List of mammals of Benin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Benin. Of the mammal species in Benin, three are endangered, nine are vulnerable, and two are near threatened.[1]

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

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.
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.

Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:

LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued.
LR/nt Lower risk/near threatened Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes.
LR/lc Lower risk/least concern Species for which there are no identifiable risks.

Order: Tubulidentata (aardvark)[]

  • Family: Orycteropodidae (aardvark)
    • Genus: Orycteropus
      • Aardvark, O. afer LC

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)[]

The hyraxes are any of 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.

Order: Proboscidea (elephants)[]

The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.

  • Family: Elephantidae (elephants)
    • Genus: Loxodonta
      • African forest elephant, L. cyclotis CR[2]

Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)[]

Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.

Order: Primates[]

Mona monkey

The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.

  • Suborder: Strepsirrhini
  • Suborder: Haplorhini
    • Infraorder: Simiiformes
      • Parvorder: Catarrhini
        • Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
          • Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
            • Genus: Erythrocebus
              • Patas monkey, Erythrocebus patas LR/lc
            • Genus: Chlorocebus
            • Genus: Cercopithecus
              • White-throated guenon, Cercopithecus erythrogaster EN
              • Mona monkey, Cercopithecus mona LR/lc
              • Greater spot-nosed monkey, Cercopithecus nictitans LR/lc
              • Lesser spot-nosed guenon, Cercopithecus petaurista LR/lc
            • Genus: Papio
              • Olive baboon, Papio anubis LR/lc
            • Subfamily: Colobinae
              • Genus: Colobus
                • King colobus, Colobus polykomos LR/nt
                • Ursine colobus, Colobus vellerosus VU
              • Genus: Procolobus
                • Olive colobus, Procolobus verus LR/nt
        • Superfamily: Hominoidea
          • Family: Hominidae
            • Subfamily: Homininae
              • Tribe: Panini
                • Genus: Pan
                  • Common chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes EN

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 45 kg (100 lb).

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, Lepus capensis LR/lc

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)

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
        • Crosse's shrew, Crocidura crossei LC
        • Fox's shrew, Crocidura foxi LC
        • Savanna shrew, Crocidura fulvastra LC
        • Bicolored musk shrew, Crocidura fuscomurina LC
        • Large-headed shrew, Crocidura grandiceps NT
        • Lamotte's shrew, Crocidura lamottei LC
        • Nigerian shrew, Crocidura nigeriae LC
        • African giant shrew, Crocidura olivieri LC
        • Fraser's musk shrew, Crocidura poensis LC
        • Savanna path shrew, Crocidura viaria LC
        • Voi shrew, Crocidura voi LC
      • Genus: Sylvisorex
        • Climbing shrew, Sylvisorex megalura LC

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.

Order: Pholidota (pangolins)[]

The order Pholidota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species.

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.

  • Suborder: Mysticeti
    • Family: Balaenopteridae
      • Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
        • Genus: Balaenoptera
          • Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata VU
          • Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN
          • Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera brydei EN
          • Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus EN
          • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
      • Subfamily: Megapterinae
        • Genus: Megaptera
          • Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
  • Suborder: Odontoceti
    • Superfamily: Platanistoidea
      • Family: Phocoenidae
        • Genus: Phocoena
          • Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
      • Family: Physeteridae
        • Genus: Physeter
          • Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
      • Family: Kogiidae
        • Genus: Kogia
          • Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps DD
          • Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima DD
      • Family: Ziphidae
      • Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
        • Genus: Orcinus
          • Killer whale, Orcinus orca DD
          • Genus: Feresa
          • Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD
          • Genus: Pseudorca
          • False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD
        • Genus: Delphinus
          • Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LR/cd
          • Long-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus capensis DD
        • Genus: Sousa
          • Atlantic humpback dolphin, Sousa teuszii DD
        • Genus: Lagenodelphis
        • Genus: Stenella
          • Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LR/cd
          • Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene DD
          • Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD
          • Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis DD
          • Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LR/cd
        • Genus: Steno
          • Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD
        • Genus: Tursiops
          • Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC
        • Genus: Globicephala
        • Genus: Grampus
        • Genus: Peponocephala
          • Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra DD

