bio.wikisort.org - Animal

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Malta. There are twenty mammal species in Malta, of which one is critically endangered.[1]

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed 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: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

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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: Atelerix
      • North African hedgehog, A. algirus LC

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

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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
      • Sicilian shrew, Crocidura sicula LC
    • Genus: Suncus
      • Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

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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
      • Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis LC
      • Felten's myotis, Myotis punicus DD
  • Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
    • Genus: Nyctalus
      • Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula LC
    • Genus: Pipistrellus
      • Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
      • Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
    • Genus: Plecotus
      • Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LC
  • Subfamily: Miniopterinae
    • Genus: Miniopterus
      • Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii VU[2]
• Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
    • Genus: Rhinolophus
      • Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LC possibly extirpated
      • Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC

Order: Cetacea (whales)

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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.

• Suborder: Mysticeti
  • Family: Balaenopteridae
    • Genus: Balaenoptera
      • Blue whale, Balaenoptera m. musculus EN (possible)[3]
      • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus VU
  • Subfamily: Megapterinae
    • Genus: Megaptera
      • Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC (possible)[4]
  • Family: Balaenidae
    • Genus: Eubalaena
      • North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR (possible)[5][6][7]
• Suborder: Odontoceti
  • Superfamily:Physeteroidea
    • Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
      • Genus: Physeter
        • Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus EN [8][9][10]
  • Superfamily: Platanistoidea
    • Family: Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins)
      • Genus: Tursiops
        • Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus VU
      • Genus: Delphinus
        • Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis EN
      • Genus: Stenella
        • Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba VU
      • Genus: Grampus
        • Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
      • Genus: Pseudorca
        • False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD
      • Genus: Globicephala
        • Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas DD

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

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There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

• Suborder: Caniformia
  • Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
    • Genus: Mustela
      • Least weasel, M. nivalis LC possibly introduced
  • Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
    • Genus: Monachus
      • Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus EN extirpated[11]

See also

• List of chordate orders
• Lists of mammals by region
• List of prehistoric mammals
• Mammal classification
• List of mammals described in the 2000s

Notes

References

• "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Malta". IUCN. 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2007. ^{[dead link]}
• "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
• "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995–2006. Retrieved 22 May 2007.

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