This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Italy. There are 102 mammal species in Italy, of which 1 is critically endangered, 2 are endangered, 9 are vulnerable, and 4 are near-threatened. 1 of the species listed for Italy is considered to be extinct.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:
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:
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).
Suborder: Hystricognathi
Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
Genus: Hystrix
Crested porcupine Hystrix cristata LC
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Sciurinae
Tribe: Sciurini
Genus: Sciurus
Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris NT
Calabrian black squirrel Sciurus meridionalis (endemic to Calabria and Basilicata)
Subfamily: Xerinae
Tribe: Marmotini
Genus: Marmota
Alpine marmot Marmota marmota LR/lc
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
Subfamily: Glirinae
Genus: Glis
Edible dormouse Glis glis LR/nt
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Arvicola
Water vole Arvicola terrestris LR/lc
Genus: Chionomys
Snow vole Chionomys nivalis LR/nt
Genus: Clethrionomys
Bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus LR/lc
Genus: Microtus
Field vole Microtus agrestis LR/lc
Common vole Microtus arvalis LR/lc
Alpine pine vole Microtus multiplex LR/lc
Savi's pine vole Microtus savii LR/lc
European pine vole Microtus subterraneus LR/lc
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Alpine field mouse Apodemus alpicola DD
Yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis LR/lc
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC
Black rat
Brown rat
Genus: Micromys
Harvest mouse Micromys minutus LR/nt
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: Oryctolagus
European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus LR/lc
Genus: Lepus
European hare Lepus europaeus LR/lc
Mountain hare Lepus timidus LR/lc
Family: Prolagidae
Genus: Prolagus
Sardinian pika Prolagus sardus EX
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
West European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus LR/lc
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
Pantellerian shrew Crocidura cossyrensis LR/lc
Bicolored shrew Crocidura leucodon LR/lc
Sicilian shrew Crocidura sicula LR/lc
Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens LR/lc
Genus: Suncus
Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus LC
Subfamily: Soricinae
Tribe: Nectogalini
Genus: Neomys
Southern water shrew Neomys anomalus LR/lc
Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens LR/lc
Tribe: Soricini
Genus: Sorex
Alpine shrew Sorex alpinus LR/lc
Common shrew Sorex araneus LR/lc
Eurasian pygmy shrew Sorex minutus LR/lc
Apennine shrew Sorex samniticus LR/lc
Family: Talpidae (moles)
Subfamily: Talpinae
Tribe: Talpini
Genus: Talpa
Mediterranean mole Talpa caeca LR/lc
Roman mole Talpa romana LR/lc
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Vespertilionidae
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Myotis
Bechstein's bat Myotis bechsteini VU
Lesser mouse-eared bat Myotis blythii LR/lc
Brandt's bat Myotis brandti LR/lc
Long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii VU
Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii LR/lc
Geoffroy's bat Myotis emarginatus VU
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis LR/nt
Whiskered bat Myotis mystacinus LR/lc
Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LR/lc
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Barbastella
Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus VU
Genus: Eptesicus
Northern bat Eptesicus nilssoni LR/lc
Serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus LR/lc
Genus: Hypsugo
Savi's pipistrelle Hypsugo savii LR/lc
Genus: Nyctalus
Greater noctule bat Nyctalus lasiopterus LR/nt
Lesser noctule Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt
Common noctule Nyctalus noctula LR/lc
Genus: Pipistrellus
Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
Nathusius' pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii LR/lc
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
Genus: Plecotus
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus LR/lc
Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus LR/lc
Genus: Vespertilio
Parti-coloured bat Vespertilio murinus LR/lc
Subfamily: Miniopterinae
Genus: Miniopterus
Schreibers' long-fingered bat Miniopterus schreibersii LC
Family: Molossidae
Genus: Tadarida
European free-tailed bat Tadarida teniotis LR/lc
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Blasius's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus blasii NT
Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale VU
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
Mehely's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus mehelyi VU
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: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis CR or Functionally Extinct in European waters
Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
Subfamily: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus EN
Northern minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata nt
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Physeteridae
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Ziphidae
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris DD
Genus: Mesoplodon
Sowerby's beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens DD
Gervais' beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus♠ DD (vagrant)
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Steno
Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis DD
Genus: Tursiops
Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus DD
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
Genus: Delphinus
Common dolphin Delphinus delphis LR/lc
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus DD
Genus: Feresa
Pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata DD
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens LR/lc
Genus: Orcinus
Orca Orcinus orca LR/cd
Genus: Globicephala
Pilot whale Globicephala melas LR/lc
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae (cats)
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Felis
Wildcat Felis silvestris LC
Genus: Lynx
Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx NT
Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
Subfamily: Viverrinae
Genus: Genetta
Common genet Genetta genetta LR/lc
Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
Genus: Herpestes
Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon LR/lc
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC
Genus: Canis
Golden jackal Canis aureus LC
Italian wolf Canis lupus italicus VU (subspecies)
Family: Ursidae (bears)
Genus: Ursus
Brown bear Ursus arctos
Marsican brown bear Ursus arctos marsicanus CR (subspecies)
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Mustela
Stoat Mustela erminea LR/lc
Least weasel Mustela nivalis LR/lc
European polecat Mustela putorius LR/lc
Genus: Martes
Beech marten Martes foina LR/lc
Pine marten Martes martes LR/lc
Genus: Meles
Eurasian badger Meles meles LR/lc
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Monachus
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus CR
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: Suinae
Genus: Sus
Boar Sus scrofa LR/lc
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Red deer Cervus elaphus LR/lc
Sardinian deer
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Capreolus
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus LR/lc
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Capra
Wild goat Capra aegagrus VU
Alpine ibex Capra ibex LR/lc
Genus: Ovis
Mouflon Ovis orientalis VU
Genus: Rupicapra
Pyrenean chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica LR/cd
Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra LR/lc
