MAMMALS OF TEXAS Diana Foss Urban Wildlife Biologist 281-456-7029 ext. 21 [email protected].

MAMMALS OF TEXAS

Diana FossUrban Wildlife Biologist281-456-7029 ext. [email protected]

Official ‘state large mammal’

Official ‘state flying mammal’

Official ‘state small mammal’

TEXAS

Mammals in TexasORDER Genera Species

Didelphimorphia (opossum) 1 1

Insectivora (shrews & moles) 4 5

Chiroptera (bats) 16 32

Xenarthra (armadillo) 1 1

Lagomorpha (hares & rabbits) 2 4

Rodentia (rodents) 28 68

Carnivora (carnivores) 16 28

Pinnipedia (seals) 1 1

Artiodactyla (ungulates) 10 14

Sirenia (manatees) 1 1

Cetacea (whales & dolphins) 17 26

TOTALS 97 181

Classification

• Kingdom Animalia– Phylum Chordata

• Subphylum Vertebrata– Class Mammalia

» Order ______» Family ______» Genus» Species

General Mammalian CharacteristicsClass Mammalia

• Hair• Skin with sweat, scent, sebaceous, and mammary

glands• Mouth with teeth• Movable eyelids & fleshy external ears• Four-chambered heart• Respiration system with lungs, larynx, diaphragm• Brain highly developed• Able to regulate body temperature internally• Internal fertilization• Young nourished by milk from mammary glands

Virginia OpossumDidelphis virginiana

Order Didelphimorphia; Only NA Marsupial; Nocturnal

SIZE: body length 13-20”; tail length 9-15”; Weight 4-15 lbs.

RANGE: all Texas except Trans-Pecos

DIET: 50 teeth; worms, insects, eggs, grain, fruit, nuts, reptiles, frogs, birds, vegetables, garbage, carrion

REPROD: 2 litters/yr; 6-20 kits born blind & hairless after gestation of 2 weeks; nurse for 8 weeks, ride on back for 4 weeks, fully independent at 12 weeks;

BEHAVIOR: ‘play possum’; prehensile tail; marsupium

½” long

Order Xenarthra: Armadillos, Sloths, Anteaters

Nine-Banded ArmadilloDasypus novemcinctus

Nocturnal, but can be crepuscular & diurnalSIZE: Body 15-17”; Tail 13-15”; Weight 8-17 lbs.

RANGE: all Texas except Trans-Pecos and Panhandle

DIET: insects, slugs/worms, frogs, eggs, mice, snakes, berries, vegetation, carrion; smell worms 8” underground

REPROD: 1 litter/yr – quadrupletsborn in Feb – Mar; gestation 120 days; skin soft at birth

NOTES: hold breath up to 6 minutes;can gulp air to float & swim; roll into “ball” for defense

Order Rodentia: Rodents

• Worldwide = 1,686 rodent species • Texas = 64 native rodent species• Mice, rats, squirrels, gophers, porcupine, beaver• Incisors grow continuously through life• Most eat vegetation, but few feed on animal

matter• Some hibernate, such as

ground squirrels

Nocturnal – large eyes

HABITAT: deciduous forests in East Texas; mature forests; live in canopy at highest levels

SIZE: body 9 inches long

DIET: nuts, seeds, fruit, flowers, some insects and bird eggs; will cache nuts in cavities for future

REPRO: 2 litters/yr; 3 (to 7) pups; weaned at 5 weeks; Nest in snags, tree cavities, old woodpecker holes, artificial nest boxes; Often use nest boxes when habitat is becoming too fragmented; Nest lined with Shredded bark, moss, lichen, leaves, feathers

NOTES: use patagium to glide (NOT fly); Do not hibernate

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Diurnal; prairies, grasslands

RANGE: west of Balcones Escarpment, Panhandle, Trans-Pecos

DIET: vegetation, primarily low-growing weeds and grasses

REPRO: 1 litter/yr; 4-5 young born March/Apr; blind & hairless at birth, first appear above ground at 6 weeks age; sexual maturity reached 2nd year

NOTES: extensive social structure;Multi-room burrow system provide homes to Many other animals, including black-footedferret; actually help prairie plants regenerate

Black-tailed Prairie DogCynomys ludovicianus

PorcupineErethizon dorsatum

Nocturnal

SIZE: body 18-23”; tail 6-12”; weight 10-28 lbs.

HABITAT: woodlands, ridges, rocky areas all over Texas

DIET: clover, grass, seeds, grain, leaves, evergreen needles, aquatic plants, acorns, bark, twigs

REPROD: single pup born with eyes open & dark fur with soft 1” quills Apr/May after 7 month gestation; fully independent at 5 months

NOTES: adult has 30,000 quills – does NOT shoot quills; drags tail; makes whiny whimper & grunt sound

BeaverCastor canadensis

Nocturnal, sometimes crepuscular

SIZE: body 27-35”; tail 15”long, 7” wide; weight 28-75 lbs.

RANGE: all Texas, primarily east and along river systems

DIET: leaves, buds, twigs, fruit, ferns, water lily, ragweed, Bermuda grass, roots of aquatic plants, inner bark

of treesREPRO: 1 litter/yr; 1-4 kits born with fur Apr/May after 100 day gestation; fully independent at 2 years

NOTES: waterproof fur, webbed feet, goggle-like eyelids, nose & ear flaps; able to hold breath for 15 minutes

NutriaMyocastor coypus

Introduced from South America

Nocturnal or crepuscular

Adapted for aquatic life:Eyes, ears smallLarge, 5 toed webbed hind feetFour toes on front, no webbingFur – soft underfur, covered with coarse outer furWaterproofed via oil gland

Skull stout, thickTeeth similar to beaverTail long, rounded, not too hairyPrimarily herbivorousGood diggers, build burrows in banksOften live in groups (parents & offspring)

Order Carnivora: Carnivores

• Worldwide = 238 species

• Texas = 27 native species

• “Flesh-eating,” although several may feed on vegetation during specific seasons

• Ocelot, bobcat, black bear, otter, foxes, skunks, raccoon, coati, badger

Striped SkunkMephitis mephitis

Nocturnal, crepuscular

SIZE: body 15”; tail 7-8”; wt 3-10 lbs.

HABITAT: rocky areas with thick vegetation, open woodlands, usually near water; all over Texas

DIET: small mammals, insects, reptiles, fruit, eggs, garbage, carrion, little vegetation

REPRO: 3-7 kits born Apr-May blind, toothless; eyes open at 3 wks; weaned 8 wks, independent at 10 wks

NOTES: track shows 5 toes across each foot; can squirt foul liquid from musk gland up to 15 feet (even 3 wk old can spray); before spraying, hisses & stomps feet & waves tail in warning

RaccoonProcyon lotor

Nocturnal


HABITAT: primarily woodlands, usually near water RANGE: all Texas

DIET: nuts, berries, insects, crayfish/crustaceans, vegetables, grain, fruit, fish, frogs, birds, eggs, rodents, carrion, garbage

REPRO: 1 litter/yr; 2-7 kits born Apr-Oct; light fur cover with faint mask and ringed tail; fully independent at 4-6 months

NOTES: tracks look like hand-prints; excellent climber/swimmer; makes purring sound; highly adaptable and “urban generalist”; does help control feral cats

Ringtail/ Cacomistles (Aztec)

Bassariscus astutus

Nocturnal

Description: eyes ringed by dark brown, within buffy patches

HABITAT: rocky outcroppings, canyons; variety of habitats

RANGE: Statewide / Central Texas (not coastal or South TX

DIET: Omnivorous; rodents, insects, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, carrion; nuts, berries, and nectar

REPRO: 1 litter/yr; 1-4 kits born Feb - May; light fur cover with faint mask and ringed tail; fully independent before 10 months

