List of mammals of Pennsylvania
This list of mammals in Pennsylvania consists of 66 species currently believed to occur wild in the state. This excludes feral domesticated species such as feral cats and dogs.
Several species recently lived wild in Pennsylvania, but are now extirpated (locally, but not globally, extinct). They are the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), American marten (Martes americana), wolverine (Gulo gulo), cougar (Puma concolor), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), moose (Alces alces), and bison (Bison bison).
Opossums
[edit]Order: Didelphimorphia
Family: Didelphidae
One species of opossum occurs in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status[2] | Notes | Distribution[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia opossum
| Didelphis virginiana | Common | D. virginiana virginiana | Statewide |
Shrews and moles
[edit]Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Soricidae
Seven species of shrews live in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern short-tailed shrew | Blarina brevicauda | Common | Statewide | |
| Least shrew | Cryptotis parva | Endangered locally | South central | |
| Masked shrew | Sorex cinereus | Common | Statewide | |
| Maryland shrew | Sorex cinereus fontinalis | Common | The Maryland shrew is now considered a subspecies of masked shrew. | Piedmont and Valley and Ridge |
| Long-tailed shrew | Sorex dispar | Rare | Appalachian Uplands | |
| Smoky shrew | Sorex fumeus | Common | Statewide | |
| Pygmy shrew | Sorex hoyi | Uncommon | Presumed statewide | |
| Water shrew | Sorex palustris | Uncommon | Mountain streams |
Family: Talpidae
Three species of moles occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star-nosed mole | Condylura cristata | Uncommon | Statewide | |
| Hairy-tailed mole | Parascalops breweri | Uncommon | Statewide | |
| Eastern mole | Scalopus aquaticus | Uncommon | Piedmont and Valley and Ridge |
Bats
[edit]Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Eleven species of evening bats occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tri-colored bat | Perimyotis subflavus | Uncommon | Statewide | |
| Big brown bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Common | Statewide | |
| Evening bat | Nycticeius humeralis | Rare | Southeastern | |
| Red bat | Lasiurus borealis | Uncommon | Statewide | |
| Seminole bat | Lasiurus seminolus | Rare | Piedmont | |
| Hoary bat | Lasiurus cinereus | Uncommon | Statewide | |
| Small-footed myotis | Myotis leibii | Threatened locally | Statewide | |
| Northern long-eared bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Statewide | ||
| Little brown myotis | Myotis lucifugus | Common | Statewide | |
| Indiana bat | Myotis sodalis | Endangered | Central | |
| Silver-haired bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Uncommon | Statewide |
Rabbits and hares
[edit]Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Three species of rabbits and hares occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern cottontail
| Sylvilagus floridanus | Common | Statewide | |
| Appalachian cottontail | Sylvilagus obscurus | Uncommon | Eastern mountains | |
| Snowshoe hare | Lepus americanus | Rare | Appalachian Uplands | |
| European hare | Lepus europaeus | Common | Introduced | Northeastern area |
Rodents
[edit]Order: Rodentia
Family: Castoridae
One species of beaver occurs in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American beaver | Castor canadensis | Reintroduced | Statewide |
Family: Myocastoridae
One species of porcupine occurs in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American porcupine | Erethizon doratum | Uncommon | Northern and central |
Family: Zapodidae
Two species of jumping mice occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland jumping mouse | Napaeozapus insignis | Common | Northern and western | |
| Meadow jumping mouse | Zapus hudsonius | Common | Statewide |
Family: Cricetidae
Nine species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in Pennsylvania.
