Mammal Orders and Families

Below is a current list of mammal families and higher taxonomic groups compiled for the course Mammal Diversity and Evolution (ANAT/BIOL 345/445). It is primarily thysed on Wilson and Reeder (2005), though it also includes various extinct families and recent taxonomic updates to extant families based on the scientific literature. I have divided the taxonomic groups into three categories. If you are a currently a student in the course, here is what the different categories mean in terms of the mid-term and final exam.

1. Families in italics:

• You DO NOT need to know the names or characteristics of these families.
• You DO NOT need to be able identify the skulls of these families on a practical exam, at least not to family.

2. Groups marked with an asterisk (*):

• You DO need to know the names of these groups.
• You DO need to know how to identify members of these groups from a photo, their general morphology and ecology, etc.
• You DO NOT need to be able to identify the skulls of these groups on a practical exam, though you DO need to be able to refer them to the correct higher-level group. For example, you will not be asked to refer a skull of Genetta to the Family Viverridae, but you might be asked to identify it as a carnivoran or a feliform.

3. All other groups:

• You DO need to know the names of these groups.
• You DO need to know how to identify them from a photo, their general morphology and ecology, etc.
• You DO need to be able to identify the skulls of these groups on a practical exam.
• You DO need to know which names correspond to orders and families.
• You DO need to know the hierarchical relationships of these groups
• You DO NOT need to know the ranks of groups other than orders and families.

All supraordinal groups are in bold or underlined. This is only done to help clarify their hierarchical relationships. The hierarchical relationships of subordinal groups are indicated by the degree of indentation. More subordinate groups are indented to a greater degree.

If you would like to hear how to pronounce a group name, click the abbreviation to the left of the name.

