Keep in mind that this is a partial list only, though fairly complete at the family level of modern taxa. A complete classification of modern mammals can be accessed (and downloaded) at the Smithsonian's Mammal Species of the World. Some taxa now extirpated from our region of interest are included if they were present historically. For general orientation, some taxa not covered in class are included. You are responsible for the taxa in bold font, including their place within the taxonomic hierarchy and their common names (there will be additions as we cover the different groups in lecture). The links to the field guide accounts of various taxa are from the "North American Species" of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The symbol † indicates an extinct taxon. Classification and presentation of extant forms (order to genus) is from Wilson and Reeder (2005). Higher classification ranks are a mixture of traditional and more recent.
The taxonomy at the higher ranks is in a state of flux due both to new knowledge and to the introduction of cladistic methodologies. As such, there is no universally accepted higher classification at the moment. If you remain active in vertebrate biology, be prepared to keep tuned into current practices.
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Class Mammalia—Mammalia
Subclass Prototheria—Egg-laying Mammals
Order Monotremata—Monotremes
†Subclass Allotheria—Multituberculates
†Order Multituberculata—Multituberculates
Subclass Theria—True Mammals
Infraclass Metatheria—Marsupials (seven living orders)
Magnorder Ameridelphia—Ameridelphians
Order Didelphimorphia—Opossums
Family Didelphidae—Opossums
Didelphis virginiana—Virginia Opossum
Order Paucituberculata—Caenolests
†Order Sparassodonta—Sparassodonts
Magnorder Australidelphia—Australidelphians
Order Microbiotheria—Microbiotheres
Order Dasyuromorphia—Dasyuromophs
Order Peramelemorphia—Paramelemorphs
Order Notoryctemorphia—Notoryctemorphs
Order Diprotodontia—Kangaroo and Relatives
Infraclass Eutheria—Placental Mammals
MagnorderAfrotheria—Afrotherians
Order Afrosoricida—Tenrecs and Golden Moles
Family Tenrecidae—Tenrecs
Family Chrysochloridae—Golden Moles
Order Macroscelidea—Elephant Shrews
Family Macroscelididae—Elephant Shrews
Order Tubulidentata—Aardvark
Family Orycterpodidae—Aardvark
Order Hyracoidea—Hyraxes
Family Procaviidae—Hyraxes
Order Proboscidea—Elephants
†?Suborder Moeritherioidea—Moeritherium-like Proboscideans
Suborder Euelephantoidea—Gomphotheres, Elephants, and Mammoths
Family Elephantidae—Elephants
Elephas maximus—Indian Elephant
Loxodonta africana—African Elephant
†Suborder Mammutoidea—Mastodonts
†Suborder Deinotherioidea—Deinotheres
Order Sirenia—Dugongs, Manatees, and Sea Cows
†Family Dugongidae—Dugongs
†Family Trichechidae—Manatees
Trichechus manatus—West Indian Manatee
Order Embrithopoda—Embrithopods
†Order Desmostylia—Desmostylians
Magnorder Xenarthra—Xenarthrans
Order Cingulata—Cingulate Edentates
Family Dasypodidae—Armadillos
Dasypus novemcinctus—Nine-banded Armadillo
Order Pilosa—Sloths and Anteaters
Suborder Folivora—Sloths
Family Bradypodidae—Three-toed Tree Sloths
Family Megalonychidae—Two-toed Tree Sloths and the extinct Megalonychid Ground Sloths
Suborder Vermilingua—Anteaters
Family Cyclopedidae—Silky Anteaters
Family Myrmecophagidae—Giant Anteaters
Magnorder Boreoeutheria—Boreoeutherians
Insertae sedis—Taxa with unknown position
†Order Leptictida—Leptictidas
†Order Anagalida—Anagalidas
†Order Apatemyida—Apatemyidas
†Order Taeniodonta—Taeniodonts
†Order Pantodonta—Pantodontas
†Order Pantolestes—Pantolestes
†Order Dinocerata—Dinoceratas
Order Scandentia—Scandentians
Family Tupaiidae—Tree Shrews
Family Ptilocercidae—Pin-tailed Tree Shrew
Order Dermoptera—Flying Lemurs
Family Galeopithecidae—Colugo
Order Primates—Primates
†Suborder Plesiadapiformes—Plesiadapiformes
Suborder Prosimii—Prosimians
†Infraorder Adapiformes—Adapiforms
Infraorder Lemuriformes—Lemuriforms
Family Lemuridae—Lemurs
Family Lorisidae—Lorises
Family Daubentoniidae—Bush Babies
Infraorder Tarsiiformes—Tarsiiforms
Family Tarsiidae—Tarsiers
Suborder Anthropoidea—Monkeys, Apes, and Humans
Infraorder Platyrrhini—New World Monkeys
Family Cebidae—New World Monkeys
Family Callitrichidae—Marmosets
Infraorder Catarrhini—Old World Monkeys, Apes, and Humans
Family Cercopithecidae—Old World Monkeys
Family Hylobatidae—Gibbons
Family Hominidae—Great Apes and Humans
Gorilla—Gorillas
Pan—Chimpanzee and Bonobo
Homo sapiens—Humans
Order Lagomorpha—Pikas, Hares, and Rabbits
Family Ochotonidae—Pikas
Ochotona princeps—Collared Pika
Family Leporidae—Hares and Rabbits
Lepus californicus—Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus townsendii—White-tailed Jackrabbit
Sylvilagus audubonii—Desert Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus—Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus nuttallii—Mountain Cottontail
Order Erinaceomorpha—Hedgehogs and Relatives
Family Erinaceidae—Hedgehogs
Order Soricomorpha—Shrew and Mole-like Insectivores
Family Nesophontidae—Nesophontes
Family Solenodontidae—Solenodons
Family Soricidae—Shrews
Cryptotis parvus—Least Shrew
Notiosorex crawfordi—Desert Shrew
Sorex cinereus—Masked Shrew
Sorex monticolus—Montane Shrew
Sorex palustris—Water Shrew
Sorex preblei—Prebles Shrew
Family Talpidae—Moles
Last Update: 16 Jan 2008
Centennial Museum and Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso