List of mammals of Texas

This is a list of mammals of Texas. Mammals native to or immediately off the coast of the U.S. state of Texas are listed first. Introduced mammals, whether intentional or unintentional, are listed separately.

The varying geography of Texas, the second largest state, provides a large variety of habitats for mammals. The land varies from swamps, Piney Woods in the east, rocky hills and limestone karst in the central Hill Country of the Edwards Plateau, desert in the south and west, mountains in the far west (the Trans-Pecos), and grassland prairie in the north, also known as the Panhandle.^[1]^[2]^[3] The state's many rivers, including the Rio Grande, the Colorado River, and the Trinity River, also provide diverse river habitats.^[4]^[5] Its central position in the United States means that species found primarily in either the western or eastern reaches of the country often have their ranges meeting in the state. Additionally, its proximity to Mexico is such that many species found there and into Central America also range as far north as Texas.^[1]

Texas recognizes three official mammals: the nine-banded armadillo, the Texas Longhorn, and the Mexican free-tailed bat. State law protects numerous species. The state also recognizes the Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons State Park since 2011,^[6] the state Longhorn herd at multiple state parks since 1969,^[7]^[6] and the state dog breed, Blue Lacy since 2005.^[6]

The state mammals were all named by the legislature in 1995.^[8]

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Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Choeronycteris mexicana	Mexican long-tongued bat	Only found in South Texas; may be slowly increasing distribution northward.^[11]	NT
Diphylla ecaudata	Hairy-legged vampire bat	Only one specimen found in 1967, in Val Verde County.^[11]	LC
Leptonycteris nivalis	Greater long-nosed bat	Only found in Presidio County and Brewster County.^[11]	EN

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Aeorestes cinereus	Hoary bat	Found in mature forested areas across the state^[11]	LC
Antrozous pallidus	Pallid bat	Commonly found in the western half of Texas, including the panhandle.^[13]^[11]	LC
Corynorhinus rafinesquii	Rafinesque's big-eared bat	Found in small localities in the Pineywoods of East Texas.^[11]	LC
Corynorhinus townsendii	Townsend's big-eared bat	Commonly found in the western half of Texas, including the panhandle. Population in West Texas and Panhandle are divided into subspecies.^[11]	LC
Dasypterus ega	Southern yellow bat	Found in seven counties in the Rio Grande Valley.^[11]	LC
Dasypterus intermedius	Northern yellow bat	Occurs in the eastern and southern part of the state, including along the coast.^[11]	LC
Dasypterus xanthinus	Western yellow bat	Reported in the southernmost counties of Texas surrounding Big Bend National Park.^[11]	LC
Eptesicus fuscus	Big brown bat	Found primarily iy the eastern, northern and western parts of the state.^[11]	LC
Euderma maculatum	Spotted bat	Found only in Big Bend National Park.^[11]	LC
Lasionycteris noctivagans	Silver-haired bat	Found in forested areas across the state, not seen often in cities.^[11]	LC
Lasiurus blossevillii	Desert red bat	One specimen found in Presidio County in 1988^[11]	LC
Lasiurus borealis	Eastern red bat	Found state-wide, but most commonly found in the eastern and central part of the state^[11]	LC
Lasiurus seminolus	Seminole bat	Found in the eastern part of the state^[11]	LC
Myotis austroriparius	Southeastern myotis	Found in eastern Texas caves^[11]	LC
Myotis californicus	California myotis	Found primarily in the Chihuahuan Desert and Trans-Pecos region of Texas^[11]	LC
Myotis ciliolabrum	Western small-footed myotis	Found primarily in the Trans-Pecos mountains and small populations in the panhandle^[11]	LC
Myotis occultus	Arizona myotis	One found in Hudspeth Co., likely a migrant individual.^[11]	LC
Myotis septentrionalis	Northern long-eared myotis	Only one specimen ever found in Dimmit Co.^[11]	NT
Myotis thysanodes	Fringed myotis	Found in the Trans-Pecos region, with one migrant speciment collected in the Panhandle.^[11]	LC
Myotis velifer	Cave myotis	Found in most areas in Texas except the Pineywoods.^[11]	LC
Myotis volans	Long-legged myotis	Found in the Trans-Pecos region, with one migrant speciment collected in the Panhandle.^[11]	LC
Myotis yumanensis	Yuma myotis	Found in south Texas along the Rio Grande River.^[11]	LC
Nycticeius humeralis	Evening bat	Found widespread throughout the state except for the Panhandle, with westward expansion of their range.^[11]	LC
Parastrellus hesperus	Canyon bat	Found in the western half of the state, especially the Trans-Pecos Mountains.^[11]	LC
Perimyotis subflavus	Tricolored bat	Found in most regions of Texas except the Trans-Pecos.^[11]	VU

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Eumops perotis	Western mastiff bat	Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas and in Midland County in the west^[11]	LC
Nyctinomops femorosacca	Pocketed free-tailed bat	Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas.^[11]	LC
Nyctinomops macrotis	Big free-tailed bat	Scattered localities in the Panhandle, Trans-Pecos region, and recently in Wise County^[11]	LC
Molossus molossus	Velvety free-tailed bat	Vagrant^[14]	LC
Tadarida brasiliensis	Mexican free-tailed bat	State-wide distribution in the summer, with the eastern population being year-round residents^[11]	LC

