This checklist of mammal orders and families is derived from several sources. In some cases, there is disagreement among the experts on the exact number of species. In cases like this, I have put the alternative values together separated by a slash (as in the Didelphidae below).
However, it should be noted I do not have access to the most up-to-date data and this list should be considered to be about 10 years old.
Checklist Of Mammal Orders and Families
| Order | Common Names | Scientific Name | No. Genera | No. Species | IUCN | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monotremata | Echidnas | Tachyglossidae | 1 | 2 | Australia | |
| Platypus | Ornithorhynchidae | 1 | 1 | Australia | ||
| Marsupiala | Opossums | Didelphidae | 11 | 75/77 | Americas | |
| Monito del monte | Microbiotheriidae | 1 | 1 | Chile | ||
| Shrew or Rat Opossums | Caenolestidae | 44622 | 7 | South America | ||
| Marsupial Mice, Dunnarts, Tasmanian Devil | Dasyuridae | 17/18 | 52/58 | Australasia | ||
| Tasmanian Wolf | Thylacinidae | 1 | 1 | 1 | Tasmania | |
| Numbats/Banded Anteaters | Myrmecobiidae | 1 | 1 | 1 | Australia | |
| Marsupial mole | Notoryctidae | 1 | 1 | Western Australia | ||
| Bandicoots | Peramelidae | 7 | 17/21 | Australasia | ||
| Rabbit-eared Bandicoots | Thylacomyidae | 1 | 2 | Australia | ||
| Possums, Cuscuses, Gledero, Ringtails | Phalangeridae | 6 | 20 | Australasia | ||
| Pygmy possums | Burramyidae | 4 | 7 | Australia, New Guinea | ||
| Ringtail possums | Pseudocheiridae | 2 | 16 | Australia | ||
| Gliders | Petauridae | 4 | 9 | Australia | ||
| Kangaroos, Wallabies | Macropodidae | 16 | 56 | Australasia | ||
| Koalas | Phascolarctidae | 1 | 1 | Australia | ||
| Wombats | Vombatidae | 2 | 3 | Australia | ||
| Noolbenger or Honey Possum | Tarsipedidae | 1 | 1 | Australia | ||
| Macroscelidea | Elephant Shrews | Macroscelididae | 4 | 15 | Africa | |
| Insectivora | Hedgehogs, Gymnures | Erinaceidae | 9 | 20 | Africa, Asia, Europe | |
| Moles and Desmans | Talpidae | 12/15 | 29/32 | Eurasia, North America, Himalayas | ||
| Tenrecs | Tenrecidae | 10 | 23 | Africa | ||
| Golden Moles | Chrysochloridae | 7 | 18 | Africa | ||
| Solenodons | Solenodontidae | 1 | 2 | West Indies | ||
| Shrews | Soricidae | 22 | 289 | Worldwide | ||
| Dermoptera | Flying Lemurs, Colugos | Cynocephalidae | 1 | 2 | South-east Asia | |
| Chiroptera | Old World Fruit Bats, Flying Foxes | Pteropodidae | 42 | 173 | 66 | Africa to India, Australia Asia |
| Mouse-tailed Bats | Rhinopomatidae | 1 | 3 | North Africa, South Asia | ||
| Hog-nosed Bat | Craseonycteridae | 1 | 1 | Thailand | ||
| Sac-winged Bats, Sheath-tailed Bats | Emballonuridae | 12 | 48 | Pan-tropical | ||
| Bull-dog Bats, Fish-eating Bats | Noctilionidae | 1 | 2 | Central and South America | ||
| Hollow-faced Bats | Nycteridae | 1 | 13 | Africa, Near East, South-east Asia | ||
| False Vampire Bats, Yellow-winged Bats | Megadermatidae | 4 | 5 | Africa, South-east Asia, Pacific, Australia | ||
| Horseshoe Bats, Noseleaf Bats | Rhinolophidae | 1 | 69 | Old World and Pacific | ||