PRO Mon Orn Tac	PROTOTHERIA Order Monotremata Family Ornithorhynchidae: platypus Family Tachyglossidae: echidnas
MET Spr Bor Hat Prb Thy Mar Dim Did Pau Abd Cae Pom Arg Gro Pol Mit Mic Dam Das Myr Thy Nom Not Pem Cha Per Thy Dip Maf Hyp Mac Pot Phf Acr Pet Pse Tar Bur Pha Vof Pha Vom	METATHERIA Order †Sparassodonta*: South American carnivorous marsupials Family †Borhyaenidae* Family †Hathliacynidae Family †Proborhyaenidae Family †Thylacosmilidae* Marsupialia Order Didelphimorphia Family Didelphidae: American opossums Order Paucituberculata Family †Abderitidae Family Caenolestidae*: shrew opossums Order †Polydolopimorphia Family †Argyrolagidae Family †Groeberiidae Family †Polydolopidae Order Microbiotheria Family Microbiotheriidae*: monitos del monte Order Dasyuromorphia Family Dasyuridae: native “cats” and “mice”, antechinuses, etc. Family Myrmecobiidae: numbat Family Thylacinidae: thylacine Order Notoryctemorphia Family Notoryctidae*: marsupial moles Order Peramelemorphia Family †Chaeropodidae*: pig-footed bandicoot Family Peramelidae: bandicoots Family Thylacomyidae*: bilbies Order Diprotodontia Suborder Macropodiformes Family Hypsiprymnodontidae: musky rat kangaroo Family Macropodidae: kangaroos and wallabies Family Potoroidae: bettongs, rat kangaroos Suborder Phalangeriformes Family Acrobatidae*: feathertail glider, feathertail possum Family Petauridae*: lesser gliders, Leadbeater’s possum, striped possums Family Pseudocheiridae: ringtail possums, greater glider Family Tarsipedidae*: honey possum Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums Family Phalangeridae: brushtail possums, cuscuses Suborder Vombatiformes Family Phascolarctidae: koala Family Vombatidae: wombats
EUT PLA XEN Pil Ver Cyc Myr Tar Bra Mel Myl Met Not Cin Das Gly Pam Pel	EUTHERIA Placentalia Xenarthra Order Pilosa Suborder Vermilingua Family Cyclopedidae: silky anteaters Family Myrmecophagidae: anteaters Suborder Tardigrada Family Bradypodidae: three-toed sloths Family Megalonychidae: two-toes sloths Family †Mylodontidae*: extinct sloths Family †Megatheriidae*: extinct sloths Family †Nothrotheriidae*: extinct sloths Order Cingulata Family Dasypodidae: armadillos Family †Glyptodontidae*: glyptodonts Family †Pampatheriidae*: pampatheres Family †Peltephilidae*: horned armadillos
AFO Afr Chr Ptd Ten Mac Mar Tub Ory PAE Hya Pro TET Pro Ele Sir Dug Tri Emb Ars Des	Afrotheria Order Afrosoricida Family Chrysochloridae: golden moles Family Potamogalidae*: African otter-shrews Family Tenrecidae: tenrecs Order Macroscelidea Family Macroscelididae: sengis Order Tubulidentata Family Orycteropodidae: aardvarks Paenungulata Order Hyracoidea Family Procaviidae: hyraxes Tethytheria (within Paenungulata) Order Proboscidea Family Elephantidae: elephants Order Sirenia Family Dugongidae: dugong Family Trichechidae: manatees Order †Embrithopoda Family †Arsinoitheriidae Order †Desmostylia
LAU Car Fef Nim Nan Fel Viv Hya Her Eup Caf Can Urs Pin Pho Ota Odo Mus Ail Mep Pro Mus Pho Man Chi Yin Pte Rhl Hip Meg Cra Rhp Yan Emb Nyc Phy Mor Noc Fur Thy Mys Myz Min Ves Mol Nat Per Eqi Tap Rhi Bro Cha EUL Eri Sol Nes Sor Tal CTA Art Suf Sud Ent Tay Tyl Cam Pro Ore Whi Hip Rum Tra Ant Gir Cer Mos Bov Cet Odo Del Ini Mon Pho Phy Pla Zip Mys Bld Blp Ctt Esc	Laurasiatheria Order Carnivora Suborder Feliformia Family †Nimravidae Family Nandiniidae: African palm civet Family Felidae: cats Family Viverridae*: civets, genets Family Hyaenidae: hyenas Family Herpestidae: mongooses Family Eupleridae*: Malagasy carnivorans Suborder Caniformia Family Canidae: dogs, foxes, wolves Family Ursidae: bears Pinnipedia Family Phocidae: true seals Family Otariidae: sea lions and fur seals Family Odobenidae: walrus Musteloidea Family Ailuridae: red panda Family Mephitidae:* skunks, stink badgers Family Procyonidae: raccoons, coatis Family Mustelidae: weasels, badgers Order Pholidota Family Manidae: pangolins Order Chiroptera Suborder Yinpterochiroptera* Family Pteropodidae: Old World fruit bats Family Rhinolophidae*: horseshoe bats Family Hipposideridae*: leaf-nosed, roundleaf, and trident bats Family Megadermatidae: false vampire bats Family Craseonycteridae: bumblebee bat Family Rhinopomatidae: mouse-tailed bats Suborder Yangochiroptera* Family Emballonuridae: sac-winged and sheath-tailed bats Family Nycteridae: slit-faced bats Family Phyllostomidae*: New World leaf-nosed bats Family Mormoopidae: ghost-faced, moustached, naked-backed bats Family Noctilionidae*: bulldog bats/fishing bats Family Furipteridae: smoky and thumbless bats Family Thyropteridae*: disc-winged bats Family Mystacinidae*: New Zealand short-tailed bats Family Myzopodidae: Old World sucker-footed bat Family Miniopteridae: bent-wing bats Family