   Bryde's whale

Balaenoptera physalus                                               Fin whale

Balaenoptera musculus                                              Blue whale

Megaptera novaeangliae                                           Humpback whale

Balaenidae

Balaena glacialis                                                        Northern Right whale

Carnivora

Canidae

Canis latrans clepticus                                               Coyote

    C. l. lestes

    C. l. mearnsi

    C. l. ochropus

    C. l. umpquensis

Canis familiaris                                                          Domestic (feral) dog

Canis lupus fuscus                                                      Gray wolf

    C. l. youngi

Vulpes vulpes cascadensis                                          Red fox

    V. v. necator                                                           [Sierra Nevada red fox]

Vulpes macrotis arsipus                                              Kit fox

    V. m. macrotis

    V. m. mutica                                                            [San Joaquin kit fox]

    V. m. nevadensis

Urocyon cinereoargenteus californicus                      Gray fox

    U. c. scottii

    U. c. townsendi

Urocyon littoralis catalinae                                        Island fox

    U. l. clementae

    U. l. dickeyi

    U. l. littoralis

    U. l. santacruzae

    U. l. santarosae

Ursidae

Ursus americanus altifrontalis                                    Black bear

    U. a. californiensis  

Ursus arctos                                                                Grizzly bear

Procyonidae

Bassariscus astutus nevadensis                                   Ringtail cat

    B. a. octavus

    B. a. raprot

    B. a. willetti

    B. a. yumanensis

Procyon lotor excelsus                                                Raccoon

    P. l. pacificus

    P. l. pallidus

    P. l. psora

Mustelidae

Martes americana humboldtensis                               [Humboldt] Marten 

    M. a. sierrae

Martes pennanti pacifica                                            [Pacific] Fisher

Mustela erminea muricus                                            Short-tailed weasel, Ermine

    M. e. streatori

Mustella frenata inyoensis                                           Long-tailed weasel

    M. f. latirostra

    M. f. munda

    M. f. nigriauris

    M. f. oregonensis

    M. f. pulchra

    M. f. saturata

    M. f. xanthogenys

Mustela vison aestuarina                                             Mink

    M. v. energumenos

Gulo gulo luteus                                                           Wolverine

Taxidea taxus berlandieri                                            Badger

    T. t. jeffersonii

Lontra canadensis pacifica                                          River otter

    L. c. sonora                                                               [Southwestern river otter]

Enhydra lutris nereis                                                    Sea otter

Mephitidae

Spilogale gracilis amphiala                                          Western spotted skunk [Channel Islands spotted skunk]

    S. g. gracilis

    S. g. phenax

Mephitis mephitis estor                                                Striped skunk

    M. m. holzneri

    M. m. major

    M. m. occidentalis

Felidae

Felis silvestris                                                               Feral cat

Felis concolor browni                                                   Mountain lion [Yuma mountain lion]

    F. c. californica

    F. c. kaibabensis

Panthera onca arizonensis                                           Jaguar

Lynx rufus baileyi                                                         Bobcat

    L. r. californicus

    L. r. fasciatus

    L. r. pallescens

Otariidae

Callorhinus ursinus                                                      Northern fur seal

Arctocephalus townsendi                                             Guadalupe fur seal

Eumetopius jubatus                                                     Stellar's sea lion

Zalophus californianus californianus                          California sea lion

Phocidae

Phoca vitulina richardii                                               Harbor seal

Phoca fasciata                                                             Ribbon seal

Mirounga angustirostris                                              Northern Elephant seal

Phoca hispida hispida                                                  Ringed seal

Perissodactyla

Equidae

Equus asinus                                                                Feral burro

Equus burchelli                                                            Burchell's zebra

Equus caballus                                                                    Feral horse

Artiodactyla

Cervidae

Cervus elaphus nannodes                                              Elk, wapiti  [Tule elk]

    C. e. nelsoni

    C. e. roosevelti

Cervus unicolor                                                             Sambar

Dama dama                                                                   Fallow deer

Odocoileus hemionus californica                                  Black-tailed deer

    O. h. columbiana

    O. h. eremica

    O. h. fuliginata

    O. h. hemionus

    O. h. inyoensis

Odocoileus virginianus leucura                                    White-tailed deer

Axis axis                                                                        Axis deer

Antilocapridae

Antilocapra americana americana                               Pronghorn

    A. a. oregona

Bovidae

Bison bison athabascae                                                 Bison

Capra hircus                                                                 Feral goat

Ovis canadensis californiana                                        [California (=Sierra Nevada)] Bighorn sheep

    O. c. cremnobates                                                     [Peninsular bighorn sheep]

    O. c. nelsoni

Ammotragus lervia                                                       Barbary sheep

Antilope cervicapra                                                      Blackbuck

Bos taurus                                                                     Feral cattle

Hemitragus jemlahicus                                                 Himalayan tahr

Suidae

Sus scrofa                                                                     Feral hog

 

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