List of mammals of Pennsylvania

The white-tailed deer is the state animal of Pennsylvania.[1]

This list of mammals in Pennsylvania consists of 67 species currently believed to occur wild in the state. This excludes feral domesticated species.

Several species recently lived wild in Pennsylvania, but are now probably extirpated. They are the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), gray wolf (Canis lupus), marten (Martes americana), wolverine (Gulo gulo), badger (Taxidea taxus), mountain lion (Felis concolor), lynx (Lynx lynx), moose (Alces alces) and bison (Bison bison).

Opossums

Order: Didelphimorphia Family: Didelphidae

One species of opossum occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status[2] Notes Distribution[2]
Virginia opossum


Didelphis virginiana Common D. virginiana virginiana Statewide

Shrews and moles

Order: Soricomorpha Family: Soricidae

Seven species of shrews live in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Northern short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicauda Common Statewide
Least shrew Cryptotis parva Endangered
locally
South central
Masked shrew Sorex cinereus Common Statewide
Maryland shrew Sorex cinereus fontinalis Common The Maryland shrew is now considered a subspecies of masked shrew. Piedmont and Valley and Ridge
Long-tailed shrew Sorex dispar Rare Appalachian Uplands
Smoky shrew Sorex fumeus Common Statewide
Pygmy shrew Sorex hoyi Uncommon Presumed statewide
Water shrew Sorex palustris Uncommon Mountain streams

Order: Soricomorpha Family: Talpidae

Three species of moles occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Star-nosed mole Condylura cristata Uncommon Statewide
Hairy-tailed mole Parascalops breweri Uncommon Statewide
Eastern mole Scalopus aquaticus Uncommon Piedmont and Valley and Ridge

Bats

Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae

Twelve species of evening bats occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Eastern pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus Uncommon Statewide
Big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus Common Statewide
Evening bat Nycticeius humeralis Rare Southeastern
Red bat Lasiurus borealis Uncommon Statewide
Seminole bat Lasiurus seminolus Rare Piedmont
Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus Uncommon Statewide
Keen's myotis Myotis keenii Rare Statewide
Small-footed myotis Myotis leibii Threatened
locally
Statewide
Northern long-eared bat Myotis septentrionalis Statewide
Little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus Common Statewide
Indiana bat Myotis sodalis Endangered Central
Silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans Uncommon Statewide

Rabbits and hares

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae

Three species of rabbits and hares occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Eastern cottontail


Sylvilagus floridanus Common Statewide
Appalachian cottontail Sylvilagus obscurus Uncommon Eastern mountains
Snowshoe hare Lepus americanus Rare Appalachian Uplands

Rodents

Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae

One species of beaver occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Beaver Castor canadensis Reintroduced Statewide

Order: Rodentia Family: Myocastoridae

One species of porcupine occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
North American porcupine Erethizon doratum Uncommon Northern and central

Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae

Two species of jumping mice occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Woodland jumping mouse Napaeozapus insignis Common Northern and western
Meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius Common Statewide

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

Nine species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in Pennsylvania.

Subfamily Arvicolinae (lemmings, voles, and muskrats)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Rock vole Microtus chrotorrhinus Rare Northeast
Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus Common Statewide
Woodland vole Microtus pinetorum Common Statewide
Southern bog lemming Synaptomys cooperi Uncommon Statewide
Southern red-backed vole Myodes gapperi Common Statewide
Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus Common Statewide

Subfamily Neotominae (North American rats and mice)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Woodrat Neotoma magister Threatened Mountain ridges
Deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus Common Statewide
White-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus Common Statewide

Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae

Three species of Old World rats and mice occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
House mouse Mus musculus Introduced Statewide
Norway rat Rattus norvegicus Introduced Statewide
Black rat Rattus rattus Introduced Statewide

Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

Eight species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in Pennsylvania.

Subfamily Sciurinae (tree squirrels and flying squirrels)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Gray squirrel


Sciurus carolinensis Common Statewide
Fox squirrel Sciurus niger Uncommon Southern and western
Red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Common Statewide
Northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus Rare Northern
Southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans Common Statewide

Subfamily Xerinae (chipmunks and ground squirrels)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Woodchuck Marmota monax Common Statewide
Thirteen-lined ground squirrel Spermophilus tridecemlineatus Introduced Mercer and Venango Counties
Eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus Common Statewide

Carnivorans

Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae

One species of cat occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Bobcat Lynx rufus Rare L. rufus rufus Appalachian Uplands

Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae

Three species of canids occurred in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Coyote Canis latrans Common Northeastern coyote, C. latrans thamnos Statewide
Red fox Vulpes vulpes Common Eastern American red fox, V. vulpes fulvus Statewide
Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Common Statewide

Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae

One species of bear occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Black bear Ursus americanus Common U. americanus americanus Most of state

Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae

Two species of skunks occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Striped skunk Mephitis mephitis Common Statewide
Eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius Rare South central

Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

Six species of weasels occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
River otter Lontra canadensis Rare L. canadensis canadensis Northern
Fisher Martes pennanti Reintroduced North central
Ermine Mustela erminea Uncommon Statewide except southwest
Long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata Common Statewide
Least weasel Mustela nivalis Uncommon M. nivalis allegheniensis Western two-thirds
Mink Mustela vison Common M. vison mink Statewide

Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae

One species of raccoons occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Raccoon Procyon lotor Common Eastern raccoon, P. lotor lotor Statewide

Hoofed mammals

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

Two species of deer and elk occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Elk Cervus canadensis Reintroduced North central
White-tailed deer


Odocoileus virginianus Common Northern white-tailed deer, O. virginianus borealis Statewide

References

  1. "About Pennsylvania". Pennsylvania website. Retrieved 2009-10-14. External link in |work= (help)
  2. 1 2 Except where noted otherwise, status and distribution come from "Mammals of Pennsylvania". The American Society of Mammalogists website. Retrieved 2011-06-09. External link in |work= (help)
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