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: Dasypodinae
Genus: Dasypus
Southern long-nosed armadillo Dasypus hybridus NT
Nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus LC
Subfamily: Euphractinae
Genus: Euphractus
Six-banded armadillo Euphractus sexcinctus LC
Subfamily: Tolypeutinae
Genus: Cabassous
Greater naked-tailed armadillo Cabassous tatouay LC
Genus: Priodontes
Giant armadillo Priodontes maximus VU
The order Pilosa is extant only in the Americas and includes the anteaters, sloths, and tamanduas.
Suborder: Vermilingua
Family: Myrmecophagidae (American anteaters)
Genus: Myrmecophaga
Giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla VU - Possibly Extirpated
Genus: Tamandua
Southern tamandua Tamandua tetradactyla LC
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: Erethizontidae (New World porcupines)
Subfamily: Erethizontinae
Genus: Coendou
Paraguaian hairy dwarf porcupine Coendou spinosus LR/lc
Family: Caviidae (guinea pigs)
Subfamily: Caviinae
Genus: Cavia
Brazilian guinea pig Cavia aperea LR/lc
Subfamily: Hydrochoerinae (capybaras and rock cavies)
Genus: Hydrochoerus
Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris LR/lc
Family: Cuniculidae
Genus: Cuniculus
Lowland paca Cuniculus paca LC
Family: Ctenomyidae
Genus: Ctenomys
Tiny tuco-tuco Ctenomys minutus LR/lc
Pearson's tuco-tuco Ctenomys pearsoni LR/lc
Collared tuco-tuco Ctenomys torquatus LR/lc
Family: Myocastoridae (coypus)
Genus: Myocastor
Coypu Myocastor coypus LR/lc
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Sigmodontinae
Genus: Akodon
Azara's grass mouse Akodon azarae LR/lc
Cursor grass mouse Akodon cursor LR/lc
Genus: Calomys
Small vesper mouse Calomys laucha LR/lc
Genus: Deltamys
Kemp's grass mouse Deltamys kempi LR/lc
Genus: Holochilus
Web-footed marsh rat Holochilus brasiliensis LR/lc
Genus: Lundomys
Lund's amphibious rat Lundomys molitor LR/lc
Genus: Necromys
Dark bolo mouse Necromys obscurus LR/lc
Genus: Nectomys
Scaly-footed water rat Nectomys squamipes LR/lc
Genus: Oligoryzomys
Yellow pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys flavescens LR/lc
Black-footed pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys nigripes LC
Genus: Oxymycterus
Long-nosed hocicudo Oxymycterus nasutus LR/lc
Red hocicudo Oxymycterus rufus LR/lc
Genus: Reithrodon
Bunny rat Reithrodon auritus LR/lc
Genus: Scapteromys
Waterhouse's swamp rat Scapteromys tumidus LR/lc
Genus: Wilfredomys
Greater Wilfred's mouse Wilfredomys oenax 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: Noctilionidae
Genus: Noctilio
Lesser bulldog bat Noctilio albiventris LR/lc
Greater bulldog bat Noctilio leporinus LR/lc
Family: Vespertilionidae
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Myotis
Silver-tipped myotis Myotis albescens LR/lc
Yellowish myotis Myotis levis LR/lc
Riparian myotis Myotis riparius LR/lc
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Eptesicus
Brazilian brown bat Eptesicus brasiliensis LR/lc
Diminutive serotine Eptesicus diminutus LR/lc
Genus: Histiotus
Strange big-eared brown bat Histiotus alienus VU
Small big-eared brown bat Histiotus montanus LR/lc
Genus: Lasiurus
Desert red bat Lasiurus blossevillii LR/lc
Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus LR/lc
Southern yellow bat Lasiurus ega LR/lc
Family: Molossidae
Genus: Eumops
Dwarf bonneted bat Eumops bonariensis LR/lc
Genus: Molossops
Dwarf dog-faced bat Molossops temminckii LR/lc
Genus: Molossus
Velvety free-tailed bat Molossus molossus LR/lc
Genus: Nyctinomops
Big free-tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis LR/lc
Genus: Tadarida
Mexican free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis LR/nt
Family: Phyllostomidae
Subfamily: Stenodermatinae
Genus: Sturnira
Little yellow-shouldered bat Sturnira lilium LR/lc
Genus: Platyrrhinus
White-lined broad-nosed bat Platyrrhinus lineatus LR/lc
Subfamily: Desmodontinae
Genus: Desmodus
Common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus LR/lc
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
Genus: Eubalaena
Southern right whale Eubalaena australis LR/cd
Family: Balaenopteridae
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LR/nt
Antarctic minke whale Balaenoptera bonaerensis DD
Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis EN
Bryde's whale Balaenoptera brydei DD
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus EN
Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus EN
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Pontoporiidae
Genus: Pontoporia
La Plata dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei DD
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Phocoena
Spectacled porpoise Phocoena dioptrica DD
Burmeister's porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis DD
Family: Physeteridae
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
Family: Kogiidae
Genus: Kogia
Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps LR/lc
Family: Ziphidae
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris DD
Genus: Berardius
Arnoux's beaked whale Berardius arnuxii LR/cd
Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
Genus: Hyperoodon
Southern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon planifrons LR/cd
Genus: Mesoplodon
Blainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris DD
Gray's beaked whale Mesoplodon grayi DD
Hector's beaked whale Mesoplodon hectori DD
Strap-toothed whale Mesoplodon layardii DD
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Steno
Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis DD
Genus: Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus DD
Genus: Stenella
Pantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata LR/cd
Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis DD
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
Spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris LR/cd
Genus: Delphinus
Long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis LR/lc
Genus: Lagenodelphis
Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei LR/lc
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus LR/lc
Genus: Lissodelphis
Southern right whale dolphin Lissodelphis peronii 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
Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas DD
Short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus DD
Carnivorans include over 260 species, 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: Leopardus
Colocolo Leopardus colocolo NT
Geoffroy's cat Leopardus geoffroyi NT
Ocelot Leopardus pardalis LC
Margay Leopardus wiedii LC
Genus: Puma
Cougar Puma concolor LC
Jaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi LC
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Jaguar Panthera onca NT - regionally extinct
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Lycalopex
Pampas fox Lycalopex gymnocercus LC
Genus: Cerdocyon
Crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous LC
Genus: Chrysocyon
Maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus NT
Family: Procyonidae (raccoons)
Genus: Procyon
Crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus LR/lc
Genus: Nasua
South American coati Nasua nasua LR/lc
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Lontra
Neotropical river otter Lontra longicaudis DD
Genus: Pteronura
Giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis EN
Family: Otariidae (eared seals, sealions)
Genus: Arctocephalus
South American fur seal Arctocephalus australis LR/lc
Genus: Otaria
South American sea lion Otaria flavescens LR/lc
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Leptonychotes
Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddellii LR/lc
Genus: Lobodon
Crabeater seal Lobodon carcinophaga LR/lc
Genus: Mirounga
Southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina LR/lc
Family: Mephitidae
Genus: Conepatus
Molina's hog-nosed skunk Conepatus chinga LR/lc
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: Tayassuidae (peccaries)
Genus: Pecari
Collared peccary Pecari tajacu LC
Genus: Tayassu
White-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari NT
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Blastocerus
Marsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus VU - regionally extinct
Genus: Mazama
Gray brocket Mazama gouazoupira DD
Genus: Ozotoceros
Pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus NT
Didelphimorphia 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: Didelphinae
Genus: Didelphis
White-eared opossum Didelphis albiventris LR/lc
Genus: Gracilinanus
Agile gracile opossum Gracilinanus agilis LR/nt
Genus: Lutreolina
Lutrine opossum Lutreolina crassicaudata LR/lc
Genus: Monodelphis
Yellow-sided opossum Monodelphis dimidiata LR/nt