| Leaf-nosed Bats | Hipposideridae | 9 | 63 | Old World and Pacific | ||
| New World Leaf-nosed Bats | Phyllostomidae | 48 | 148 | Americas | ||
| Moustached Bats, Naked-backed Bats, Leaf-chinned Bats | Mormoopidae | 2 | 8 | Americas | ||
| Funnel-eared Bats | Natalidae | 1 | 5 | Tropical Central and South America | ||
| Smokey Bats | Furipteridae | 1 | 1 | South America | ||
| Disc-winged Bats | Thyropteridae | 1 | 2 | Central to South America | ||
| Sucker-footed Bats | Myzopodidae | 1 | 1 | Madagascar | ||
| Common Bats | Vespertilionidae | 42 | 355 | Worldwide | ||
| Short-tailed Bats | Mystacinidae | 1 | 2 | New Zealand | ||
| Free-tailed Bats | Molossidae | 16 | 86 | Worldwide (warm areas) | ||
| Primates | Lemurs | Lemuridae | 5 | 12 | Madagascar | |
| Dwarf Lemurs, Mouse Lemurs | Cheirogaleidae | 44685 | 7 | Madagascar | ||
| Sifakas, Indri, Woolly Lemurs | Indridae | 3 | 5 | Madagascar | ||
| Aye-aye | Daubentoniidae | 1 | 1 | Madagascar | ||
| Weasel Lemurs, Koala Lemurs | Megaladapidae | 1 | 10 | Madagascar | ||
| Galagos | Galagonidae | 4 | 11 | Africa | ||
| Lorises, Pottoes | Lorisidae | 8 | 14 | Tropical Old World | ||
| Tarsiers | Tarsiidae | 1 | 4 | Sumatra, Philippines | ||
| New World Monkeys | Cebidae | 12 | 44 | Central to South America | ||
| Marmosets, Tamarins | Callitrichidae | 5 | 20/21 | Central to South America | ||
| Old World Monkeys | Cercopithecidae | 19 | 94 | Africa and Eurasia | ||
| Orangutans | Ponginae | 1 | 1 | Sumatra, Borneo | ||
| Gibbons | Hylobatidae | 1 | 9 | S.E. Asia | ||
| Humans, Great Apes | Hominidae*0 | 4 | 5 | Worldwide | ||
| Scandentia | Tree Shrews | Tupaiidae | 6 | 18 | South-east Asia | |
| Xenarthra *1 | Anteaters | Myrmecophagidae | 3 | 4 | Central and South America | |
| Sloths | Bradypodidae | 2 | 6 | Central and South America | ||
| Armadillos | Dasypodidae | 8 | 20 | The Americas | ||
| West Indian Sloth and Two-toed Tree Sloth | Megalonychidae | 1 | 2 | The Americas | ||
| Three-toed Tree Sloths | Bradypodidae | 1 | 3 | South America | ||
| Pholidota | Pangolins, Scaly Anteaters | Manidae | 1 | 8 | Africa, South East Asia | |
| Tubulidentata | Aardvark | Orycteropodidae | 1 | 1 | Africa | |
| Lagomorpha | Pikas | Ochotonidae | 1 | 21 | North America, Europe, Asia | |
| Hares and Rabbits | Leporidae | 11 | 47 | Worldwide, since man-made introductions | ||
| Rodentia | Mountain Beaver, Sewellel | Aplodontidae | 1 | 1 | North America | |
| Beavers | Castoridae | 1 | 2 | Europe and North America | ||
| Squirrels, Chipmonks, Marmots, Prarie Dogs etc | Sciuridae | 49/50 | 260/267 | Worldwide except Australia, S. America and Madagascar | ||
| Scaly-tailed Squirrels | Anomaluridae | 3 | 7 | Africa | ||
| Spring Hares | Pedetidae | 1 | 1 | Africa | ||
| Rats, Mice, Voles, Gerbils, Hamsters, etc | Muridae | 245/267 | 1138 | Worldwide following introductions to Australasia | ||
| Dormice | Gliridae | 9 | 20 | Africa, Asia, Europe | ||
| Bamboo Rats, African Mole Rats | Rhizomyidae | 3 | 6 | Africa, South East Asia | ||
| Birch Mice, Jumping Mice | Zapodidae | 4 | 17 | North America, Eurasia | ||