Vespertilionidae: evening and vesper bats Family Molossidae*: free-tailed bats Family Natalidae: funnel-eared bats Order Perissodactyla: odd-toed ungulates Family Equidae: horses Family Tapiridae: tapirs Family Rhinocerotidae: rhinos Family †Brontotheriidae* Family †Chalicotheriidae* Order Eulipotyphla Family Erinaceidae: hedgehogs, gymnures/moonrats Family Solenodontidae: solenodons Family †Nesophontidae Family Soricidae: shrews Family Talpidae: moles, desmans Cetartiodactyla “Order” Artiodactyla (no longer a natural group in and of itself) Suiformes Family Suidae: pigs Family †Entelodontidae* Family Tayassuidae: peccaries Tylopoda Family Camelidae: camels Family †Protoceratidae †Oreodontoidea*: oreodonts (various families) Whippomorpha (includes Cetacea, below) Family Hippopotamidae: hippos Ruminantia Family Tragulidae: chevrotains and mouse deer Family Antilocapridae: pronghorn Family Giraffidae: giraffes and okapi Family Cervidae: deer, elk, moose, etc. Family Moschidae: musk deer Family Bovidae: cattle, sheep, antelope, goats, etc. “Order” Cetacea (probably no longer ordinal rank) Suborder Odontoceti Family Delphinidae: dolphins, orcas, etc. Family Iniidae*: river dolphins Family Monodontidae*: narwhal, beluga Family Phocoenidae: porpoises Family Physeteridae: sperm whales Family Platanistidae: Indian river dolphins Family Ziphiidae: beaked whales Suborder Mysticeti Family Balaenidae: right, bowhead whales Family Balaenopteridae: rorquals Family Cetotheriidae*: pygmy right whale Family Eschrichtiidae*: gray whale
EUG EUR Sca Pti Tup Der Cyn Pri Str Gal Lor Chi Lem Lep Ind Dau Hap Tar Cat Cer Hyl Hom Pla Ate Ceb Pit GLI Lag Lep Och Rod Anm Ano Ped Zen Cam Cas Geo Het Hym Ctd Dia Hyg Bat Hys Pet Thy Cap Abr Cav Chi Ctm Cun Dap Din Ech Ere Oct Mym Dip Cal Cri Mur Nes Pal Spa Scm Apl Myl Gli Sci	Euarchontoglires Euarchonta Order Scandentia Family Ptilocercidae*: pen-tailed treeshrew Family Tupaiidae: treeshrews Order Dermoptera Family Cynocephalidae: colugos (aka “flying lemurs”) Order Primates Suborder Strepsirrhini Family Galagidae: galagos and bushbabies Family Lorisidae: lorises and pottos Family Cheirogaleidae*: dwarf and mouse lemurs Family Lemuridae: true lemurs Family Lepilemuridae*: sportive lemurs Family Indriidae*: indris, sifakas Family Daubentoniidae: aye-aye Suborder Haplorrhini Family Tarsiidae: tarsiers Catarrhini Family Cercopithecidae: Old World monkeys Family Hylobatidae*: gibbons Family Hominidae: great apes Platyrrhini Family Atelidae: prehensile-tailed monkeys Family Cebidae: tamarins, capuchins, night monkeys Family Pitheciidae*: titi monkeys, sakis, uakari Glires Order Lagomorpha Family Leporidae: rabbits and hares Family Ochotonidae: pikas Order Rodentia Suborder Anomaluromorpha* Family Anomaluridae*: scaly-tailed squirrels Family Pedetidae: springhares Family Zenkerellidae: Cameroon scaly-tail Suborder Castorimorpha* Family Castoridae: beavers Family Geomyidae: pocket gophers Family Heteromyidae: kangaroo rats and mice, pocket mice Suborder Hystricomorpha* Family Ctenodactylidae: gundis Family Diatomyidae* Infraorder Hystricognathi Family Bathyergidae*: African mole-rats Family Hystricidae*: Old World porcupines Family Petromuridae: dassie rat Family Thryonomyidae: cane rats Caviomorpha: endemic South American rodents Family Abrocomidae: chinchilla rats Family Caviidae: guinea pigs, capybara, mara Family Chinchillidae: chinchillas and viscachas Family Ctenomyidae*: tuco-tucos Family Cuniculidae: pacas Family Dasyproctidae*: agoutis and acouchis Family Dinomyidae: pacarana Family Echimyidae*: spiny rats (including the nutria) Family Erethizontidae: New World porcupines Family Octodontidae: degus, rock rats, viscacha rats Suborder Myomorpha* Family Dipodidae*: jerboas, birch mice, jumping mice Family Calomyscidae: mouse-like hamsters Family Cricetidae: New world mice, rats, voles, hamsters Family Muridae*: Old World mice, rats, gerbils Family Nesomyidae: endemic Africa and Malagasy mice Family Platacanthomyidae: Malabar spiny dormouse, pygmy dormice Family Spalacidae: blind and African mole rats, zokors, bamboo rats Suborder Sciuromorpha* Family Aplodontiidae: mountain beaver Family †Mylagaulidae*: extinct Family Gliridae*: dormice and hazel mice Family Sciuridae: squirrels
Not Tox Hom Nod Tod Typ Int Mes Heg Lit Pro Mac Pyr Pyd Ast Asd	Incertae sedis (within Eutheria) Order †Notoungulata Suborder †Toxodontia Family †Homalodotheriidae* Family †Notohippidae* Family †Toxodontidae* Suborder †Typotheria Family †Interatheriidae* Family †Mesotheriidae* Family †Hegetotheriidae* Order †Litopterna Family †Proterotheriidae* Family †Macraucheniidae* Order †Pyrotheria* Family †Pyrotheriidae* Order †Astrapotheria* Family †Astrapotheriidae*