Subfamily Arvicolinae (lemmings, voles, and muskrats)
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock vole | Microtus chrotorrhinus | Rare | Northeast | |
| Meadow vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | Common | Statewide | |
| Woodland vole | Microtus pinetorum | Common | Statewide | |
| Southern bog lemming | Synaptomys cooperi | Uncommon | Statewide | |
| Southern red-backed vole | Clethrionomys gapperi | Common | Statewide | |
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Common | Statewide |
Subfamily Neotominae (North American rats and mice)
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny woodrat | Neotoma magister | Threatened | Mountain ridges | |
| Eastern deer mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Common | Statewide | |
| White-footed mouse | Peromyscus leucopus | Common | Statewide |
Family: Muridae
Three species of Old World rats and mice occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House mouse | Mus musculus | Introduced | Statewide | |
| Brown rat | Rattus norvegicus | Introduced | Statewide | |
| Black rat | Rattus rattus | Introduced | Statewide |
Family: Sciuridae
Eight species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in Pennsylvania.
Subfamily Sciurinae (tree squirrels and flying squirrels)
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern gray squirrel
| Sciurus carolinensis | Common | Statewide | |
| Fox squirrel | Sciurus niger | Uncommon | Southern and western | |
| American red squirrel | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Common | Statewide | |
| Northern flying squirrel | Glaucomys sabrinus | Rare | Northern | |
| Southern flying squirrel | Glaucomys volans | Common | Statewide |
Subfamily Xerinae (chipmunks and ground squirrels)
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groundhog | Marmota monax | Common | Statewide | |
| Thirteen-lined ground squirrel | Ictidomys tridecemlineatus | Introduced | Mercer and Venango Counties | |
| Eastern chipmunk | Tamias striatus | Common | Statewide |
Carnivorans
[edit]Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
One species of cat occurs in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Rare | L. rufus rufus | Appalachian Uplands |
Family: Canidae
Three species of canids occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Common | Eastern coyote, C. latrans ssp. | Statewide |
| Gray fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Common | Statewide | |
| Red fox | Vulpes vulpes | Common | Eastern American red fox, V. vulpes fulvus | Statewide |
Family: Ursidae
One species of bear occurs in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear | Ursus americanus | Common | U. americanus americanus | Appalachian Mountains in Central Pennsylvania |
Family: Mephitidae
Two species of skunks occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Common | Statewide | |
| Eastern spotted skunk | Spilogale putorius | Rare | South central |
Family: Mustelidae
Seven species of mustelids occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River otter | Lontra canadensis | Rare | L. canadensis canadensis | Northern |
| Least weasel | Mustela nivalis | Uncommon | M. nivalis allegheniensis | Western two-thirds |
| American ermine | Mustela richardsonii | Uncommon | Statewide except southwest | |
| Long-tailed weasel | Neogale frenata | Common | Statewide | |
| Mink | Neogale vison | Common | N. vison mink | Statewide |
| Fisher | Pekania pennanti | Reintroduced | North central | |
| Badger | Taxidea taxus | Rare | only four confirmed records since 1946[3] | Southwest Pennslvania[4] |
Family: Procyonidae
One species of raccoon occurs in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Common | Eastern raccoon, P. lotor lotor | Statewide |
Hoofed mammals
[edit]Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
Two species of deer occur in Pennsylvania.
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Cervus canadensis | Reintroduced | Eastern elk once inhabited the state, but were driven to extinction. Rocky Mountain elk were introduced in their place in the early 20th century, and the population has risen steadily since then. | North central |
| White-tailed deer
| Odocoileus virginianus | Common | Northern white-tailed deer, O. virginianus borealis | Statewide |
References
[edit]- ^ "About Pennsylvania". Pennsylvania website. Archived from the original on 2009-10-14. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ a b Except where noted otherwise, status and distribution come from "Mammals of Pennsylvania". The American Society of Mammalogists website. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "Badger (Taxidea taxus)". Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Carnegie Institute. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ Williams, Stephen L.; McLaren, Suzanne B.; Burgwin, Marion A. (23 April 1985). "Paleo-Archaeological and Historical Records of Selected Pennsylvania Mammals". Annals of Carnegie Museum. 54 (4): 118. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- "Which mammals live in Pennsylvania?". Carnegie Museum of Natural History website. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- Wilson, Don; Deeann Reeder (2005). Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.