NOTES: excellent climber; solitary except during breeding season; make many vocalizations, including high pitched scream; ‘miner’s cat’ – kept as mouser

River OtterLutra

canadensis

Active any time, year-round; shy

HABITAT: Usually swampy, riparian areas

RANGE: Eastern half of Texas

DIET: rough fish, crayfish, frogs, reptiles, insects, birds, small mammals

REPRO: not as much known; 2 pups born in underground den (base of hollow tree or old beaver lodge, etc.); raised by female

NOTES: Streamlined body, webbed toes & waterproof fur with oil; layer of fat beneath skin allows flexibility; playful – make slides on mud banks; Population in Texas bouncing back due to less fur trapping

Mountain Lion

Puma concolor

Nocturnal

SIZE: body 6-8’; tail 2-3’; weight 75-200 lbs.

HABITAT: mountains, canyons, swamps, forest, desert

RANGE: southern & western Texas; 75-200 sq. miles

DIET: large and small mammals

REPRO: 1-4 cubs born blind with spotted fur; independent at 1.5 to 2 years; females give birth every other year

NOTES: tracks have no claws showing; tail tipped with black; can reach speeds of 35 mph for short distance; prefers to ambush prey, kills by

breaking neck

BobcatLynx rufus


SIZE: body 26-36”; tail 4-7”; weight 15-40 lbs

HABITAT: variety; open country with shelterRANGE: all Texas

DIET: rabbits, mice, ground squirrels, deer, birds, carrion

REPRO: 2-7 kits born blind with spotted fur; eat meat at 4 wks; fully independent at 5 months

NOTES: mostly gray fur during winter; leaves scratch marks on trees; can leap 7-10’ in single bound; excellent climbers; stores uneaten catch beneath vegetation

OcelotLeopordus pardalis

Nocturnal; rest in tree branches during day

SIZE: Adult 20-35 lbs; 16-20 in height

HABITAT: Dense Thorn scrub brush;Native to So TX, Mexico, Central and South AmericaLess than 50 free-ranging ocelots in TX – Federal & State ENDANGERED

DIET: Rabbits, mice, rats, birds

REPRODUCTION: 1 kitten/litter; leave mother at 2 years

NOTES: Can turn ankle joints around to climb ‘down’ a tree; claws can retract; good climbers/swimmers; spot pattern unique to each individual

JaguarundiPuma yagouaroundi cacomitli

Diurnal/Crepuscular – more active during day

Once ranged in Texas, last confirmed sighting in US was road-killed cat, April 1986 near BrownsvilleFederal & State endangered species - is recovery plan for Texas

SIZE: slender body, with black, brown, red fur; 7-22 lbs.; flattened head; extra long tails (11-24 inches); short legs – 11 inches in height at shoulder

HABITAT: Dense thorn scrub forests; bunchgrass fields; woody cover

DIET: hunt on ground; birds, rabbits, reptiles, rodents;

NOTES: reports that they are good swimmers;

Red WolfCanis rufus

Crepuscular

Once ranged in Texas, especially around Houston area Extinct in wild in Texas; Federally endangered speciesHabitat loss & predator control programs decimated population; began inter-breeding with coyotes

SIZE: body 48” long; 26” high at shoulder; weight 48-80 lbs.

HABITAT: forests, swamps, prairies

DIET: primarily rabbits, rodents, other small mammals, deer. insects,

CoyoteCanis latrans

Nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular in variety of habitat all over Texas


DIET: small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, frogs, deer, carrion; stores food under leaves/soil

REPRO:1 litter/yr; 5-10 pups born Mar-June; eyes open 8-14 days; both adults feed regurgitated food; independent at 6-9 mths.

