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List of mammals of Texas facts for kids

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Relief map of Texas
Topographic map of Texas

This is a list of mammals of Texas. Mammals native to or immediately off the coast of the U.S. state of Texas are listed first. Introduced mammals, whether intentional or unintentional, are listed separately.

The varying geography of Texas, the second largest state, provides a large variety of habitats for mammals. The land varies from swamps, Piney Woods in the east, rocky hills and limestone karst in the central Hill Country of the Edwards Plateau, desert in the south and west, mountains in the far west (the Trans-Pecos), and grassland prairie in the north, also known as the Panhandle. The state's many rivers, including the Rio Grande, the Colorado River, and the Trinity River, also provide diverse river habitats. Its central position in the United States means that species found primarily in either the western or eastern reaches of the country often have their ranges meeting in the state. Additionally, its proximity to Mexico is such that many species found there and into Central America also range as far north as Texas.

Texas recognizes three official mammals: the nine-banded armadillo, the Texas Longhorn, and the Mexican free-tailed bat. State law protects numerous species. The state also recognizes the Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons State Park since 2011, the State Longhorn herd at multiple state parks since 1969, and the State dog breed, Blue Lacy since 2005.

Dark-colored Cattle with very long, sharp horns.
A hard-shelled mammals with long ears and nose.
A brown-furred bat with wings that are made of skin.
The state mammals were all named by the legislature in 1995.

List of species

Order Xenarthra

Dasypodidae

Dasypodidae is a family of armoured mammals found mainly in Latin America.

Dasypodidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Dasypus novemcinctus Nine-banded armadillo Found in all of Texas, except the Trans-Pecos region Nine-banded-Armadillo white background.jpg

Order Chiroptera

Phyllostomidae

Phyllostomidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Choeronycteris mexicana Mexican long-tongued bat Only found in South Texas; may be slowly increasing distribution northward. Choeronycteris mexicana, Mexican long-tongued bat (7371567444) 2.jpg
Diphylla ecaudata Hairy-legged vampire bat Only one specimen found in 1967, in Val Verde County. Hairy-legged vampire bat, Diphylla ecaudata (closeup).jpg
Leptonycteris nivalis Greater long-nosed bat Only found in Presidio County and Brewster County. Leptonycteris nivalis.jpg

Mormoopidae

Mormoopidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Mormoops megalophylla Ghost-faced bat Found in the Trans-Pecos, South Texas Plains, and the southern edge of the Edwards Plateau. Mormoops megalophylla 11860575.jpg