| Jerboas | Dipodidae | 11 | 31 | North Africa, Arabia, Asia Minor, China | ||
| Pocket Mice, Kangaroo Rats | Heteromyidae | 6 | 65 | America | ||
| Pocket Gophers | Geomyidae | 6 | 37 | America | ||
| Blind Mole Rats | Spalacidae*2 | 1 | 3 | Europe | ||
| Old World Porcupines | Hystricidae | 4 | 12 | Africa, Europe, Asia, Philippines | ||
| New World Porcupines | Erethizontidae | 4 | 10 | America | ||
| Guinea Pigs, etc | Caviidae | 5 | 17 | South America | ||
| Capybara | Hydrochaeridae | 1 | 1 | South America | ||
| Coypu | Myocastoridae*3 | 1 | 1 | South America and introduced to other parts of the world | ||
| Hutias, Nutria | Capromyidae*4 | 4 | 13 | Central and South America | ||
| Pacarana | Dinomyidae | 1 | 1 | South America | ||
| Pacas | Agoutidae | 1 | 2 | Central and South America | ||
| Agoutis, | Dasyproctidae | 2 | 13 | Central and South America | ||
| Chinchilla Rats | Abrocomidae | 1 | 2 | South America | ||
| Spiny Rats | Echimyidae | 17 | 69 | South America | ||
| Chinchillas, Viscachas | Chinchillidae | 3 | 6 | Argentina | ||
| Octodonts, Degu | Octodontidae | 5 | 9 | South America | ||
| Tuco Tucos | Ctenomyidae | 1 | 44 | South America | ||
| Cane Rats, Grasscutters | Thryonomyidae | 1 | 2 | Southern Africa | ||
| Dassie Rat | Petromyidae | 1 | 1 | South Africa | ||
| Old World Porcupines | Hystricidae | 3 | 11 | Africa and Eurasia | ||
| Agoutis | Dasypractidae | 2 | 9 | Central and South America | ||
| Gundis | Ctenodactylidae | 4 | 5 | N. Africa | ||
| Blesmols, African Mole Rats | Bathyergidae | 5 | 8 | Africa | ||
| Carnivora | Dogs, Wolves, Foxes, Jackals | Canidae | 16 | 36*5 | Worldwide | |
| Bears | Ursidae | 3 | 8 | Worldwide except Australia | ||
| Racoons, etc | Procyonidae | 7 | 19 | America and parts of Asia | ||
| Weasels, Otters, Skunks, Badgers | Mustelidae | 23 | 65/67 | Worldwide except Australasia and the West Indies | ||
| Mongooses, Civets, Genets, etc | Viverridae | 36/37 | 71 | Eurasia, Africa and the East Indies | ||
| Hyena, Aardwolf | Hyaenidae | 3 | 4 | Africa, Asia, India | ||
| Cats | Felidae | 17 | 36 | 17 | Worldwide except in Australia and many Islands | |
| Pinnipedia | Eared Seals, Sea Lions | Otariidae | 7 | 14 | Worldwide except Europe | |
| Walrus | Odobenidae | 1 | 1 | Arctic Regions of the Atlantic, and the Pacific | ||
| Seals | Phocidae | 10 | 19 | In most seas/oceans, Lake Baikal | ||
| Cetacea | Ganges and Indus Dolphins | Platanistidae | 1 | 2 | Rivers – Indian subcontinent | |
| Boutos, Amazon River Dolphins | Iniidae | 1 | 44593 | Rivers – S. America | ||
| Baiji, White-fin Dolphin | Lipotidae | 1 | 1 | Rivers – China | ||
| Franciscana, La Plata Dolphin | Pontoporiidae | 1 | 1 | Coastal – S.E. America | ||
| Ocean Dolphins | Delphinidae | 17 | 34 | All oceans, and some seas, rivers and estuaries | ||
| Porpoises | Phocoenidae | 4 | 6 | Northern oceans | ||
| Narwhal, Beluga | Monodontidae | 2 | 2 | Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas | ||
| Sperm Whales | Physeteridae | 2 | 3 | All oceans | ||
| Beaked Whales | Ziphiidae | 6 | 18 | All oceans | ||
