This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Azores Islands, Portugal. Except for marine mammals and two species of bats, the Azores were completely devoid of mammals prior to their discovery in the early 15th century. All other mammals in the islands are therefore introduced species.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to .
Suborder: Myomorpha
Family: Muridae (mice and rats) Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Mus House mouse, Mus musculus Genus: Rattus Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus introduced Black rat, Rattus rattus introduced
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 European hedgehog, E. europaeus
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 (mouse-eared bats) Subfamily: Myotinae Genus: Myotis Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis Subfamily: Verpertilioninae Genus: Nyctalus Azores noctule, Nyctalus azoreum
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. Many species of cetaceans reproduce around the Azores.
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenidae
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis
Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals) Genus: Balaenoptera Northern minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae (dolphins and pilot whales) Genus: Globicephala Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhyncus Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus Genus: Orcinus Killer whale, Orcinus orca Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus Family: Kogiidae (small sperm whales) Genus: Kogia Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales) Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales) Genus: Hyperoodon Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus Genus: Mesoplodon Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
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, Mustela nivalis Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Monachus Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus
Notes
References
Aulagnier, S. et al. (2008) Guide des mammifères d'Europe, d'Afrique du Nord et de Moyen-Orient. Delachaux et Niestlé, Paris Shirihai, H. & Jarrett, B. (2006) Whales, Dolphins and Seals: A Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the World. A & C Black, London