The publication of mammalian classification by McKenna and Bell (1997), although controversial, may well become the starting point for future changes. This, however, has not yet occurred, and thus the main classification given on these pages is the more traditional one necessary to understand most of the literature and follows "Walker's Mammals of the World" (6th ed., R. M. Nowak, 1999) and, at the generic level, Wilson and Reeder (1993). For reference, the following tables relate this classification to pertinent portions of the McKenna and Bell classification.
All extant orders are represented. Below the ordinal level, only taxa occurring in the greater Southwest or of particular interest in making a biological point are included. A for the El Paso area is available. Dr. Frey's "Taxonomy and Distribution of the Mammals of New Mexico: An Annotated Checklist" includes virtually all mammals found in the northernmost Chihuahuan Desert with the exception of some in the Big Bend region; for these, see or the 6th edition of The Mammals of Texas (D. J. Schmidly, 2004, Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas Press, Austin).
"////////////////" in a space indicates there is no comparable taxon generally recognized with the same content. "ditto" in the McKenna and Bell column indicates that they recognize the same taxon (and at the same taxonomic level) as the Traditional.
Traditional | McKenna/Bell (1997) |
---|---|
Subclass Prototheria (Monotremata) : Egg-laying Mammals | Subclass Prototheria : Egg-laying Mammals |
Order Monotremata : Monotremes | Replaced by Orders Tachyglossa and Platypoda |
Tachyglossidae: Spiny Anteaters | Order Tachyglossa, Tachyglossidae |
Ornithorhynchidae: Platypus | Order Platypoda, Ornithorhynchidae |
Subclass Theria: Viviparous Mammals | Subclass Theriiformes |
Infraclass Metatheria: Non-placental Mammals | Infraclass Holotheria , Cohort Marsupialia |
///////////////
|
Magorder Ameridelphia: "American" Marsupials |
Order Didelphimorphia: Opossums |
ditto
|
Didelphidae: Opossums |
ditto
|
Didelphis virginiana: Virginia Opossum |
ditto
|
Order Paucituberculata: Caenolestid Marsupials |
ditto
|
///////////////
|
Magorder Australidelphia: "Australian" Marsupials |
Order Microbiotheria: Dromiciops (S.A.) | Superorder Microbiotheria: Dromiciops (S.A.) |
Order Dasyuromorphia: Dasyurid Marsupials | Grandorder Dasyuromorphia |
Order Peramelemorphia: Bandicoots et al. | Order Peramelia |
Order Notoryctemorphia: Marsupial Moles |
ditto
|
Order Diprotodontia: Diprotodonts, inc. Kangaroos |
ditto
|
Infraclass Eutheria: Placental Mammals
|
Cohort Placentalia |
Order Xenarthra (=Edentata): Sloths, Anteaters, and Armadillos | Magnorder Xenarthra: Edentates |
///////////////
|
Order Cingulata: Armadillos |
Dasypodidae: Armadillos |
ditto
|
Dasypus novemcinctus: Nine-banded Armadillo |
ditto
|
///////////////
|
Order Pilosa/: Anteaters and Sloths |
Myrmecophagidae: Anteaters |
ditto
|
///////////////
|
Magnorder Epitheria: Non-edentate Placentals |
Insectivora: Insectivores | //////////////// |
///////////////
|
Grandorder Lipotyphla: Insectivores |
Chrysochloridae: Golden Moles | Order Chrysochloridea, Chrysochloridae |
//////////////// | Order Erinaceomorpha: Hedgehogs, Moles, et al. |
Soricidae: Shrews | Order Soricomorpha, Soricidae |
Blarina spp.: American Short-tailed Shrews |
ditto
|
Cryptotis parva: Least Shrew |
ditto
|
Notiosorex crawfordi: Desert Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex arizonae: Arizona Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex cinereus: Masked Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex merriami: Merriam's Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex monticolus: Montane Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex nanus: Dwarf Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex palustris: Water Shrew |
ditto
|
Sorex preblei: Preble's Shrew |
ditto
|
Talpidae: Moles |
Order Erinaceomorpha, Talpidae
|
Order Scandentia: Tree Shrews |
ditto
|
Dermoptera: Flying Lemurs | Order Primates, Suborder Dermoptera |
Latest Update: 20 Jun 2002