List of mammals of Texas
This is a list of mammals of Texas. Mammals native to or immediately off the coast of the U.S. state of Texas are listed first. Introduced mammals, whether intentional or unintentional, are listed separately.
The varying geography of Texas, the second largest state, provides a large variety of habitats for mammals. The land varies from swamps, Piney Woods in the east, rocky hills and limestone karst in the central Hill Country of the Edwards Plateau, desert in the south and west, mountains in the far west, and grassland prairie in the north, also known as the Panhandle. The state's many rivers, including the Rio Grande, the Colorado River, and the Trinity River, also provide diverse river habitats. Its central position in the United States means that species found primarily in either the western or eastern reaches of the country often have their ranges meeting in the state. Additionally, its proximity to Mexico is such that many species found there and into Central America also range as far north as Texas.
Texas recognizes three official mammals: the nine-banded armadillo, the Texas Longhorn, and the Mexican free-tailed bat. State law protects numerous species. The state also recognizes the Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons State Park since 2011, the state Longhorn herd at multiple state parks since 1969, and the state dog breed, Blue Lacy since 2005.
List of species
Order [Xenarthra]
Dasypodidae
is a family of armoured mammals found mainly in Latin America.| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Dasypus novemcinctus | Nine-banded armadillo | Found in all of Texas, except the Trans-Pecos region |
Order [Chiroptera]
Phyllostomidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Choeronycteris mexicana | Mexican long-tongued bat | Only found in South Texas; may be slowly increasing distribution northward. | ||
| Diphylla ecaudata | Hairy-legged vampire bat | Only one specimen found in 1967, in Val Verde County. | ||
| Leptonycteris nivalis | Greater long-nosed bat | Only found in Presidio County and Brewster County. |
Molossidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Eumops perotis | Western mastiff bat | Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas and in Midland County in the west | ||
| Nyctinomops femorosacca | Pocketed free-tailed bat | Found in Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, and Presidio counties in South Texas. | ||
| Nyctinomops macrotis | Big free-tailed bat | Scattered localities in the Panhandle, Trans-Pecos region, and recently in Wise County | ||
| Molossus molossus | Velvety free-tailed bat | Vagrant | ||
| Tadarida brasiliensis | Mexican free-tailed bat | State-wide distribution in the summer, with the eastern population being year-round residents |
Order [Carnivora]
Canidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Canis latrans | Coyote | ubiquitous throughout Texas | ||
| Canis lupus | Gray wolf | all subspecies previously found in Texas are either extinct or extirpated; see below | ||
| C. l. baileyi | Mexican wolf | extirpated | ||
| C. l. monstrabilis | Texas gray wolf | extinct | ||
| C. l. nubilus | Great Plains wolf | extirpated | ||
| Canis rufus | Red wolf | the two subspecies previously found in Texas are extinct and extirpated; see below | ||
| C. r. rufus | Texas red wolf | extinct | ||
| C. r. gregoryi | Mississippi Valley red wolf | extirpated | ||
| Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Gray fox | Ubiquitous throughout Texas. | ||
| Vulpes macrotis | Kit fox | Found in the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau regions. | ||
| Vulpes velox | Swift fox | Found in the Panhandle region. |
Felidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Herpailurus yagouaroundi | Jaguarundi | Extirpated; Last U.S. sighting in 1986 in Brownsville. | ||
| Leopardus pardalis | Ocelot | Only found in and around Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge | ||
| Leopardus wiedii | Margay | Extirpated; Only U.S. record found in 1852 outside Kingsville. | ||
| Lynx rufus | Bobcat | ubiquitous throughout Texas | ||
| Panthera onca | Jaguar | Extirpated by 1948. | ||
| Puma concolor | Cougar | Western counties only |
Order [Artiodactyla]
Cervidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Cervus canadensis | Elk | Reintroduced, see below | ||
| C. c. merriami | Merriam's elk | Extinct by 1906 | ||
| C. c. nelsoni | Rocky Mountain elk | Introduced to the state in 1928, currently found in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions | ||
| Odocoileus hemionus | Mule deer | Found in the western-half of the state through the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos. | ||
| Odocoileus virginianus | White-tailed deer | Ubiquitous throughout Texas. |
Bovidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Bison bison | American bison | Reintroduced, see below. | ||
| B. b. bison | Plains bison | Reintroduced at Caprock Canyons State Park and Fort Worth Nature Center as well as private herds. All controlled by fences. Historically widespread. | ||
| Ovis canadensis | Bighorn sheep | Extirpated throughout original Trans-Pecos mountain ranges. See below. | ||
| O. c. nelsoni | Desert bighorn sheep | Reintroduced populations in certain areas of the Trans-Pecos mountains are free-roaming and wild. |
Order [Eulipotyphla]
Soricidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Blarina carolinensis | Southern short-tailed shrew | Southern short-tailed shrews are found specifically in the eastern part of the state. They usually reside in forested areas, meadows, and openings. | ||
| Blarina hylophaga | Elliot's short-tailed shrew | The Elliot's short tailed-shrew are usually found in the south eastern part of the state. Generally, they reside where there's Live oak tree's on soft, damp soil that's easy burrowing. | ||
| Cryptotis parva | North American least shrew | found throughout most of Texas | ||
| Notiosorex crawfordi | Crawford's gray shrew |
Talpidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Scalopus aquaticus | Eastern mole | Documented in the eastern two-thirds of the state, eastern areas of South Texas, along the Canadian River drainage in the Panhandle, and in Presidio County in the west |
Order [Sirenia]
Trichechidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Trichechus manatus | West Indian manatee | Rare in Texas waters, but observed in the Laguna Madre, Cow Bayou, and near Sabine Lake, Copano Bay, San José Island, Bolivar Peninsula, and the mouth of the Rio Grande |
Order [Didelphimorphia]
Didelphidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Didelphis marsupialis | Common opossum | Vagrant | ||
| Didelphis virginiana | Virginia opossum | Found throughout the state except for the arid Trans-Pecos and Llano Estacado |
Order [Lagomorpha]
Leporidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Lepus californicus | Black-tailed jackrabbit | |||
| Sylvilagus aquaticus | Swamp rabbit | |||
| Sylvilagus audubonni | Desert cottontail | |||
| Sylvilagus floridanus | Eastern cottontail | |||
| Sylvilagus holzneri | Robust cottontail | Davis Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains |
Order [Rodentia]
Cricetidae
- Northern pygmy mouse
- Mexican vole
- Woodland vole
- Prairie vole
- White-throated woodrat
- Florida woodrat
- Mexican woodrat
- Southern plains woodrat
- Golden mouse
- Muskrat
- Chihuahuan grasshopper mouse
- Northern grasshopper mouse
- Coues' rice rat
- Marsh rice rat
- Texas mouse
- Brush mouse
- Cactus mouse
- Cotton mouse
- Southern deer mouse
- White-footed mouse
- White-ankled mouse
- Northern rock mouse
- Western deer mouse
- Pinyon mouse
- Eastern harvest mouse
- Fulvous harvest mouse
- Western harvest mouse
- Plains harvest mouse
- Tawny-bellied cotton rat
- Hispid cotton rat
- Yellow-nosed cotton rat
Geomyidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Cratogeomys castanops | Yellow-faced pocket gopher | Commonly found in the western-half of the state in the high plains and trans-pecos. | ||
| Geomys arenarius | Desert pocket gopher | Common in El Paso County. | ||
| Geomys attwateri | Attwater's pocket gopher | Endemic to Texas. East from the Brazos River to the San Antonio River, and along the coast in-between. | ||
| Geomys breviceps | Baird's pocket gopher | Found in the eastern half of the state. | ||
| Geomys bursarius | Plains pocket gopher | Found in the northwestern and north-central Texas panhandle. | ||
| Geomys jugossicularis | Hall's pocket gopher | Found in the northwesternmost-counties of Dallam and Hartley. | - | |
| Geomys knoxjonesi | Knox Jones's pocket gopher | Found in the southwestern plains of Texas. | ||
| Geomys personatus | Texas pocket gopher | Found in the far south counties of the state, including the Texas barrier islands. | ||
| Geomys streckeri | Strecker's pocket gopher | Restricted to Zavala and Dimmit Counties. | - | |
| Geomys texensis | Llano pocket gopher | Found in two isolated areas in the Hill Country depending on subspecies. Endemic to Texas. | ||
| Thomomys bottae | Botta's pocket gopher | Found in the Trans-Pecos eastward into the Edwards Plateau. |
Heteromyidae
- Hispid pocket mouse
- Rock pocket mouse
- Nelson's pocket mouse
- Desert pocket mouse
- Gulf Coast kangaroo rat
- Texas kangaroo rat
- Merriam's kangaroo rat
- Ord's kangaroo rat
- Banner-tailed kangaroo rat
- Mexican spiny pocket mouse
- Plains pocket mouse
- Silky pocket mouse
- Merriam's pocket mouse
Sciuridae
- Texas antelope squirrel
- Black-tailed [prairie dog]
- Southern flying squirrel
- Gray-footed chipmunk
- Eastern gray squirrel
- Fox squirrel
- Mexican ground squirrel
- Spotted ground squirrel
- Thirteen-lined ground squirrel
- Rock squirrel
Order [Cetacea]
Kogiidae
is a family of whales.| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Kogia breviceps | Pygmy sperm whale | |||
| Kogia simus | Dwarf sperm whale |
Physeteridae
is a monotypic family of whales only containing the extant Physeter macrocephalus.| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Physeter macrocephalus | Sperm whale |
Ziphiidae
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Mesoplodon densirostris | Blainville's beaked whale | |||
| Mesoplodon europaeus | Gervais' beaked whale | |||
| Ziphius cavirostris | Cuvier's beaked whale |
Introduced/invasive mammals
Order Artiodactyla">Even-toed ungulate">Artiodactyla
Cervidae (deer)
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Axis axis | Chital | |||
| Axis porcinus | Indian hog deer | |||
| Cervus elaphus | Red deer | |||
| Cervus nippon | Sika deer | |||
| Dama dama | European fallow deer | |||
| Rusa unicolor | Sambar deer |
Order [Rodentia]
Myocastoridae (nutria)
| Species | Common name | Distribution | Status | Image |
| Myocastor coypus | Nutria | Invasive species in eastern two-thirds of Texas, currently expanding westward |