Mammals of Selman Living Laboratory

Transcription

1 Mammals of Selman Living Laboratory ORDER/Family DIDELPHIMORPHIA (opossums & allies) Name Didelphidae (opossums) Virginia Opossum INSECTIVORA (shrews & moles) Species Name Status Distribution Comments Didelphis virginiana Statewide Usually solitary, nocturnal Soricidae (shrews) Least Shrew Cryptotis parva Statewide Panhandle. Desert Shrew Talpidae (moles) Eastern Mole CHIROPTERA (bats) Vespertilionidae Cave Myotis Silverhaired Eastern Pipistrelle Notiosorex crawfordi Scalopus aquaticus Western third of state; also recorded from southeast corner of state (Pushmataha Co.). Statewide Panhandle. Myotis velifer Western half Lasionycteris noctivagans Pipistrellus subflavus Scattered; may be in Statewide. eastern third of OK, but uncommon in central & western parts. One of the smallest mammals in Oklahoma. Sociable; prefers grasslands. Skulls are often found in owl pellets. Habitats include mesquite, mixed grasses, prickly pear cactus. Burrows in moist, loamy & sandy soils. Eliminate many insect pests & aerate soil, but may damage lawns. Largest Myotis in OK. Hibernates in large cave colonies; roosts in caves, bldgs, bridges. Migrant or nomadic. Hollow trees, behind bark, bldgs. Flies late. Caves, crevices, bldgs. Apparently lives in trees in summer. Flies early. More associated with forests than W.

2 Molossidae (free-tailed bats) Big Brown Eastern Red Hoary Townsend's Big-eared Pallid Brazilian Free-tailed Big Freetailed Eptesicus fuscus More common in East than in West. Lasiurus borealis Lasiurus cinereus Plecotus townsendii Antrozous pallidus Tadarida brasiliensis Tadarida macrotis Statewide. Pipistrelle Hibernate in caves; nursery colonies in bldgs. Also roost in trees; crevices.slow flight near treetops Statewide Less common in the West. Migratory; present in summer; maybe year-round in some areas. Roosts in tree foliage. Statewide The largest bat in OK. Migratory; roosts on twigs or branches; emerges late Western third of state (one subspecies); also recorded from the eastern edge of the state (second subspecies). Northwestern population separated from the southwestern by the High Plains. Live & hibernate (singly or in groups) in gypsum caves & caverns under granite boulders. May forage close to ground. Crevices, caves, old bldgs; may hibernate in caves in the state. Fly well after dark. Probably feeds on the ground. Statewide Migratory. Roosts in caves, trees, bldgs. Large nursery colonies are found in gypsum caves from which millions of bats emerge in late summer. Peripheral Records from A wanderer from Panhandle and the southwestern from Central deserts and OK. Mexico.

3 XENARTHA (armadilos, sloths, & allies) LAGOMORPHA (hares & rabbits) Leporidae (hares & rabbits) Ninebanded Armadillo Desert Cottontail Eastern Cottontail Black-tailed Jackrabbit RODENTIA (rodents) Sciuridae (Squirrels, Spotted Woodchucks, & Ground Chipmunks) Squirrel Dasyppus novemcinctus Sylvilagus audubonni Sylvilagus floridanus Lepus californicus Spermophilus spilosoma Southern & Eastern parts Panhandle westerh third Crevices, buildings. Fly late. Some authors assign this bat to genus Nyctinomops. Nocturnal, but may be out on cloudy days. Range has spread north & east since Capable of carrying leprosy bacteria. Typically most active mornings &early evenings; often at night. Vegetarian. Medium-sized cottontail; found in arid grasslands, brush & rocky areas. Statewide Most common cottontail in OK, A moderately large cottontail; ears shorter than Desert Cottontail. Associated with stream valleys, grassy, forested, & brushy areas; possibly in dunes. Statewide, extreme southeast corner; more abundant in arid western half. Western third of state & panhandle Associated with arid, open areas with scattered thickets or shrub patches. Small with spots on back, but not in rows. Tail not very bushy.