Vespertilionidae

Vespertilionidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Aeorestes cinereus Hoary bat Found in mature forested areas across the state Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus (cropped).jpg
Antrozous pallidus Pallid bat Commonly found in the western half of Texas, including the panhandle. Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus).jpg
Corynorhinus rafinesquii Rafinesque's big-eared bat Found in small localities in the Pineywoods of East Texas. Rafinesque's big-eared bat.JPG
Corynorhinus townsendii Townsend's big-eared bat Commonly found in the western half of Texas, including the panhandle. Population in West Texas and Panhandle are divided into subspecies. Big-eared-townsend-fledermaus.jpg
Dasypterus ega Southern yellow bat Found in seven counties in the Rio Grande Valley. Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.MAM.17371.b ven - lasiurus Ega Ega - skin.jpeg
Dasypterus intermedius Northern yellow bat Occurs in the eastern and southern part of the state, including along the coast. Lasiurus intermedius 49023072 (cropped).jpg
Dasypterus xanthinus Western yellow bat Reported in the southernmost counties of Texas surrounding Big Bend National Park. Lasiurus xanthinus.jpg
Eptesicus fuscus Big brown bat Found primarily iy the eastern, northern and western parts of the state. Flickr - Furryscaly - Smile for the Camera.jpg
Euderma maculatum Spotted bat Found only in Big Bend National Park. Side view of spotted bat -Euderma maculatum- by Paul Cryan.jpg
Lasionycteris noctivagans Silver-haired bat Found in forested areas across the state, not seen often in cities. Noctivagans Cutie.png
Lasiurus blossevillii Desert red bat One specimen found in Presidio County in 1988 Lasiurus blossevillii.jpg
Lasiurus borealis Eastern red bat Found state-wide, but most commonly found in the eastern and central part of the state C-red-bat.jpg
Lasiurus seminolus Seminole bat Found in the eastern part of the state Seminole Bat (7351768292).jpg
Myotis austroriparius Southeastern myotis Found in eastern Texas caves Southeastern Myotis.JPG
Myotis californicus California myotis Found primarily in the Chihuahuan Desert and Trans-Pecos region of Texas California Myotis (Myotis californicus).jpg
Myotis ciliolabrum Western small-footed myotis Found primarily in the Trans-Pecos mountains and small populations in the panhandle Myotis ciliolabrum.jpg
Myotis occultus Arizona myotis One found in Hudspeth Co., likely a migrant individual.
Myotis septentrionalis Northern long-eared myotis Only one specimen ever found in Dimmit Co. NLEB in a hibernaculum in southern IN, A.King (28448738094).jpg
Myotis thysanodes Fringed myotis Found in the Trans-Pecos region, with one migrant speciment collected in the Panhandle. Fringed Myotis.jpg
Myotis velifer Cave myotis Found in most areas in Texas except the Pineywoods. Cave Myotis.jpg
Myotis volans Long-legged myotis Found in the Trans-Pecos region, with one migrant speciment collected in the Panhandle. Myotis volans.jpg
Myotis yumanensis Yuma myotis Found in south Texas along the Rio Grande River. Myotis yumanensis (Yuma myotis) (11362476624).jpg
Nycticeius humeralis Evening bat Found widespread throughout the state except for the Panhandle, with westward expansion of their range. Nycticeius humeralis Evening bat.JPG
Parastrellus hesperus Canyon bat Found in the western half of the state, especially the Trans-Pecos Mountains. Western pipistrelle.jpg
Perimyotis subflavus Tricolored bat Found in most regions of Texas except the Trans-Pecos. 221205-F-KN521-0087.jpg

Molossidae

Molossidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Eumops perotis Western mastiff bat Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas and in Midland County in the west Eumops perotis.jpeg
Nyctinomops femorosacca Pocketed free-tailed bat Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas. Pocketed free-tailed bat (Nyctinomops femorosaccus).jpg
Nyctinomops macrotis Big free-tailed bat Scattered localities in the Panhandle, Trans-Pecos region, and recently in Wise County Nyctinomops macrotus.jpeg
Molossus molossus Velvety free-tailed bat Vagrant Molossus molossus.jpg
Tadarida brasiliensis Mexican free-tailed bat State-wide distribution in the summer, with the eastern population being year-round residents Tadarida brasiliensis.jpg

Order Carnivora

Canidae

Canidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Canis latrans Coyote ubiquitous throughout Texas Coyote portrait.jpg
Canis lupus Gray wolf all subspecies previously found in Texas are either extinct or extirpated; see below Front view of a resting Canis lupus ssp.jpg
C. l. baileyi Mexican wolf extirpated Mexican Wolf 2 yfb-edit 1.jpg
C. l. monstrabilis Texas wolf extinct Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate III) C. l. monstrabilis mod.jpg
C. l. nubilus Great Plains wolf extinct Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate III) C. l. nubilus mod.jpg
Canis rufus Red wolf extirpated Red wolf (4531335218).jpg
Urocyon cinereoargenteus Gray fox Ubiquitous throughout Texas. Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus).jpg
Vulpes macrotis Kit fox Found in the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau regions. San Joaquin kit fox male.jpg
Vulpes velox Swift fox Found in the Panhandle region. Vulpes velox2.jpg

Felidae

Felidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Herpailurus yagouaroundi Jaguarundi Extirpated; Last U.S sighting in 1986 in Brownsville. Puma yagouaroundi.jpg
Leopardus pardalis Ocelot Only found in and around Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Ocelot (Jaguatirica) Zoo Itatiba.jpg
Leopardus wiedii Margay Extirpated; Only U.S. record found in 1852 outside Kingsville. Margay01b.jpg
Lynx rufus Bobcat ubiquitous throughout Texas Bobcat at Columbus Zoo Boo.jpg
Panthera onca Jaguar Extirpated by 1948. Standing jaguar.jpg
Puma concolor Cougar Western counties only Mountain Lion in Glacier National Park.jpg

