This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Uruguay. 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.
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:
The armadillos are small mammals with a bony armored shell. They are native to the Americas. There are around 20 extant species.
Family: Dasypodidae (armadillos)Subfamily: DasypodinaeGenus: DasypusSouthern long-nosed armadillo Dasypus hybridus NTNine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus LCSubfamily: EuphractinaeGenus: EuphractusSix-banded armadillo Euphractus sexcinctus LCSubfamily: TolypeutinaeGenus: CabassousGreater naked-tailed armadillo Cabassous tatouay LCGenus: PriodontesGiant armadillo Priodontes maximus VUThe order Pilosa is extant only in the Americas and includes the anteaters, sloths, and tamanduas.
Suborder: VermilinguaFamily: Myrmecophagidae (American anteaters)Genus: MyrmecophagaGiant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla VU - Possibly ExtirpatedGenus: TamanduaSouthern tamandua Tamandua tetradactyla LCRodents 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: HystricognathiFamily: Erethizontidae (New World porcupines)Subfamily: ErethizontinaeGenus: CoendouParaguaian hairy dwarf porcupine Coendou spinosus LR/lcFamily: Caviidae (guinea pigs)Subfamily: CaviinaeGenus: CaviaBrazilian guinea pig Cavia aperea LR/lcSubfamily: Hydrochoerinae (capybaras and rock cavies)Genus: HydrochoerusCapybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris LR/lcFamily: CuniculidaeGenus: CuniculusLowland paca Cuniculus paca LCFamily: CtenomyidaeGenus: CtenomysTiny tuco-tuco Ctenomys minutus LR/lcPearson's tuco-tuco Ctenomys pearsoni LR/lcCollared tuco-tuco Ctenomys torquatus LR/lcFamily: Myocastoridae (coypus)Genus: MyocastorCoypu Myocastor coypus LR/lcSuborder: SciurognathiFamily: CricetidaeSubfamily: SigmodontinaeGenus: AkodonAzara's grass mouse Akodon azarae LR/lcCursor grass mouse Akodon cursor LR/lcGenus: CalomysSmall vesper mouse Calomys laucha LR/lcGenus: DeltamysKemp's grass mouse Deltamys kempi LR/lcGenus: HolochilusWeb-footed marsh rat Holochilus brasiliensis LR/lcGenus: LundomysLund's amphibious rat Lundomys molitor LR/lcGenus: NecromysDark bolo mouse Necromys obscurus LR/lcGenus: NectomysScaly-footed water rat Nectomys squamipes LR/lcGenus: OligoryzomysYellow pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys flavescens LR/lcBlack-footed pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys nigripes LCGenus: OxymycterusLong-nosed hocicudo Oxymycterus nasutus LR/lcRed hocicudo Oxymycterus rufus LR/lcGenus: ReithrodonBunny rat Reithrodon auritus LR/lcGenus: ScapteromysWaterhouse's swamp rat Scapteromys tumidus LR/lcGenus: WilfredomysGreater Wilfred's mouse Wilfredomys oenax LR/lcThe 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: NoctilionidaeGenus: NoctilioLesser bulldog bat Noctilio albiventris LR/lcGreater bulldog bat Noctilio leporinus LR/lcFamily: VespertilionidaeSubfamily: MyotinaeGenus: MyotisSilver-tipped myotis Myotis albescens LR/lcYellowish myotis Myotis levis LR/lcRiparian myotis Myotis riparius LR/lcSubfamily: VespertilioninaeGenus: EptesicusBrazilian brown bat Eptesicus brasiliensis LR/lcDiminutive serotine Eptesicus diminutus LR/lcGenus: HistiotusStrange big-eared brown bat Histiotus alienus VUSmall big-eared brown bat Histiotus montanus LR/lcGenus: LasiurusDesert red bat Lasiurus blossevillii LR/lcHoary bat Lasiurus cinereus LR/lcSouthern yellow bat Lasiurus ega LR/lcFamily: MolossidaeGenus: EumopsDwarf bonneted bat Eumops bonariensis LR/lcGenus: MolossopsDwarf dog-faced bat Molossops temminckii LR/lcGenus: MolossusVelvety free-tailed bat Molossus molossus LR/lcGenus: NyctinomopsBig free-tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis LR/lcGenus: TadaridaMexican free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis LR/ntFamily: PhyllostomidaeSubfamily: StenodermatinaeGenus: SturniraLittle yellow-shouldered bat Sturnira lilium LR/lcGenus: PlatyrrhinusWhite-lined broad-nosed bat Platyrrhinus lineatus LR/lcSubfamily: DesmodontinaeGenus: DesmodusCommon vampire bat Desmodus rotundus LR/lcThe 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: MysticetiFamily: BalaenidaeGenus: EubalaenaSouthern right whale Eubalaena australis LR/cdFamily: BalaenopteridaeSubfamily: BalaenopterinaeGenus: BalaenopteraCommon minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LR/ntAntarctic minke whale Balaenoptera bonaerensis DDSei whale Balaenoptera borealis ENBryde's whale Balaenoptera brydei DDFin whale Balaenoptera physalus ENBlue whale Balaenoptera musculus ENGenus: MegapteraHumpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LCSuborder: OdontocetiSuperfamily: PlatanistoideaFamily: PontoporiidaeGenus: PontoporiaLa Plata dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei DDFamily: PhocoenidaeGenus: PhocoenaSpectacled porpoise Phocoena dioptrica DDBurmeister's porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis DDFamily: PhyseteridaeGenus: PhyseterSperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VUFamily: KogiidaeGenus: KogiaPygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps LR/lcFamily: ZiphidaeGenus: ZiphiusCuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris DDGenus: BerardiusArnoux's beaked whale Berardius arnuxii LR/cdSubfamily: HyperoodontinaeGenus: HyperoodonSouthern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon planifrons LR/cdGenus: MesoplodonBlainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris DDGray's beaked whale Mesoplodon grayi DDHector's beaked whale Mesoplodon hectori DDStrap-toothed whale Mesoplodon layardii DDFamily: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)Genus: StenoRough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis DDGenus: TursiopsCommon bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus DDGenus: StenellaPantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata LR/cdAtlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis DDStriped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cdSpinner dolphin Stenella longirostris LR/cdGenus: DelphinusLong-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis LR/lcGenus: LagenodelphisFraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei LR/lcGenus: GrampusRisso's dolphin Grampus griseus LR/lcGenus: LissodelphisSouthern right whale dolphin Lissodelphis peronii DDGenus: FeresaPygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata DDGenus: PseudorcaFalse killer whale Pseudorca crassidens LR/lcGenus: OrcinusOrca Orcinus orca LR/cdGenus: GlobicephalaLong-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas DDShort-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus DDCarnivorans include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Suborder: FeliformiaFamily: Felidae (cats)Subfamily: FelinaeGenus: LeopardusColocolo Leopardus colocolo NTGeoffroy's cat Leopardus geoffroyi NTOcelot Leopardus pardalis LCMargay Leopardus wiedii LCGenus: PumaCougar Puma concolor LCJaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi LCSubfamily: PantherinaeGenus: PantheraJaguar Panthera onca NT - regionally extinctSuborder: CaniformiaFamily: Canidae (dogs, foxes)Genus: LycalopexPampas fox Lycalopex gymnocercus LCGenus: CerdocyonCrab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous LCGenus: ChrysocyonManed wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus NTFamily: Procyonidae (raccoons)Genus: ProcyonCrab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus LR/lcGenus: NasuaSouth American coati Nasua nasua LR/lcFamily: Mustelidae (mustelids)Genus: LontraNeotropical river otter Lontra longicaudis DDGenus: PteronuraGiant otter Pteronura brasiliensis ENFamily: Otariidae (eared seals, sealions)Genus: ArctocephalusSouth American fur seal Arctocephalus australis LR/lcGenus: OtariaSouth American sea lion Otaria flavescens LR/lcFamily: Phocidae (earless seals)Genus: LeptonychotesWeddell seal Leptonychotes weddellii LR/lcGenus: LobodonCrabeater seal Lobodon carcinophaga LR/lcGenus: MiroungaSouthern elephant seal Mirounga leonina LR/lcFamily: MephitidaeGenus: ConepatusMolina's hog-nosed skunk Conepatus chinga LR/lcThe 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: Tayassuidae (peccaries)Genus: PecariCollared peccary Pecari tajacu LCGenus: TayassuWhite-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari NTFamily: Cervidae (deer)Subfamily: CapreolinaeGenus: BlastocerusMarsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus VU - regionally extinctGenus: MazamaGray brocket Mazama gouazoupira DDGenus: OzotocerosPampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus NTDidelphimorphia is the order of common opossums of the Western Hemisphere. Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late Cretaceous or early Paleocene.They are small to medium-sized marsupials, about the size of a large house cat, with a long snout and prehensile tail.
Family: Didelphidae (American opossums)Subfamily: DidelphinaeGenus: DidelphisWhite-eared opossum Didelphis albiventris LR/lcGenus: GracilinanusAgile gracile opossum Gracilinanus agilis LR/ntGenus: LutreolinaLutrine opossum Lutreolina crassicaudata LR/lcGenus: MonodelphisYellow-sided opossum Monodelphis dimidiata LR/nt