| Grey Whales | Eschrichtiidae | 1 | 1 | North Pacific | ||
| Rorquals | Balaenopteridae | 2 | 6 | All oceans | ||
| Right Whales | Balaenidae | 2 | 2 | All oceans | ||
| Pygmy Right Whale | Neobalaenidae | 1 | 1 | Cooler southern oceans | ||
| Sirenia | Manatees | Trichechidae | 1 | 3 | Sub-tropical Atlantic coasts and rivers | |
| Dugongs | Dugongidae | 1 | 1*6 | Indo-Pacific coastal waters | ||
| Proboscidea | Elephants | Elephantidae | 2 | 3 | Africa, South East Asia, India | |
| Hyracoidea | Hyraxes | Procaviidae | 3 | 44872 | Africa, Middle East | |
| Perissodactyla | Horses, Zebras, Asses | Equidae | 1 | 44780 | Africa, Middle East, Tibet, Mongolia | |
| Tapirs | Tapiridae | 1 | 4 | South East Asia, South America | ||
| Rhinoceroses | Rhinocerotidae | 4 | 5 | Africa, India, South Asia | ||
| Artiodactyla | Camels | Camelidae | 3 | 6 | Asia, North Africa, South America | |
| Pigs | Suidae | 5 | 9 | Europe, Africa, and Asia (introduced to America and Australia) | ||
| Peccaries, Javelinas | Tayassuidae | 2 | 3 | America | ||
| Hippopotamuses | Hippopotamidae | 2 | 2 | Africa | ||
| Chevrotains, Mouse Deer | Tragulidae | 44593 | 44654 | South East Asia, India, Africa | ||
| Deer, etc | Cervidae | 17 | 45 | Worldwide, introduced to Australasia | ||
| Giraffes | Giraffidae | 2 | 2 | Africa | ||
| Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Antelopes, etc | Bovidae | 48 | 139 | Worldwide, except in Australasia and the Poles |
- *0 In many books the Great Apes are included in a separate family, the Pongidae, however, while there are strong social reasons for separating them the scientific reasons are doubtful.
- *1 The Xenarthra are known as the Edentata in some books.
- *2 The Spalacidae are often included in the Muridae as the subfamily Spalacinae.
- *3 The Myocastoridae are sometimes included in the Capromyidae.
- *4 The Capromyidae is an interesting family because it contains an additional 4 genera and 18 species which have gone extinct in geologically recent times.
- *5 This includes Dusicyon australis which is considered to have gone extinct in 1870.
- *6 Note that Stellar’s Sea Cow, Hydrodamalis gigas, is believed to have become extinct around 1768.
I would like to thank Professor Brad Bergstrom, Dept. of Biology, Valdosta St. Univ. for looking over this list and for the corrections and suggestions regarding the mammal orders and families that he made.
I’m wondering why this table isn’t arranged alphabetically by order. It would be more useful to me and others I should think.
The arrangement of the orders pretty much follows George Gaylord Simpson’s classic “Principles of Classification and a Classification of Mammals” (Simpson, 1945) which was the basic textbook system up until the end of the last century. The apparent alphabetic disorganization is created by un-included (for simplification) of higher levels of classification that represent degrees of relatedness, such as infraclass and subclass which link various orders together. That said this table is now well out of date and I will put updating it on the top of my to do list.