List of mammals of Latvia
There are fifty-six mammal species in Latvia, of which one is endangered, four are vulnerable, and three 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: 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 (99 lb).
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Castoridae (beavers)
- Genus: Castor
- Eurasian beaver, C. fiber LC[2]
- Genus: Castor
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Tribe: Pteromyini
- Genus: Pteromys
- Siberian flying squirrel, Pteromys volans LR/nt
- Genus: Pteromys
- Tribe: Pteromyini
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Genus: Dryomys
- Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LR/nt
- Genus: Eliomys
- Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus VU
- Genus: Muscardinus
- Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius LR/nt
- Genus: Dryomys
- Subfamily: Glirinae
- Genus: Glis
- Edible dormouse, Glis glis LR/nt
- Genus: Glis
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
- Subfamily: Sicistinae
- Genus: Sicista
- Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina LR/nt
- Genus: Sicista
- Subfamily: Sicistinae
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Arvicola
- Water vole, Arvicola terrestris LR/lc
- Genus: Clethrionomys
- Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LR/lc
- Genus: Microtus
- Field vole, Microtus agrestis LR/lc
- Common vole, Microtus arvalis LR/lc
- Genus: Arvicola
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Genus: Apodemus
- Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LR/lc
- Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LR/lc
- Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis LR/lc
- Genus: Micromys
- Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus LR/nt
- Genus: Apodemus
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Family: Castoridae (beavers)
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 twentieth 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
- European hare, L. europaeus LC[3]
- Mountain hare, L. timidus LC
- Genus: Lepus
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)
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Southern white-breasted hedgehog, Erinaceus concolor LR/lc
- West European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus LR/lc
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
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: Soricinae
- Tribe: Nectogalini
- Genus: Neomys
- Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LR/lc
- Genus: Neomys
- Tribe: Soricini
- Genus: Sorex
- Common shrew, Sorex araneus LR/lc
- Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens LR/lc
- Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LR/lc
- Genus: Sorex
- Tribe: Nectogalini
- Subfamily: Soricinae
- Family: Talpidae (moles)
- Subfamily: Talpinae
- Tribe: Talpini
- Genus: Talpa
- European mole, Talpa europaea LR/lc
- Genus: Talpa
- Tribe: Talpini
- Subfamily: Talpinae
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.
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Genus: Myotis
- Brandt's bat, Myotis brandti LR/lc
- Pond bat, Myotis dasycneme VU
- Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii LR/lc
- Whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus LR/lc
- Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LR/lc
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Barbastella
- Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus NT[4]
- Genus: Eptesicus
- Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni LR/lc
- Genus: Nyctalus
- Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt
- Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula LR/lc
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Nathusius' pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii LR/lc
- Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
- Genus: Plecotus
- Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus LR/lc
- Genus: Vespertilio
- Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus LR/lc
- Genus: Barbastella
- Subfamily: Myotinae
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: Balaenidae (right whales)
- Genus: Balaena
- North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR or functionally extinct in the eastern Atlantic[5]
- Genus: Balaena
- Family: Eschrichtiidae (grey whales)
- Genus: Eschrichtius
- North Atlantic grey whale, Eschrichtius robustus EX
- Genus: Eschrichtius
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Subfamily: Megapterinae
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC[10][11][12]
- Genus: Megaptera
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Family: Balaenidae (right whales)
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Phocoenidae
- Genus: Phocoena
- Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
- Genus: Phocoena
- Family: Monodontidae
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Family: Ziphidae
- Genus: Mesoplodon
- Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens DD[14]
- Genus: Mesoplodon
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris LR/lc
- Genus: Tursiops
- Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD[15]
- Genus: Orcinus
- Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- Family: Phocoenidae
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
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
- Genus: Felis
- European wildcat, Felis silvestris LC
- Genus: Lynx
- Eurasian lynx, L. lynx LC[17]
- Genus: Felis
- Subfamily: Felinae
- Family: Felidae (cats)
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
- Family: Ursidae (bears)
- Genus: Ursus
- Brown bear, U. arctos LC[18]
- Genus: Ursus
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
- Genus: Mustela
- European mink, M. lutreola CR[19]
- Stoat, Mustela erminea LC
- Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LC
- European polecat, Mustela putorius LC
- Genus: Meles
- Eurasian badger, M. meles LC[20]
- Genus: Lutra
- European otter, L. lutra NT[21]
- Genus: Mustela
- Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
- Genus: Halichoerus
- Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus LC
- Genus: Pusa
- Ringed seal, Pusa hispida LC
- Genus: Halichoerus
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
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.
See also
Notes
- 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.
- Batbold, J.; Batsaikhan, N.; Shar, S.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsain, G.; Palomo, L. (2016). "Castor fiber". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T4007A115067136.
- Hacklande, K.; Schai-Braun, S. (2019). "Lepus europaeus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T41280A45187424. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T41280A45187424.en.
- Piraccini, R. (2016). "Barbastella barbastellus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T2553A22029285.
- Regional Species Extinctions - Examples of regional species extinctions over the last 1000 years and more. Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
- Wieder Finnwal in der Ostsee Archived 2016-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
- Finnwal in der Ostsee gesichtet
- Angler filmt Wal in Ostsee-Bucht
- Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) - MarLIN, The Marine Life Information Network
- Wieder Finnwal in der Ostsee Archived 2016-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
- Finnwal in der Ostsee gesichtet
- Angler filmt Wal in Ostsee-Bucht
- About the beluga - Russian Geographical Society
- Rare Sowerby's beaked whale spotted in the Baltic Sea - WDC
- Baltic dolphin sightings confirmed - National
- Orcinus orca (Killer Whale, Orca)
- Breitenmoser, U.; Breitenmoser-Würsten, C.; Lanz, T.; von Arx, M.; Antonevich, A.; Bao, W. & Avgan, B. (2015). "Lynx lynx". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2015: e.T12519A121707666.
- McLellan, B. N.; Proctor, M. F.; Huber, D. & Michel, S. (2017). "Ursus arctos". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2017: e.T41688A121229971. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T41688A121229971.en.
- Maran, T.; Aulagnier, S.; Libois, R.; Kranz, A.; Abramov, A. & Wozencraft, C. (2010). "Mustela lutreola". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T14018A4381596.
- Kranz, A.; Abramov, A. V.; Herrero, J. & Maran, T. (2016). "Meles meles". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2016: e.T29673A45203002.
- Roos, A.; Loy, A.; de Silva, P.; Hajkova, P.; Zemanová, B. (2015). "Lutra lutra". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2015: e.T12419A21935287. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T12419A21935287.en.
References
- "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Latvia". IUCN. 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995–2006. Retrieved 22 May 2007.