List of mammals of Syria explained

This list of mammals of Syria is derived from IUCN Red Lists.The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status:

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.
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.

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.

• Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
  • Subfamily: Antilopinae
    • Genus: Gazella
      • Mountain gazelle, G. gazella ^[1]
      • Arabian sand gazelle, G. marica ^[2]
      • Goitered gazelle, G. subgutturosa ^[3]
  • Subfamily: Caprinae
    • Genus: Capra
      • Nubian ibex, C. nubiana reintroduced^[4]
• Family: Cervidae (deer)
  • Subfamily: Capreolinae
    • Genus: Capreolus
      • Roe deer, C. capreolus ^[5]

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: Feliformia
  • Family: Felidae (cats)
    • Subfamily: Felinae
      • Genus: Caracal
        • Caracal, C. caracal ^[6]
      • Genus: Felis
        • Jungle cat, F. chaus ^[7]
        • African wildcat, F. lybica ^[8]
          • Asiatic wildcat, F. l. ornata
        • Sand cat, F. margarita ^[9]
  • Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
    • Genus: Herpestes
      • Egyptian mongoose, H. ichneumon ^[10]
  • Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
    • Genus: Hyaena
      • Striped hyena, H. hyaena ^[11]
• Suborder: Caniformia
  • Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
    • Genus: Canis
      • Golden jackal, C. aureus ^[12]
      • Gray wolf, C. lupus ^[13]
        • Arabian wolf, C. l. arabs
        • Indian wolf, C. l. pallipes
    • Genus: Vulpes
      • Rüppell's fox, V. rueppellii ^[14]
      • Red fox, V. vulpes ^[15]
  • Family: Ursidae (bears)
    • Genus: Ursus
      • Brown bear, U. arctos ^[16]
        • Syrian brown bear, U. a. syriacus
  • Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
    • Genus: Lutra
      • European otter, L. lutra ^[17]
    • Genus: Martes
      • European pine marten, M. martes ^[18]
    • Genus: Meles
      • Caucasian badger, M. canescens
    • Genus: Mustela
      • Least weasel, M. nivalis ^[19]
    • Genus: Vormela
      • Marbled polecat, V. peregusna ^[20]
  • Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
    • Genus: Monachus
      • Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus possibly extirpated^[21]

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.

Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea.

• Suborder: Mysticeti
  • Family: Balaenopteridae
    • Genus: Balaenoptera
      • Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus

EN (possible)^[22]

• • • • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus

EN

• • • • Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC ^[23]
• Subfamily: Megapterinae
  • Genus: Megaptera
    • Humpback whale, M. novaeangliae ^[24]
  • Family: Balaenidae
    • Genus: Eubalaena
      • North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR possibly present^[25]
• Suborder: Odontoceti
  • Family: Physeteridae
    • Genus: Physeter
      • Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus

VU

• • Family: Ziphidae
    • Genus: Ziphius
      • Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris LC
    • Genus: Mesoplodon
      • Gervais' beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris

DD

• • Superfamily: Platanistoidea
    • Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
      • Genus: Tursiops
        • Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC
      • Genus: Steno
        • Rough-toothed dolphin, S. bredanensis, presence uncertain^[26]
      • Genus: Stenella
        • Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba

DD

• • • • • Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LR/cd (possible)^[23]
      • Genus: Sousa
        • Sousa chinensis

DD

• • • • Genus: Delphinus
        • Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LC
      • Genus: Grampus
        • Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus LC
      • Genus: Orcinus
        • Orca, Orcinus orca

DD

• • • • Genus: Pseudorca
        • False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens

DD

• • • • Genus: Globicephala
        • Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas

