Mammals of Minnesota

ORDER/Family Common Name Species Status Distribution ASM Slide # Mammalian Species Account Comments DIDELPHIMORPHIA               Didelphidae Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana Common Southern 3/4 of the state 003, 004(W), 630, 828(B), 829(B,C), 830(C) 40 The only North American marsupial LAGOMORPHA               Leporidae Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus Common Through most of the state, except the extreme north 058, 953(Y) 136     Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus Common Northeastern 1/2 of the state 246, 544(P)   Changes color seasonally   White-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus townsendii Common Absent from the northeast 1/4 of the state 1189, 1349 288 Changes color seasonally SORICOMORPHA               Soricidae Northern Short-tailed Shrew Blarina brevicauda Common Statewide 020, 644(S) 261 Venomous   Least Shrew Cryptotis parva Species of special concern Extreme southeastern corner of the state 957 43     Arctic Shrew Sorex arcticus Common Northeastern 2/3 of the state 1391 524     Masked Shrew Sorex cinereus Common Statewide 1392 743     Hayden's Shrew Sorex haydeni Not well documented for Minnesota Western and southern  edge of the state     It is very difficult to differentiate this species from Sorex cinereus   Water Shrew Sorex palustris Common North-northeast 2/3 of the state 1287 33 Good swimmer; good indicator of water quality   Pygmy Shrew Sorex hoyi Uncommon Statewide   296   Talpidae Star-nosed Mole Condylura cristata Common Northern 1/2 of the state except it is absent in the western edge of the state 649(A,C), 650 129 Good swimmer and digger   Eastern Mole Scalopus aquaticus Common Southern 1/2 of the state, except it is absent in the west, north of Pipestone county 647(A,C), 648(S) 105 Good digger CHIROPTERA               Vespertilionidae Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus Common Statewide 020(C), 223 356     Red Bat Lasiurus borealis Common Statewide 040, 655, 815 183     Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus Common Statewide 656, 041, 042 185     Eastern Pipistrelle Perimyotis subflavus Species of special concern Southwestern 1/4 of the state 038, 654(C) 228     Silver-haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivagans Common Statewide 658 172     Little Brown Bat Myotis lucifugus Common Statewide 224, 225(G), 814 142     Northern Myotis Myotis septentrionalis Species of special concern Statewide   634   CARNIVORA               Felidae Lynx, Canada Lynx Lynx canadensis Rare Northeastern 1/4 of the state 587       Bobcat Lynx rufus Common Statewide 819, 1293 563     Mountain Lion Puma concolor Accidental Reports are scattered across the state 275, 276, 586 200   Canidae Coyote Canis latrans Common Statewide 265(C), 1126, 1127, 1267 79     Wolf, Timber Wolf, Grey Wolf Canis lupus Species of special concern Northeastern 1/3 of the state 581, 1038, 1128 37     Grey Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Common Statewide 584 189 Only member of the dog family that can climb trees   Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Common Statewide 435(W), 436(Y), 582 537   Ursidae Black Bear Ursus americanus Common Northeastern 1/4 of the state 142, 1132(S) 647   Mustelidae River Otter Lontra canadensis Common Statewide, except the prairie in the west and southwest, especially near rivers 802(C), 859(G) 587     Wolverine Gulo gulo Accidental Last specimen taken in 1899 in Itasca County; occasional scattered reports 442, 807(S), 1295(S), 1296(S), 1297(S) 499     Pine Martin Martes americana Common North-northeastern 1/4 of the state   289     Fisher Martes pennanti Common Northeastern 1/3 of the state 590 156 One of the few animals that can kill porcupines   Short-tailed Weasel, Ermine Mustela erminea Common Statewide 588(P), 1051 195 Changes color seasonally   Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata Uncommon Statewide 1348 570 Changes color seasonally   Least Weasel Mustela nivalis Species of special concern Statewide 440, 1214, 1350 454 Changes color seasonally   Mink Neovison vison Common Statewide 1129 608 Good swimmer   Badger Taxidea taxus Common Statewide 701(C), 702(A), 703(H) 26   Mephitidae Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis Common Statewide 280 173     Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius Threatened Statewide, except for the northeast 1/4   511   Procyonidae Raccoon Procyon lotor Common Statewide 140, 709(S) 119   PERISSODACTYLA               Equidae Horse Equus caballus Domesticated NA 150(G), 294, 1063(C) 628   ARTIODACTYLA               Cervidae Moose Alces americanus Uncommon Northern 1/2 of the state 192(M), 618(C) 154 This species might be more abundant, but they are often found in rugged, boggy areas   Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus Uncommon Southwestern 2/3 of the state 187(M), 475(Y), 476(F) 219     White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Common Statewide 185(F), 186, 803(M), 1279(M), 1313 388     Caribou Rangifer tarandus Accidental NA 193(G, M), 477(G), 1280(M), 1314   Males and females have antlers; reintroductions attempts have been unsuccessful   Elk Cervis elaphus Reintroduced/Species of special concern NA 189(M), 190(G,M), 191(F), 318(Y), 809(FM), 863(M), 864(F), 1077(G), 1278(M)     Antilocapridae Pronghorn Antilocapra americana Accidental Lac Qui Parle County record in 1978; occasional reports near South Dakota 166(M), 717(M), 718(F), 823(M), 1310(C,M) 90 Fastest North American mammal Bovidae Bison Bison bison Reintroduced Rock County only 167(M), 304(C,M), 305(Y), 306(H), 