Procyonidae

Procyonidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Bassariscus astutus Ring-tailed cat Common in the Trans-Pecos, Edwards Plateau and Cross Timbers ecoregions, but also seen statewide except the panhandle Squaw-ringtail-28073.jpg
Nasua narica White-nosed coati Recently, only seen in the Big Bend and Padre Island regions Nasuanarica1.jpg
Procyon lotor Raccoon Ubiquitous throughout Texas Raccoon (Procyon lotor) 3.jpg

Mephitidae

Mephitidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Conepatus leuconotus American hog-nosed skunk Found throughout central and southern Texas. Hog-nosed-skunk.png
Mephitis macroura Hooded skunk Found in the central Trans-Pecos region. Hooded Skunk side (Gelsenkirchen).jpg
Mephitis mephitis Striped skunk Ubiquitous throughout Texas. Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) DSC 0030.jpg
Spilogale gracilis Western spotted skunk Found in the southwestern part of the state, north to Garza Co. and east to Duvall Co. Spilogale gracilis amphiala.jpg
Spilogale putorius Eastern spotted skunk Found in the eastern half of the state and up into the Panhandle. Somewhat rare. Spilogale putorius (2).jpg

Mustelidae

Mustelidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Lontra canadensis North American river otter Found historically along tributaries and rivers of the Red River. Has been limited further east, but recently found as far west as Abilene. River otter at Chippoke State Park cropped (16632992021).jpg
Mustela nigripes Black-footed ferret Extirpated. Before extirpation, was found wherever prairie dogs were in the Panhandle. Mustela nigripes 2.jpg
Neogale frenata Long-tailed weasel Secretive species with few scientific records across the state. Found in a variety of habitats where water is present. Not found in the northern Panhandle. Bridled weasel.jpg
Neogale vison American mink Found in the eastern half of the state where water is present. MinkforWiki.jpg
Taxidea taxus American badger Found throughout the state except the far eastern Pineywoods.Habitat loss pushes it further east. Taxidea taxus USFWS New Mexico.jpg

Phocidae

Phocidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Neomonachus tropicalis Caribbean monk seal extinct Cms-newyorkzoologicalsociety1910.jpg

Ursidae

Ursidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Ursus americanus American black bear Found in the forested areas of east Texas, the Trans-Pecos region, and at the tip of the Panhandle American black bear Gros Mornе NFL.jpg
Ursus arctos Brown bear all populations once present in Texas are either extirpated or extinct; see below Kamchatka Brown Bear near Dvuhyurtochnoe on 2015-07-23.jpg
U. a. horribilis Grizzly bear extirpated; the only documented grizzly bear (U. a. horribilis) specimen was killed in 1905 in Jeff Davis County GrizzlyBearJeanBeaufort.jpg
U. a. horribilis Mexican grizzly bear extinct Mexican grizzly bear.jpeg

Order Artiodactyla

Tayassuidae

Tayassuidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Dicotyles tajacu Collared peccary Mostly restricted to western Texas and south of San Antonio. Introduced populations occur in north Texas Collared peccary02 - melbourne zoo.jpg

Cervidae

Cervidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Alces alces Moose Vagrant Bigbullmoose.jpg
Cervus canadensis Elk Reintroduced, see below Jasper.Wapiti-Hirsch.P1033401.jpg
C. c. merriami Merriam's elk Extinct by 1906
C. c. nelsoni Rocky Mountain elk Introduced to the state in 1928, currently found in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions Cow Elk (13516690173).jpg
Odocoileus hemionus Mule deer Found in the western-half of the state through the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos. Mule buck elk creek m myatt (5489214303).jpg
Odocoileus virginianus White-tailed deer Ubiquitous throughout Texas. Deer female in wild.jpg