DD

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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
  • Subfamily: Pteropodinae
    • Genus: Rousettus
      • Egyptian fruit bat, R. aegyptiacus
• Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Subfamily: Myotinae
    • Genus: Myotis
      • Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii ^[27]
      • Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis ^[28]
  • Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
    • Genus: Eptesicus
      • Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae LC
    • Genus: Otonycteris
      • Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii
    • Genus: Pipistrellus
      • Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
    • Genus: Plecotus
      • Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus
  • Subfamily: Miniopterinae
    • Genus: Miniopterus
      • Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii ^[29]
• Family: Rhinopomatidae
  • Genus: Rhinopoma
    • Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, R. cystops ^[30]
• Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
    • Genus: Rhinolophus
      • Blasius's horseshoe bat, R. blasii ^[31]
      • Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale ^[32]
      • Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum ^[33]

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
      • Southern white-breasted hedgehog, E. concolor
    • Genus: Hemiechinus
      • Long-eared hedgehog, H. auritus
    • Genus: Paraechinus
      • Desert hedgehog, P. aethiopicus

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)

----The hyraxes are four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat, they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.

• Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes)
  • Genus: Procavia
    • Cape hyrax, P. capensis

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 (rabbits, hares)
  • Genus: Lepus
    • Cape hare, L. capensis ^[34]
    • European hare, L. europaeus ^[35]

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 45kg (99lb).

• Suborder: Sciurognathi
  • Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
    • Subfamily: Sciurinae
      • Tribe: Sciurini
        • Genus: Sciurus
          • Caucasian squirrel, S. anomalus LC
    • Subfamily: Xerinae
      • Tribe: Marmotini
        • Genus: Spermophilus
          • Asia Minor ground squirrel, Spermophilus xanthoprymnus
  • Family: Gliridae (dormice)
    • Subfamily: Leithiinae
      • Genus: Dryomys
        • Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula
      • Genus: Eliomys
        • Asian garden dormouse, Eliomys melanurus LC
  • Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
    • Subfamily: Allactaginae
      • Genus: Allactaga
        • Euphrates jerboa, Allactaga euphratica
  • Family: Spalacidae
    • Subfamily: Spalacinae
      • Genus: Nannospalax
        • Palestine mole rat, Nannospalax ehrenbergi
  • Family: Calomyscidae
    • Genus: Calomyscus
      • Tsolov's mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus tsolovi
  • Family: Cricetidae
    • Subfamily: Cricetinae
      • Genus: Mesocricetus
        • Golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus EN
        • Turkish hamster, Mesocricetus brandti
    • Subfamily: Arvicolinae
      • Genus: Chionomys
        • Snow vole, Chionomys nivalis
      • Genus: Microtus
        • Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri
        • Persian vole, Microtus irani
        • Social vole, Microtus socialis
  • Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
    • Subfamily: Deomyinae
      • Genus: Acomys
        • Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC
    • Subfamily: Gerbillinae
      • Genus: Gerbillus
        • Wagner's gerbil, Gerbillus dasyurus
      • Genus: Meriones
        • Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC
        • Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC
        • Tristram's jird, Meriones tristrami
        • Vinogradov's jird, Meriones vinogradovi
      • Genus: Psammomys
        • Sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC
      • Genus: Tatera
        • Indian gerbil, Tatera indica
    • Subfamily: Murinae
      • Genus: Apodemus
        • Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
      • Genus: Mus
        • Macedonian mouse, Mus macedonicus
      • Genus: Nesokia
        • Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica LC

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
      • Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens ^[36]

Locally extinct

The following species are locally extinct in the country:

• Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus^[37]
• Wild goat, Capra aegagrus^[38]
• Red deer, Cervus elaphus^[39]
• Persian fallow deer, Dama mesopotamica^[40]
• Onager, Equus hemionus^[41]
• Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx^[42]
• Lion, Panthera leo^[43]
• Leopard, Panthera pardus^[44]
• Tiger, Panthera tigris^[45]

See also

• Wildlife of Syria
• List of chordate orders
• Lists of mammals by region
• Mammal classification

External links

• Web site: Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan Museum of Zoology . 1995–2006 . 22 May 2007.