719(W), 720(F), 1224, 1273, 1311 266   RODENTIA               Sciuridae Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Common Statewide, but absent from the southwestern corner 094, 095(P) 480     Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger Common Statewide, but absent from the northern 1/4 096, 880(P) 479     Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Common Statewide, but absent form the west-southwest sliver bordering South Dakota 111, 260, 826, 827H 586     Northern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus Common Northern 1/2 of the state 1020 229     Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans Common Southeastern 1/4 of the state 1021, 1022(A,B) 78     Woodchuck, Ground Hog Marmota monax Common Statewide 107 591     Franklin's Ground Squirrel Spermophilus franklinii Common Statewide, but absent from much of the north east 104 724     Richardson's Ground Squirrel Spermophilus richardsonii Common Along the western edge of the state   243     Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel Spermophilus tridecemlineatus Common Statewide, but absent from much of the north east 103, 573 103     Least Chipmunk Tamias minimus Common Northeastern 1/3 of the state 108 653     Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus Common Statewide except the extreme southwestern corner 110, 259(A) 168   Castoridae Beaver Castor canadensis Common Statewide 247(H), 248(H), 408, 409(H), 410(H), 1239, 1316(H), 1317(H) 120   Heteromyidae Plains Pocket Mouse Perognathus subflavus Species of special concern Much of the southern 1/2 of the state, but absent from the eastern border.  Range also extends up the western edge of the state 694, 1337 525   Geomyidae Plains Pocket Gopher Geomys bursarius Common Southwestern 2/3 of the state 690       Northern Pocket Gopher Thomomys talpiodes Species of special concern Extreme northwestern corner of the state 688, 689 618   Dipodidae Woodland Jumping Mouse Napaeozapus insignis Uncommon Northeastern 1/4 of the state 113 14     Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius Common Statewide   11   Cricetidae Rock Vole, Yellownosed Vole Microtus chrotorrhinus Rare Northeast 1/4 of the state 250 180     Prairie Vole Microtus ochrogaster Species of special concern Southwest 1/2 of the state 1160 355     Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus Common Statewide 70 159     Woodland Vole Microtus pinetorum Species of special concern Extreme southeast corner of the state   147     Southern Red-backed Vole Myodes gapperi Common Statewide except the southwestern 1/4 and the extreme southeast 69 146     Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus Common Statewide 1162, 1163(H) 141     Heather Vole Phenacomys intermedius Species of special concern       One specimen taken in 1940 near Ely, county unknown   Northern Bog Lemming Synaptomys borealis Species of special concern Extreme northcentral part of the state         Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi Uncommon Statewide, except the prairie in the west and southwest 682 210 This species might be more abundant, but they're more difficult to trap than other small mammals.   Northern Grasshopper Mouse Onychomys leucogaster Common Western 1/4 of the state, extending to the western 1/2 of the state in the south 253, 1017, 1169 87     White-footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus Common Statewide, but absent from the northern 1/4 073, 251, 1174 247     Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus Common Statewide 074, 1175       Western Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys megalotis Common Southern 1/3 of the state 1018 167   Muridae Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus Common Statewide 755(W), 756, 757, 758       House Mouse Mus musculus Common Statewide 092, 754     Erethizontidae Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum Common Northeast 1/2 of the state 083, 870(Y) 29

IMAGE LIBRARY ABBREVIATIONS:

no symbol = portrait A = anatomical specialization B = specialized behavior C = close-up of the head region F = female, when sexes differ FM = female(s) and male(s), when sexes differ G = group H = habitat or sign of animals activity M = male, when sexes differ P = unusual color phase S = skull W = female with young Y = young, may be newborn

REFERENCES: Hazard, E.B. 1982. The mammals of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 280 pp. Jones, J.K., Jr., E.C. Birney. 1988. Handbook of mammals of the north-central states. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 346 pp. Kurta, A. 1995. Mammals of the great lakes region. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 376 pp. Tekiela, S. 2005. Mammals of Minnesota. Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minnesota, 311 pp. Wilson, D.E., D.M. Reeder. Mammal Species of the World, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 2000 pp. American Society of Mammalogists Image Library http://www.mammalsociety.org/imagelibrary/index.html Mammalian Species Website http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/default.html Minnesota Department of Natural Resources endangered, threatened, and special concern mammals list http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ets/mammals.html Minnesota Department of Natural Resources mammal list http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals   LIST AUTHOR: Jennifer R. O'Neill Department of Biological Sciences, Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS 67601 Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays, KS 67601. email address: jroneill@scatcat.fhsu.edu