4 Geomyidae (pocket gophers: the "pocket" refers to fur-lined cheek pouches) Heteromyidae (pocket mice & kangaroo rats) Thirteenlined Ground Squirrel Black-tailed Prairie Dog Eastern Fox Squirrel Plains Pocket Gopher Plains Pocket Silky Pocket Hispid Pocket Spermophilus tridecemlineatus Cynomys ludovicianus ; possibly threatened. Statewide, eastern edge. Central & western parts Formerly much more widespread; now only a few disjunct populations. Sciurus niger Statewide panhandle (but has been introduced into towns. Geomys bursarius Perognathus flavescens Perognathus flavus Chaetodipus hispidus, in extreme northeast corner of state Statewide Western part of state & Panhandle Western third of state & Panhandle Statewide, extreme Found in arid areas; sometimes in abandoned prairie dog towns. Small with (usually) 13 alternating dark (w/spots) & light stripes. Found in grassy or open wooded or shrublands. Hibernate. Large, chunky ground squirrel with a short tail. Sociable; live in towns w/ many burrows, mostly in shortgrass prairies. The largest & most common tree squirrel in OK. Larger & more brown or rusty than gray squirrel. Found in sandy & moist soils. Their mounds are about 6" high & 2' in diameter. Several different chromosomal types probably exist. Upper incisors have a single, deep groove. Found in sandy soils & sparse vegetation. Three subspecies probably meet in OK. Found in rocky or sandy soils The largest pocket mouse in OK. Found in

5 Ord's Kangaroo Rat Castoridae (beavers) American Beaver Muridae (mice & rats) Fulvous Harvest Western Harvest Plains Harvest Whitefooted Dipodomys ordii Castor canidensis Reithrodontomys fulvescens Reithrodontomys megalotis Reithrodontomys montanus Peromyscus leucopus Deer Peromyscus maniculatus northeast & southeast corners. Western half Statewide; especially along creeks & streams. Central, eastern, & southern OK. Northwestern corner of state & Panhandle. grasslands with sandy or loose soils. Has 5 hind toes; rarely has a white -tipped tail. Inhabits arid areas with loose or sandy soils; especially dunes. The largest rodent inok. Require water. Build dams across streams to form ponds. Was once widespread, but became nearly extinct in OK in the 1900's due to extensive trapping. A small mouse, but the largest of harvest mice. Tail noticeably longer than head & body. Found in brushy grasslands, prairies, & forest edges. All harvest mice have grooved incisors. Medium-sized harvest mouse. Tail length about as long as head & body. Ears flesh-colored or yellowish. Statewide. Very small. Tail shorter than head & body. Skulls frequently found in owl pellets. Very Statewide Statewide, One of the most common small rodents in OK. Brusy areas & woodlands. Grassy & prairie areas.

6 Erethizontidae (New World porcupines) CARNIVORA (carnivores) Northern Onychomys Grasshopper leucogaster Hispid Cotton Rat Southern Plains Woodrat Sigmodon hispidus Neotoma micropus Prairie Vole Microtus ochrogaster Muskrat House Porcupine Ondantra zibethicus extreme southeast corner. Western parts Predatory on insects, scorpions, & small or young mice. Statewide Has spread north from Mexico & Texas. Found in dense grasses or other dense vegetation. Rare Western third Northern parts of state, especially north-central Arid regions; rocky hillsides & ledges. Constructs den of sticks & cacti, bones, cow dung, etc. Found in grassy areas. Statewide; Live in marshes most abundant and water ways. in northeast Live in domeshaped houses corner often surrounded by water, or in burrows in banks. Mus musculus Introduced Statewide Lives in close association with humans. Has spread along water courses & into fields & grasslands. Erethizon dorsatum Western & southern parts of state Found in forested & rocky areas. Can climb trees. Range may be expanding. Coyote Canis latrans Statewide The most common large carnivore in OK. They have expanded their range into that of wolves, bears, & mt. lions.

7 Canidae (canids) Gray Wolf Canis lupus Extirpated Formerly Ursidae (bears) Procyonidae (procyonids) Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Possibly introduced; uncommon Gray Fox Black Bear Ursus americanus Grizzly or Brown Bear Ringtail Raccoon Long-tailed Weasel Urocyon cineroeargenteus Endangered Statewide About twice the size of a coyote. The last wolf was described in Introduced from Europe into Virginia about 1750; there may have been a native red fox & they may have interbred. First reported in OK in 1854 in the Red River Valley. Statewide; Lives in wooded more common areas. They often in eastern climb trees. oak-hickory When forests are forests cleared, red foxes usually move in. Formerly Ursus arctos Extirpated Formerly probably western half of state Bassariscus astutus Western twothirds of state; possibly A few have wandered in from reintroductions into the Arkansas Ozarks & possibly from Colorado or New Mexico. Only a few grizzlies remain in the U.S.; mainly in Yellowstone & Glacier national parks. Numbers continue to decline. Found in rocky areas. Eat small animals including insects; also eat fruits & berries. Procyon lotor Statewide Most common in woodlands and near water. Omnivorous. Mustela frenata Probably Statewide Secretive. May be found in gopher or squirrel burrows,