Notes and References

1. Gazella gazella . IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group . e.T8989A50186574 . 2017.
2. Gazella marica. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2017. 10.2305/iucn.uk.2017-2.rlts.t8977a50187738.en.
3. Gazella subgutturosa . IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group . e.T8976A50187422 . 2017.
4. Capra nubiana . amp . Ross, S. . Elalqamy, H. . Al Said, T. . Saltz, D. . e.T3796A22143385 . 2020.
5. Capreolus capreolus . Lovari, S. . Herrero, J. . Masseti, M. . Ambarli, H. . Lorenzini, R. . Giannatos, G. . amp . 2016 . e.T42395A22161386.
6. Caracal caracal . Avgan, B. . Henschel, P. . Ghoddousi, A. . amp . 2016 . e.T3847A102424310.
7. Felis chaus . 2016 . Gray, T.N.E. . Timmins, R.J. . Jathana, D. . Duckworth, J.W. . Baral, H. . Mukherjee, S. . amp . e.T8540A50651463.
8. Felis lybica . amp . Ghoddousi, A. . Belbachir, F. . Durant, S.M. . Herbst, M. . Rosen, T. . 2022 . e.T131299383A154907281 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T131299383A154907281.en.
9. Felis margarita . Sliwa, A. . Ghadirian, T. . Appel, A. . Banfield, L. . Sher Shah, M. . Wacher, T. . amp . e.T8541A50651884 . 2016.
10. Herpestes ichneumon . Do Linh San, E. . Maddock, A.H. . Gaubert, P. . Palomares, F. . amp . 2016 . e.T41613A45207211.
11. Hyaena hyaena . AbiSaid, M. . Dloniak, S.M.D. . amp . 2015 . e.T10274A45195080.
12. Canis aureus . Hoffmann, M. . Arnold, J. . Duckworth, J. W. . Jhala, Y. . Kamler, J. F. . Krofel, M. . amp . 2018 . e.T118264161A46194820.
13. Canis lupus . Boitani, L. . Phillips, M. . Jhala, Y. . amp . 2018 . e.T3746A119623865.
14. Vulpes rueppelli . Mallon, D. . Murdoch, J.D. . Wacher, T. . amp . e.T23053A46197483 . 2015.
15. Vulpes vulpes . Hoffmann, M. . Sillero-Zubiri, C. . amp . 2016 . e.T23062A46190249.
16. Ursus arctos . McLellan, B. N. . Proctor, M. F. . Huber, D. . Michel, S. . amp . 2017 . e.T41688A121229971.
17. Lutra lutra . Roos, A. . Loy, A. . de Silva, P. . Hajkova, P. . Zemanová, B. . amp . 2015 . e.T12419A21935287.
18. Martes martes . Herrero, J. . amp . Kranz, A. . Skumatov, D. . Abramov, A.V. . Maran, T. . Monakhov, V.G. . e.T12848A45199169 . 2016.
19. Mustela nivalis . McDonald, R. A. . Abramov, A. V. . Stubbe, M. . Herrero, J. . Maran, T. . Tikhonov, A. . Cavallini, P. . Kranz, A. . Giannatos, G. . Kryštufek, B. . Reid, F. . amp . 2019 . e.T70207409A147993366.
20. Vormela peregusna . Abramov, A.V. . Kranz, A. . Maran, T. . amp . 2016 . e.T29680A45203971.
21. Monachus monachus . Karamanlidis, A. . Dendrinos, P. . amp . e.T13653A45227543 . 2015.
22. Frantzis A. . Alexiadou P. . Paximadis G. . Politi E. . Gannier A. . Corsini-Foka M. . 2003. Current knowledge of the cetacean fauna of the Greek Seas. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management . 5 . 3. 219–232. International Whaling Commission. 2016-04-16.
23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266459808_Update_on_the_Cetacean_Fauna_of_the_Mediterranean_Levantine_Basin Update on the Cetacean Fauna of the Mediterranean Levantine Basin