NOTES: highly adaptable animal (generalist); tracks show claw marks; capable of running 30 mph; distinct howl with “yappy yelps”

Gray FoxUrocyon

cinereoargenteus



HABITAT: open woodlands, canyons, desert, urban areas RANGE: all Texas

DIET: birds, eggs, rabbits, reptiles, berries, fruit, insects, crayfish

REPRO: 1 litter/yr.; 3-7 pups born Feb-May; males helps care for young

NOTES: tracks show claw marks; tail tipped in black; can easily climb trees; can reach speeds of 26-29 mph for short distances; does help control feral cat populations

Red FoxVulpes vulpes


Naturalized species – Introduced to TX 1895

HABITAT: open woodlands, savannahs

RANGE: East to Central Texas

DIET: rodents, rabbits, berries, fruit, insects

REPRO: pair mate for life; 1 litter/yr.; 4-6 pups

born Mar-Apr. ; both parents care for young;

underground den Gray fox for comparison

Order Artiodactyla: Hoofed Mammals

• Worldwide = 192 species• Texas = 7 native species• Natives – big horn mountain sheep, bison, elk,

white-tailed deer, mule deer, collared peccary, pronghorn

• Two or four toes on front foot; 3 toes on hind foot

• Subdivided by chambers in stomach – 3 or 4• Horns or antlers• Monocular vision

White-tailed DeerOdocoileus virginianus

Crepuscular

SIZE: body 4-6’; tail 6-13”; wt 65-150 lbs.

HABITAT: wide variety; likes river bottoms RANGE: all Texas

DIET: vegetation – acorns, grain, legumes, shrubs, trees, forbs, grapes, catbriars, fruit

REPRO: 1-2 fawns born with white spots Apr-July after 7 month

gestation; spots remain 3-4 months; males independent at 1 yr, females at 2 yrs; leave fawns in place - odorless

NOTES: can run 35-40 mph; during breeding season, males have antlers, NOT horns;

Collared Peccary/ JavelinaPecari tajacu


SIZE: body 29-39”; tail 2”; weight 35-60 lbs.

HABITAT: desert, arid woodlands, scrub range

RANGE: southern and southwestern Texas

DIET: flowers, fruit, nuts, cacti, bulbs, roots, grubs, reptiles, eggs, mesquite beans, acorns, carrion

REPRO: 1-4 young born fully mobile; young with dark dorsal stripe; 1 lb. each; weaned at 6-8 weeks, independent at 2-3 months; 1- 2 litters/ yr.

NOTES: heart-shaped hooves; males have spear-like tusks; average lifespan 7-8 yrs.; only pig-like species native to North America; excellent sense of smell but somewhat poorer eyesight;

PronghornAntilocapra americana

Diurnal, crepuscular

SIZE: body 4-4.5’; weighs 80-130 lbs.

HABITAT: semi-arid prairies, rangeland, foothills RANGE: west Texas, including Panhandle

DIET: sagebrush, forbs, grasses, clover, wildflowers, cacti, cedar

REPRO: 1-2 fawns born Apr-June after 7.5 month gestation; young odorless; 50-80% fawns lost to predators; independent by fall

NOTES: excellent peripheral vision; both sexes have black branched HORNS (smaller on females); fastest mammal in North America; found nowhere else in world; can reach 35-60 mph

• Worldwide = Over 1,300 species

• Texas = 33 bat species, including both the largest and smallest for North America, more bats than any other state in US– largest = Western Mastiff– smallest = Western Pipistrelle

• Houston area = 11 species

Order Chiroptera: Bats

Mexican Free-tailed bats from Bracken Cave can eat 250 tons of insects per night.

• Order Chiroptera = “hand-wing” • only true flying mammals• crepuscular or nocturnal• good sight, excellent hearing• well-developed hunting skills, including echolocation

For More Information:www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Special thanks to the following people for the use of their slides: Carolyn Fannon, David Perry, Paul Montgomery, William Welch, Brett Johnson

MAMMALS OF TEXAS Diana Foss Urban Wildlife Biologist 281-456-7029 ext. 21 [email protected].

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