Antilocapridae

Antilocapridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Antilocapra americana Pronghorn Native to Central and Western Texas; considered the pronghorn's easternmost range Antilocapra americana.jpg

Bovidae

Bovidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Bison bison American bison Reintroduced, see below. American bison k5680-1.jpg
B. b. bison Plains bison Reintroduced at Caprock Canyons State Park and Fort Worth Nature Center as well as private herds. All controlled by fences. Historically widespread. Bison in Caprock Canyons State Park Texas.jpg
Ovis canadensis Bighorn sheep Extirpated throughout original Trans-Pecos mountain ranges. See below. New Mexico Bighorn Sheep.JPG
O. c. nelsoni Desert bighorn sheep Reintroduced populations in certain areas of the Trans-Pecos mountains are free-roaming and wild. Desert Bighorn Barna Cropped.jpg

Order Eulipotyphla

Soricidae

Soricidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Blarina carolinensis Southern short-tailed shrew Southern short-tailed shrew.jpg
Blarina hylophaga Elliot's short-tailed shrew Shorttail shrew.jpg
Cryptotis parva North American least shrew Shrew1opt.jpg
Notiosorex crawfordi Crawford's gray shrew Crawford's gray shrew.jpg

Talpidae

Talpidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Scalopus aquaticus Eastern mole Documented in the eastern two-thirds of the state, eastern areas of South Texas, along the Canadian River drainage in the Panhandle, and in Presidio County in the west ScalopusAquaticus.jpg

Order Sirenia

Trichechidae

Trichechidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Trichechus manatus West Indian manatee Rare in Texas waters, but observed in the Laguna Madre, Cow Bayou, and near Sabine Lake, Copano Bay, San José Island, Bolivar Peninsula, and the mouth of the Rio Grande Underwater photography on endangered mammal manatee.jpg

Order Didelphimorphia

Didelphidae

Didelphidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Didelphis marsupialis Common opossum Vagrant Rabipelao2.jpg
Didelphis virginiana Virginia opossum Found throughout the state except for the arid Trans-Pecos and Llano Estacado Didelphis virginiana with young.JPG

Order Lagomorpha

Leporidae

Leporidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Lepus californicus Black-tailed jackrabbit John Woodhouse Audubon - Texian Hare (Lepus Texianus) - Google Art Project.jpg
Sylvilagus aquaticus Swamp rabbit The quadrupeds of North America (Plate XXXVII) (6260425611).jpg
Sylvilagus audubonni Desert cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii2.jpg
Sylvilagus floridanus Eastern cottontail Eastern Cottontail.JPG
Sylvilagus holzneri Robust cottontail Davis Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains Sylvilagus robustus imported from iNaturalist photo 64270774 on 9 September 2021.jpg

Order Rodentia

Castoridae

Castoridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Castor canadensis North American beaver Audubon-castor 1854-RZ.jpg

Cricetidae

Erethizontidae

Erethizontidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Erethizon dorsatum North American porcupine Found in the western half of the state. Porcupine-BioDome.jpg

Geomyidae

Geomyidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Cratogeomys castanops Yellow-faced pocket gopher Commonly found in the western-half of the state in the high plains and trans-pecos. Cratogeomys castanops.jpg
Geomys arenarius Desert pocket gopher Common in El Paso County. Desert pocket gopher.jpg
Geomys attwateri Attwater's pocket gopher Endemic to Texas. East from the Brazos River to the San Antonio River, and along the coast in-between. Attwater’s Pockrt Gopher (5A) Weishuhn Rd. Colorado Co. TX; 12 May 2014.jpg
Geomys breviceps Baird's pocket gopher Found in the eastern half of the state. GeomysBreviceps.png
Geomys bursarius Plains pocket gopher Found in the northwestern and north-central Texas panhandle. Geomys bursarius.jpg
Geomys jugossicularis Hall's pocket gopher Found in the northwesternmost-counties of Dallam and Hartley.
Geomys knoxjonesi Knox Jones's pocket gopher Found in the southwestern plains of Texas.
Geomys personatus Texas pocket gopher Found in the far south counties of the state, including the Texas barrier islands. Texas Pocket Gopher.jpg
Geomys streckeri Strecker's pocket gopher Restricted to Zavala and Dimmit Counties.
Geomys texensis Llano pocket gopher Found in two isolated areas in the Hill Country depending on subspecies. Endemic to Texas.
Thomomys bottae Botta's pocket gopher Found in the Trans-Pecos eastward into the Edwards Plateau. Botta's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae).jpg