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Canis latrans	Coyote	ubiquitous throughout Texas	LC
Canis lupus	Gray wolf	all subspecies previously found in Texas are either extinct or extirpated; see below	LC
C. l. baileyi	Mexican wolf	extirpated	EN
C. l. monstrabilis	Texas gray wolf	extinct	EX
C. l. nubilus	Great Plains wolf	extripated
Canis rufus	Red wolf	the two subspecies previously found in Texas are extinct and extirpated; see below	CR
C. r. rufus	Texas red wolf	extinct	EX
C. r. gregoryi	Mississippi Valley red wolf	extirpated	CR
Urocyon cinereoargenteus	Gray fox	Ubiquitous throughout Texas.^[11]	LC
Vulpes macrotis	Kit fox	Found in the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau regions.^[11]	LC
Vulpes velox	Swift fox	Found in the Panhandle region.^[11]	LC

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Herpailurus yagouaroundi	Jaguarundi	Extirpated; Last U.S. sighting in 1986 in Brownsville.^[15]	LC
Leopardus pardalis	Ocelot	Only found in and around Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge	LC
Leopardus wiedii	Margay	Extirpated; Only U.S. record found in 1852 outside Kingsville.^[11]^[16]^[17]	NT
Lynx rufus	Bobcat	ubiquitous throughout Texas	LC
Panthera onca	Jaguar	Extirpated by 1948.^[11]	NT
Puma concolor	Cougar	Western counties only	LC

**Mustelidae**
Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Lontra canadensis	North American river otter	Found historically along tributaries and rivers of the Red River. Has been limited further east,^[11] but recently found as far west as Abilene.^[18]	LC
Mustela nigripes	Black-footed ferret	Extirpated. Before extirpation, was found wherever prairie dogs were in the Panhandle.^[11]	EN
Neogale frenata	Long-tailed weasel	Secretive species with few scientific records across the state. Found in a variety of habitats where water is present. Not found in the northern Panhandle.^[11]	LC
Neogale vison	American mink	Found in the eastern half of the state where water is present.^[11]	LC
Taxidea taxus	American badger	Found throughout the state except the far eastern Pineywoods.Habitat loss pushes it further east.^[11]	LC

**Ursidae**
Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Ursus americanus	American black bear	Found in the forested areas of east Texas, the Trans-Pecos region, and at the tip of the Panhandle^[11]	LC
Ursus arctos	Brown bear	all populations once present in Texas are either extirpated or extinct; see below	LC
U. a. horribilis	Grizzly bear	extirpated; the only documented grizzly bear (U. a. horribilis) specimen was killed in 1905 in Jeff Davis County^[11]
U. a. horribilis	Mexican grizzly bear	extinct^[19]^[20]	EX

**Bovidae**
Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Bison bison	American bison	Reintroduced, see below.^[22]	NT
B. b. bison	Plains bison	Reintroduced at Caprock Canyons State Park and Fort Worth Nature Center as well as private herds. All controlled by fences. Historically widespread.^[11]	NT
Ovis canadensis	Bighorn sheep	Extirpated throughout original Trans-Pecos mountain ranges. See below.	LC
O. c. nelsoni	Desert bighorn sheep	Reintroduced populations in certain areas of the Trans-Pecos mountains are free-roaming and wild.^[11]	LC

**Soricidae**
Species	Common name	Distribution	Status
Blarina carolinensis	Southern short-tailed shrew	Southern short-tailed shrews are found specifically in the eastern part of the state. They usually reside in forested areas, meadows, and openings.^[23]	LC
Blarina hylophaga	Elliot's short-tailed shrew	The Elliot's short tailed-shrew are usually found in the south eastern part of the state. Generally, they reside where there's Live oak tree's on soft, damp soil that's easy burrowing.^[24]	LC
Cryptotis parva	North American least shrew	found throughout most of Texas (except the Trans-Pecos, adjacent areas and from much of the Edwards Plateau.)	LC
Notiosorex crawfordi	Crawford's gray shrew		LC

List of species

Order Xenarthra

Dasypodidae

Order Chiroptera

Phyllostomidae

Mormoopidae

Vespertilionidae

Molossidae

Order Carnivora

Canidae

Felidae

Procyonidae

Mephitidae

Mustelidae

Phocidae

Ursidae

Order Artiodactyla

Tayassuidae

Cervidae

Antilocapridae

Bovidae

Order Eulipotyphla

Soricidae

Talpidae

Order Sirenia

Trichechidae

Order Didelphimorphia

Didelphidae

Order Lagomorpha

Leporidae

Order Rodentia

Castoridae

Cricetidae

Erethizontidae

Geomyidae

Heteromyidae

Sciuridae

Order Cetacea

Balaenidae

Balaenopteridae

Kogiidae

Physeteridae

Ziphiidae

Delphinidae

Introduced/invasive mammals

Order Primates

Order Carnivora

Canidae (canids)

Order Artiodactyla

Suidae (pigs)

Cervidae (deer)

Bovidae (antelopes & sheep)

Order Rodentia

Muridae (Old World mice & rats)

Myocastoridae (nutria)

See also

Notes and references

External links