8 Blackfooted Ferret Mustela nigripes Extirpated Formerly Panhandle & western parts of state Mink Mustela vison Most of state where permanent water is found; more abundant in eastern twothirds of state & in the south American Badger Western Spotted Skunk Eastern Spotted Skunk Taxidea taxus Western twothirds Isolated reports from eastern OK Spilogale gracilis Spilogale putorius Rare Extreme western panhandle (Black Mesa) Statewide; none recoreded from Panhandle crevices, brushpiles, or among tree roots. Can climb trees after birds or eggs; can swim. One of the rarest mammals in North America. Range corresponded to prairie dogs (their food). Endangered elsewhere in the U.S.; almost went extinct due to canine distemper (18 survived in Wyoming). A captive breeding program was begun in Live alone ( during breeding season) along waterways. Their den is usually a hole in a bank or behind a pile of debris in a stream. Dig with large front claws; they feed on burrowing animals. Habitat not well known in OK. In TX, often associated with rocky bluffs, cliffs, and stream banks; often found close to people. Secretive. Usually found in rocky canyons & outcrops in woodlands & prairies. Often make dens under

9 Striped Skunk Felidae (cats) Mountain Lion Mephitis mephitis River Otter Lutra canadensis Rare; Reintroduced buildings. Statewide One of the best known mammals of OK (by its smell). Found in woods, brushy areas & farms. May live in family groups. Eat small animals including insects; also eggs. Formerly along waterways Felis concolor Rare Statewide but mostly extirpated for a few that wander in from neighboring states. Reported very rare or extirbated by the OK Dept. of Fish & Game in New water development projects have allowed them to reoccupy areas. Seventeen from LA were released in 1984 & 1985 into the Wister & the McGee Creek Wildlife Management Areas. Recent records are sightings only. Also called Pumas & Cougars. Primary prey = deer, but also eat rabbits, prairie dogs and other small animals. People hunt them when they eat livestock. Ocelot Felis pardalis Possible See comments May have formerly occurred in OK; they used to exist in the Texas Panhandle. Found in chaparral thickets. Their habitat extends

10 ARTIODACTYLA (even-toed ungulates; deer, pronghorn, bison & allies) Dicotylidae (peccaries) Collared Peccary southward into the tropics. Jaguar Panthera onca Possible See comments May have lived in OK; formerly lived in New Mexico & Texas. Live in dense brushland and forested areas. Their habitat extends southward into the tropics. Bobcat Lynx rufus Statewide Secretive; usually solitary. Live in dry areas of the west as well as in dense forests, lowlands, & mountains of the east. May sometimes be seen in the day. Eat small animals; very rarely eat livestock as large as sheep. Wapiti or Elk Tayassu tajacu Possible See comments Also called Javelinas. May have lived in OK; they formerly lived in Texas as far north as the Red River. Live in brushy arid areas. Cervus elaphus Reintroduced Probably formerly since they used to range from Canada to northern Georgia Extirpated before Between 1908 & 1911, a few were introduced from Jackson, Wyo., into the Wichita Mts; this herd is maintained at 500. From , 300 of these were moved to eastern

11 Cervidae (cervids) Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus Antilocapridae (pronghorn) White-tailed Deer Pronghorn Odocoileus virginianus Antilocapra americana Northwestern parts Some may wander into SW OK from the TX Panhandle. OK. Noted for their bouncing gait. Found in arid areas and sparsely wooded areas. In mountainous areas, they may migrate to low country for winters. Statewide The most important big game animals in Oklahoma. Found primarily at edges of woodlands. Uncontrolled burning & livestock overgrazing are the main destroyers of deer habitat. Rare Western parts of state Bovidae (Bovids) Bison Bison bison Extirpated Isolated commercial & Wildlife Refuge herds; formerly very abundant, especially in the western parts of the state. Formerly abundant in the western twothirds of the state, but now mostly extirpated. Requires habitat where it can see and run long distances. About 500 animals now have made a comeback in the Panhandle. The largest native North American land mammal. An animal of the Prairies. Eliminated by1885.