Heteromyidae

Sciuridae

Order Cetacea

Balaenidae

Balaenidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis NOAA.jpg

Balaenopteridae

Balaenopteridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Minke whale Seen stranded occasionally, rare sightings. Last seen in Texas in the 1980s. Balaenoptera acutorostrata NOAA.jpg
Balaenoptera brydei Balaenoptera edeni Bryde's whale Seen yearly in every season but the fall in shallow waters. Taxonomy up to debate Balaenoptera edeni.jpg
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale Blauwal.png
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale Rorcual común (Balaenoptera physalus) flipped.jpg
Megaptera novaeangliae Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae NOAA.jpg

Kogiidae

Kogiidae is a family of whales.

Kogiidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Kogia breviceps Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps.jpg
Kogia simus Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima.jpg

Physeteridae

Physeteridae is a monotypic family of whales only containing the extant Physeter macrocephalus.

Physeteridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale A large black whale with a blunt head and proportionally-small flippers

Ziphiidae

Ziphiidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville's beaked whale Beaked Whale.jpg
Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' Beaked Whale (cropped).jpg
Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris NOAA.jpg

Delphinidae

Delphinidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Delphinus delphis Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis.jpg
Feresa attenuata Pygmy killer whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus Short-finned pilot whale
Grampus griseus Risso's dolphin
Orcinus orca Killer whale Uncommon in Texas waters, rare and poorly documented strandings, occasionally seen off South Padre Island Orca graphic.png
Pseudorca crassidens False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens NOAA.jpg
Peponocephala electra Melon-headed whale
Stenella frontalis Atlantic spotted dolphin
Stenella attenuata Pantropical spotted dolphin
Stenella coeruleoalba Striped dolphin
Stenella clymene Clymene dolphin
Stenella longirostris Spinner dolphin
Steno brenadensis Rough-toothed dolphin
Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin Grand dauphin Tursiops truncatus.jpg

Introduced/invasive mammals

Order Primates

Primates
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Macaca fuscata Japanese macaque Introduced to a sanctuary in Frio County Japanese Snow Monkey (Macaque) Mother Grooms Her Young.jpg

Order Carnivora

Canidae (canids)

Canidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Vulpes vulpes Red fox While native to North America, red foxes were introduced to Texas and have expanded over most of the state, except the far western and southern regions Fox - British Wildlife Centre (17429406401).jpg

Order Artiodactyla

Suidae (pigs)

Suidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Sus scrofa Wild boar Ubiquitous throughout Texas 20160208054949!Wildschein, Nähe Pulverstampftor (cropped).jpg

Cervidae (deer)

Cervidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Axis axis Chital
Axis porcinus Indian hog deer
Cervus elaphus Red deer
Cervus nippon Sika deer
Dama dama European fallow deer
Rusa unicolor Sambar deer

Bovidae (antelopes & sheep)

Bovidae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Ammotragus lervia Barbary sheep
Antilope cervicapra Blackbuck
Boselaphus tragocamelus Nilgai

Order Rodentia

Muridae (Old World mice & rats)

Muridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Mus musculus House mouse Ubiquitous throughout Texas House mouse.jpg
Rattus norvegicus Brown rat Widespread throughout Texas, however not as common in the southern half of Texas as Rattus rattus Rattus norvegicus -Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage, England-8.jpg
Rattus rattus Black rat Ubiquitous throughout Texas Roofrat Hagenbeck 02.jpg

Myocastoridae (Nutria)

Myocastoridae
Species Common name Distribution Status Image
Myocastor coypus Nutria Invasive species in eastern two-thirds of Texas, currently expanding westward Ratao do banhado 1 REFON.jpg

See also

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List of mammals of Texas Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.