24. Megaptera novaeangliae . Cooke, J.G. . 2018 . e.T13006A50362794.
25. Monsarrat S. . Pennino G. M. . Smith D. T. . Reeves R.R. . Meynard N. C. . Kaplan M. D. . Rodrigues L. S. A. . 2015. Historical summer distribution of the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis): a hypothesis based on environmental preferences of a congeneric species. 925–937. Diversity and Distributions . 21 . 8. 2016-04-20 . 10.1111/ddi.12314. 2015DivDi..21..925M . 53593157 .
26. Steno bredanensis . 2020 . 2019 . Kiszka, J. . Baird, R. Bearzi, G. . Braulik, G. . amp . e.T20738A178929751.
27. Myotis blythii . Juste, J. & Paunović, M. . 2016 . e.T14124A22053297.
28. Myotis myotis . Coroiu, I. . Juste, J. & Paunović, M. . 2016 . e.T14133A22051759.
29. Miniopterus schreibersii . 2021 . Gazaryan, S. . amp . Bücs, S. . Çoraman, E. . 2020 . e.T81633057A19585652.
30. Benda, P. . 2017 . Rhinopoma cystops . e.T82345555A82345569.
31. Rhinolophus blasii . Taylor, P. . 2016 . e.T19515A21972073.
32. Rhinolophus euryale . Juste, J. . Alcaldé, J. . amp . e.T19516A21971185 . 2016.
33. Rhinolophus ferrumequinum . Piraccini, R. . 2016 . e.T19517A21973253.
34. Lepus capensis . Johnston, C.H. . Robinson, T.J. . Child, M.F. . Relton, C. . amp . e.T41277A45186750 . 2019.
35. Lepus europaeus . amp . Hacklande, K. . Schai-Braun, S. . 2019 . e.T41280A45187424.
36. Crocidura suaveolens . Hutterer, R. . Amori, G. . Krystufek, B. . Yigit, N. . Mitsain, G. . Palomo, L.J. . amp . 2010 . e.T29656A9511068.
37. Acinonyx jubatus . Durant, S. . Mitchell, N. . Ipavec, A. . Groom, R. . amp . 2015 . e.T219A50649567.
38. Capra aegagrus . Weinberg, P. . amp . Ambarli, H. . 2020 . e.T3786A22145942.
39. Cervus elaphus . Lovari, S. . Lorenzini, R. . Masseti, M. . Pereladova, O. . Carden, R.F. . Brook, S.M. . Mattioli, S. . amp . e.T55997072A142404453 . 2018.
40. Dama mesopotamica (errata version) . Werner, N.Y. . Rabiei, A. . Saltz, D. . Daujat, J. . Baker, K . amp . 2016 . e.T6232A97672550 . 6 October 2020.
41. Equus hemionus . Kaczensky, P. . Lkhagvasuren, B. . Pereladova, O. . Hemami, M. . Bouskila, A. . amp . e.T7951A166520460 . 2020.
42. Oryx leucoryx . IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group . 2017 . e.T15569A50191626.
43. Panthera leo . amp . Bauer, H. . Packer, C. . Funston, P. F. . Henschel, P. . Nowell, K. . 2016 . e.T15951A115130419.
44. Panthera pardus . Stein, A.B. . Athreya, V. . Gerngross, P. . Balme, G. . Henschel, P. . Karanth, U. . Miquelle, D. . Rostro-Garcia, S. . Kamler, J. F. . Laguardia, A. . Khorozyan, I. . Ghoddousi, A. . amp . 2020 . e.T15954A163991139.
45. Book: Masseti, M.. Animal Biodiversity in the Middle East. Proceedings of the First Middle Eastern Biodiversity Congress, Aqaba, Jordan, 20–23 October 2008.. ZooKeys. ZooKeys 31: 229–252. 2009. E. Neubert. 229–252 . Carnivores of Syria . 10.3897/zookeys.31.170. Z. Amr. S. Taiti. B. Gümüs. https://zookeys.pensoft.net/lib/ajax_srv/generate_pdf.php?document_id=2126&readonly_preview=1. 31. free.