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)[]

Lion
African leopard
Common genet

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
      • Subfamily: Pantherinae
        • Genus: Panthera
          • Lion, Panthera leo VU
          • Leopard, Panthera pardus VU
    • Family: Viverridae
      • Subfamily: Viverrinae
        • Genus: Civettictis
          • African civet, Civettictis civetta LC
        • Genus: Genetta
          • Common genet, Genetta genetta LC
          • Hausa genet, Genetta thierryi LClc
    • Family: Nandiniidae
      • Genus: Nandinia
        • African palm civet, Nandinia binotata LC
    • Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
    • Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
      • Genus: Crocuta
        • Spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta LC
      • Genus: Hyaena
        • Striped hyena, Hyaena hyaena NT
  • Suborder: Caniformia
    • Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
      • Genus: Lupulella
        • Side-striped jackal, L. adusta LC
      • Genus: Vulpes
      • Genus: Lycaon
        • African wild dog, Lycaon pictus EN
    • Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
      • Genus: Ictonyx
      • Genus: Mellivora
        • Honey badger, Mellivora capensis LC
      • Genus: Hydrictis
        • Speckle-throated otter, H. maculicollis LC
      • Genus: Aonyx
        • African clawless otter, Aonyx capensis LC

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)[]

African buffalo
Bushbuck
Yellow-backed duiker
Waterbuck

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: Suidae (pigs)
    • Subfamily: Phacochoerinae
      • Genus: Phacochoerus
        • Common warthog, Phacochoerus africanus LR/lc
    • Subfamily: Suinae
      • Genus: Potamochoerus
        • Red river hog, Potamochoerus porcus LR/lc
  • Family: Hippopotamidae (hippopotamuses)
    • Genus: Hippopotamus
      • Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius VU
  • Family: Tragulidae
  • Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
    • Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
      • Genus: Alcelaphus
        • Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus LR/cd
      • Genus: Damaliscus
        • Topi, Damaliscus lunatus LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Antilopinae
      • Genus: Gazella
        • Red-fronted gazelle, Gazella rufifrons VU
      • Genus: Ourebia
        • Oribi, Ourebia ourebi LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Bovinae
      • Genus: Syncerus
        • African buffalo, Syncerus caffer LR/cd
      • Genus: Tragelaphus
        • Bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus LR/lc
        • Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii LR/nt
    • Subfamily: Cephalophinae
      • Genus: Cephalophus[5]
        • Maxwell's duiker, Cephalophus maxwellii LR/nt
        • Blue duiker, Cephalophus monticola LR/lc
        • Black duiker, Cephalophus niger LR/nt
        • Red-flanked duiker, Cephalophus rufilatus LR/cd
        • Yellow-backed duiker, Cephalophus silvicultor LR/nt
      • Genus: Sylvicapra
        • Common duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia LR/lc
    • Subfamily: Hippotraginae
      • Genus: Hippotragus
        • Roan antelope, Hippotragus equinus LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Reduncinae
      • Genus: Kobus
        • Waterbuck, Kobus ellipsiprymnus LR/cd
        • Kob, Kobus kob LR/cd
      • Genus: Redunca
        • Bohor reedbuck, Redunca redunca LR/cd

Notes[]

  1. ^ This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
  2. ^ Gobush, K.S.; Edwards, C.T.T.; Balfour, D.; Wittemyer, G.; Maisels, F.; Taylor, R.D. (2021). "Loxodonta africana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T181008073A204401095. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T181008073A204401095.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  3. ^ Belbachir, F. (2008). "Acinonyx jubatus ssp. hecki". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T221A13035738.
  4. ^ Bahaa-el-din, L.; Mills, D.; Hunter, L. & Henschel, P. (2015). "Caracal aurata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T18306A50663128.
  5. ^ IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2016). "Cephalophus dorsalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T4139A50182488. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T4139A50182488.en. Retrieved 15 January 2020.

References[]

See also[]

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