This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Turkmenistan. There are 83 mammal species in Turkmenistan, of which 1 is critically endangered, 3 are endangered, 12 are vulnerable, and 5 are near-threatened.
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: Sciurognathi
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Xerinae
Tribe: Xerini
Genus: Spermophilopsis
Long-clawed ground squirrel Spermophilopsis leptodactylus LR/lc
Tribe: Marmotini
Genus: Marmota
Menzbier's marmot Marmota menzbieri VU
Genus: Spermophilus
Yellow ground squirrel Spermophilus fulvus LR/lc
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Dryomys
Forest dormouse Dryomys nitedula LR/nt
Genus: Myomimus
Masked mouse-tailed dormouse Myomimus personatus VU
Subfamily: Glirinae
Genus: Glis
Edible dormouse Glis glis LR/nt
Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
Subfamily: Allactaginae
Genus: Allactaga
Small five-toed jerboa Allactaga elater LR/lc
Great jerboa Allactaga major LR/lc
Severtzov's jerboa Allactaga severtzovi LR/lc
Mongolian five-toed jerboa Allactaga sibirica LR/lc
Genus: Allactodipus
Bobrinski's jerboa Allactodipus bobrinskii LR/lc
Subfamily: Dipodinae
Genus: Dipus
Northern three-toed jerboa Dipus sagitta LR/lc
Genus: Eremodipus
Lichtenstein's jerboa Eremodipus lichtensteini LR/lc
Genus: Jaculus
Turkmen jerboa Jaculus turcmenicus LR/lc
Genus: Paradipus
Comb-toed jerboa Paradipus ctenodactylus LR/lc
Genus: Stylodipus
Thick-tailed three-toed jerboa Stylodipus telum LR/lc
Family: Calomyscidae
Genus: Calomyscus
Great Balkhan mouse-like hamster Calomyscus mystax LR/nt
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Blanfordimys
Afghan vole Blanfordimys afghanus LR/lc
Genus: Ellobius
Southern mole vole Ellobius fuscocapillus LR/lc
Northern mole vole Ellobius talpinus LR/lc
Zaisan mole vole Ellobius tancrei LR/lc
Genus: Microtus
Persian vole Microtus irani LR/lc
Tien Shan vole Microtus kirgisorum LR/lc
Transcaspian vole Microtus transcaspicus LR/lc
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Gerbillinae
Genus: Meriones
Libyan jird Meriones libycus LC
Midday jird Meriones meridianus LR/lc
Persian jird Meriones persicus LR/lc
Tamarisk jird Meriones tamariscinus LR/lc
Zarudny's jird Meriones zarudnyi EN
Genus: Rhombomys
Great gerbil Rhombomys opimus LC
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Nesokia
Short-tailed bandicoot rat Nesokia indica LC
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 (hares and rabbits)
Genus: Lepus
Tolai hare Lepus tolai LC
Family: Ochotonidae (pikas)
Genus: Ochotona
Afghan pika Ochotona rufescens LR/lc
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: Hemiechinus
Long-eared hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus LR/lc
Brandt's hedgehog Hemiechinus hypomelas 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
Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens LR/lc
Genus: Diplomesodon
Piebald shrew Diplomesodon pulchellum LR/lc
Subfamily: Soricinae
Tribe: Soricini
Genus: Sorex
Eurasian pygmy shrew Sorex minutus 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
Lesser mouse-eared bat Myotis blythii LR/lc
Geoffroy's bat Myotis emarginatus VU
Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LR/lc
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Eptesicus
Bobrinski's serotine Eptesicus bobrinskoi LR/lc
Botta's serotine Eptesicus bottae 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
Bokhara horseshoe bat Rhinolophus bocharicus LR/lc
Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale VU
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
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: Acinonyx
Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus venaticus CR
Genus: Caracal
Caracal Caracal caracal LC
Genus: Felis
Middle Asian jungle cat Felis chaus oxiana LC
Turkestan sand cat Felis margarita thinobia NT
Turkestan wildcat Felis silvestris caudata LC
Pallas's cat Felis manul ferruginea NT
Genus: Lynx
Central Asian lynx Lynx lynx isabellinus NT
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Persian leopard Panthera pardus ciscaucasica EN
Caspian tiger Panthera tigris virgita EX
Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
Genus: Hyaena
Striped hyena Hyaena hyaena LR/nt
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Blanford's fox Vulpes cana VU
Corsac fox Vulpes corsac LC
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC
Genus: Canis
Golden jackal Canis aureus LC
Tibetan wolf Canis lupus chanco LC
Family: Ursidae (bears)
Genus: Ursus
Syrian brown bear Ursus arctos syriacus VU
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Mustela
Steppe polecat Mustela eversmannii LR/lc
Least weasel Mustela nivalis LR/lc
Genus: Vormela
Marbled polecat Vormela peregusna LR/lc
Genus: Martes
Beech marten Martes foina LR/lc
Genus: Mellivora
Turkmenian ratel Mellivora capensis buechneri LR/lc
Genus: Meles
Eurasian badger Meles meles LR/lc
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Pusa
Caspian seal Pusa caspica VU
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
Genus: Equus
Turkmenian kulan Equus hemionus kulan EN
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
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Genus: Gazella
Goitered gazelle Gazella subgutturosa VU
Genus: Saiga
Saiga antelope Saiga tatarica CR
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Capra
Wild goat Capra aegagrus VU
Markhor Capra falconeri EN
Genus: Ovis
Argali Ovis ammon VU
Mouflon Ovis orientalis VU
