List of mammals of Greece
This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the 87 mammal species occurring in Greece. One of them is endangered, ten are vulnerable, and three are near threatened. The following tags are used to highlight each species' status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | 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. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
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.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Tribe: Sciurini
- Genus: Sciurus
- Red squirrel, S. vulgaris LC[1]
- Caucasian squirrel, Sciurus anomalus LC
- Genus: Sciurus
- Tribe: Sciurini
- Subfamily: Xerinae
- Tribe: Marmotini
- Genus: Spermophilus
- European ground squirrel, Spermophilus citellus VU
- Genus: Spermophilus
- Tribe: Marmotini
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Genus: Dryomys
- Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LC
- Genus: Muscardinus
- Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius LC
- Genus: Myomimus
- Roach's mouse-tailed dormouse, Myomimus roachi VU
- Genus: Dryomys
- Subfamily: Glirinae
- Genus: Glis
- Edible dormouse, Glis glis LC
- Genus: Glis
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Family: Spalacidae
- Subfamily: Spalacinae
- Genus: Nannospalax
- Lesser mole rat, Nannospalax leucodon VU
- Genus: Nannospalax
- Subfamily: Spalacinae
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Cricetinae
- Genus: Cricetulus
- Grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius LC
- Genus: Cricetulus
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Arvicola
- European water vole, A. amphibius LC[2]
- Genus: Chionomys
- Snow vole, Chionomys nivalis LC
- Genus: Clethrionomys
- Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LC
- Genus: Microtus
- Felten's vole, Microtus felteni LC
- Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri LC
- Southern vole, Microtus rossiaemeridionalis LC
- European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus LC
- Thomas's pine vole, Microtus thomasi LC
- Genus: Arvicola
- Subfamily: Cricetinae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
- Subfamily: Deomyinae
- Genus: Acomys
- Crete spiny mouse, Acomys minous VU
- Genus: Acomys
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Genus: Mus
- House mouse, M. musculus LC[3]
- Genus: Apodemus
- Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LC
- Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LC
- Broad-toothed field mouse, Apodemus mystacinus LC
- Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- Genus: Mus
- Subfamily: Deomyinae
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)
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
- Genus: Lepus
- European hare, L. europaeus LC[4]
- Genus: Oryctolagus
- European rabbit, O. cuniculus EN introduced[5]
- Genus: Lepus
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
- Northern white-breasted hedgehog, E. roumanicus LC[6]
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
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
- Gueldenstaedt's shrew, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii
- Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon
- Greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula LC
- Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens LC[7]
- Cretan shrew, Crocidura zimmermanni VU
- Genus: Suncus
- Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
- Genus: Crocidura
- Subfamily: Soricinae
- Tribe: Nectogalini
- Genus: Neomys
- Southern water shrew, Neomys anomalus
- Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens
- Genus: Neomys
- Tribe: Soricini
- Genus: Sorex
- Common shrew, Sorex araneus
- Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus
- Genus: Sorex
- Tribe: Nectogalini
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- Family: Talpidae (moles)
- Subfamily: Talpinae
- Tribe: Talpini
- Genus: Talpa
- Mediterranean mole, Talpa caeca
- European mole, Talpa europaea
- Stankovic's mole, Talpa stankovici
- Genus: Talpa
- Tribe: Talpini
- Subfamily: Talpinae
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: Vespertilionidae
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Genus: Myotis
- Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii LC[8]
- Brandt's bat, M. brandti LC[9]
- Long-fingered bat, M. capaccinii VU[10]
- Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus LC[11]
- Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis LC[12]
- Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus LC[13]
- Natterer's bat, M. nattereri LC[14]
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Eptesicus
- Serotine bat, E. serotinus LC
- Genus: Hypsugo
- Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii LC[15]
- Genus: Nyctalus
- Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus NT[16]
- Lesser noctule, N. leisleri LC[17]
- Common noctule, N. noctula LC[18]
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii LC[19]
- Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus LC
- Genus: Plecotus
- Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus LC
- Genus: Vespertilio
- Parti-coloured bat, V. murinus LC
- Genus: Eptesicus
- Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- Genus: Miniopterus
- Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii VU[20]
- Genus: Miniopterus
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Family: Molossidae
- Genus: Tadarida
- European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis LC
- Genus: Tadarida
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Blasius's horseshoe bat, R. blasii LC[21]
- Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale NT[22]
- Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum LC[23]
- Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros LC[24]
- Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi VU[25]
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
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. Dolphins are national animal of Greece although cetacean biodiversity in the Mediterranean is not as diverse as in nations facing outer oceans, and the Aegean Sea Greece's coasts are one of the furthermost basin of the inland sea and even less species regularly inhabit comparing to western basin.[26][27]
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- Subfamily: Megapterinae
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
- Genus: Megaptera
- Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Common minke whale, B. acutorostrata LC[28]
- Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Subfamily: Megapterinae
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
- Genus: Physeter
- Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
- Genus: Physeter
- Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
- Genus: Ziphius
- Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
- Genus: Mesoplodon
- Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens VU
- Genus: Ziphius
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
- Genus: Phocoena
- Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
- Genus: Phocoena
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Genus: Tursiops
- Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
- Genus: Steno
- Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD
- Genus: Stenella
- Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
- Genus: Delphinus
- Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
- Genus: Grampus
- Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- Genus: Pseudorca
- False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
- Genus: Orcinus
- Genus: Tursiops
- Family: Monodontidae
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas VU (introduced)[26]
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
- Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 carnivore species, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae
- Subfamily: Felinae
- Genus: Felis
- European wildcat, F. silvestris
- Genus: Lynx
- Eurasian lynx, L. lynx LC[30]
- Genus: Felis
- Subfamily: Felinae
- Family: Felidae
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae
- Genus: Canis
- Golden jackal, C. aureus LC[31]
- European jackal, C. a. moreoticus
- Gray wolf, C. lupus LC[32]
- Eurasian wolf, C. l. lupus
- Golden jackal, C. aureus LC[31]
- Genus: Vulpes
- Genus: Canis
- Family: Ursidae
- Genus: Ursus
- Brown bear, U. arctos LC[34]
- Eurasian brown bear, U. a. arctos
- Brown bear, U. arctos LC[34]
- Genus: Ursus
- Family: Mustelidae
- Genus: Lutra
- European otter, L. lutra NT[35]
- Genus: Martes
- Beech marten, M. foina LC[36]
- European pine marten, M. martes LC[37]
- Genus: Meles
- Eurasian badger, M. meles LC[38]
- Genus: Mustela
- Least weasel, M. nivalis LC[39]
- European polecat, M. putorius LC[40]
- Genus: Vormela
- Marbled polecat, V. peregusna VU[41]
- Genus: Lutra
- Family: Phocidae
- Genus: Monachus
- Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus EN[42]
- Genus: Monachus
- Family: Canidae
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.
See also
References
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