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List of mammals of Italy

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There are 102 mammal species in Italy, of which one is critically endangered, two are endangered, nine are vulnerable, and four are near threatened. One of the species listed for Italy is considered to be extinct.

The Italian wolf features prominently in Latin and Italian cultures, such as the She-Wolf in the legendary founding of Rome. For this reason it is unofficially considered the national animal of Italy.

The following tags are used to highlight each species' IUCN Red List status as published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

	Data deficient	There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Order: [[Rodent]]ia (rodents)

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing.

Suborder: Hystricognathi
- Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
  - Genus: Hystrix
    - Crested porcupine, H. cristata
Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
  - Subfamily: Sciurinae
    - Tribe: Sciurini
      - Genus: Sciurus
        
        Calabrian black squirrel, S. meridionalis
        
        Red squirrel, S. vulgaris
  - Subfamily: Xerinae
    - Tribe: Marmotini
      - Genus: Marmota
        
        Alpine marmot, M. marmota
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
  - Subfamily: Leithiinae
    - Genus: Dryomys
      - Forest dormouse, D. nitedula
    - Genus: Eliomys
      - Garden dormouse, E. quercinus
    - Genus: Muscardinus
      - Hazel dormouse, M. avellanarius
  - Subfamily: Glirinae
    - Genus: Glis
      - European edible dormouse, Glis glis
- Family: Cricetidae
  - Subfamily: Arvicolinae
    - Genus: Arvicola
      - European water vole, A. amphibius
    - Genus: Chionomys
      - European snow vole, Chionomys nivalis
    - Genus: Clethrionomys
      - Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus
    - Genus: Microtus
      - Field vole, Microtus agrestis
      - Common vole, Microtus arvalis
      - Calabria pine vole, Microtus brachycercus
      - Alpine pine vole, Microtus multiplex
      - Savi's pine vole, Microtus savii
      - European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
  - Subfamily: Murinae
    - Genus: Mus
      - House mouse, M. musculus
    - Genus: Apodemus
      - Alpine field mouse, Apodemus alpicola
      - Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
      - Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus
    - Genus: Micromys
      - Eurasian harvest mouse, Micromys minutus
    - Genus: Rattus
      - Brown rat, R. norvegicus introduced
      - Black rat, R. rattus introduced

Order: [[Lagomorpha]] (lagomorphs)

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.

Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
- Genus: Lepus
  - Cape hare, L. capensis
  - Corsican hare, L. corsicanus
  - European hare, L. europaeus
  - Mountain hare, L. timidus
- Genus: Oryctolagus
  - European rabbit, O. cuniculus introduced
Family: Ochotonidae (pikas)
- Genus: Prolagus
  - Sardinian pika, P. sardus

Order: [[Eulipotyphla]] (shrews, hedgehogs, gymnures, moles and solenodons)

Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons resemble mice, hedgehogs carry spines, gymnures look more like large rats, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.

Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and gymnures)
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
  - Genus: Erinaceus
    - West European hedgehog, E. europaeus

Family: Soricidae (shrews)
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
  - Genus: Crocidura
    - Pantellerian shrew, Crocidura cossyrensis
    - Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon
    - Sicilian shrew, Crocidura sicula
    - Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens
  - Genus: Suncus
    - Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus
- Subfamily: Soricinae
  - Tribe: Nectogalini
    - Genus: Neomys
      - Southern water shrew, Neomys anomalus
      - Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens
  - Tribe: Soricini
    - Genus: Sorex
      - Alpine shrew, Sorex alpinus
      - Common shrew, Sorex araneus
      - Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus
      - Apennine shrew, Sorex samniticus
Family: Talpidae (moles)
- Subfamily: Talpinae
  - Tribe: Talpini
    - Genus: Talpa
      - European mole, Talpa europaea
      - Mediterranean mole, Talpa caeca
      - Roman mole, Talpa romana

Order: [[Chiroptera]] (bats)

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Family: Vespertilionidae
- Subfamily: Myotinae
  - Genus: Myotis
    - Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini
    - Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii
    - Brandt's bat, M. brandti
    - Long-fingered bat, M. capaccinii
    - Cryptic myotis, M. crypticus
    - Daubenton's bat, M. daubentonii
    - Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus
    - Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis
    - Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus
    - Natterer's bat, M. nattereri
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
  - Genus: Barbastella
    - Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus
  - Genus: Eptesicus
    - Northern bat, E. nilssoni
    - Serotine bat, E. serotinus
  - Genus: Hypsugo
    - Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii
  - Genus: Nyctalus
    - Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
    - Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
    - Common noctule, N. noctula
  - Genus: Pipistrellus
    - Kuhl's pipistrelle, P. kuhlii
    - Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii
    - Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus
  - Genus: Plecotus
    - Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus
    - Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus
  - Genus: Vespertilio
    - Parti-coloured bat, V. murinus
- Subfamily: Miniopterinae
  - Genus: Miniopterus
    - Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii
Family: Molossidae
- Genus: Tadarida
  - European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis
Family: Rhinolophidae
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
  - Genus: Rhinolophus
    - Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale
    - Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum
    - Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros
    - Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi

Order: [[Cetacea]] (whales)

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 (right whales)
  - Genus: Eubalaena
    - North Atlantic right whale, E. glacialis
- Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
  - Subfamily: Megapterinae
    - Genus: Megaptera
      - Humpback whale, M. novaeangliae
  - Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
    - Genus: Balaenoptera
      - Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
      - Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Physeteridae
  - Genus: Physeter
    - Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
  - Family: Ziphidae
    - Genus: Ziphius
      - Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
    - Genus: Mesoplodon
      - Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens
      - Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus vagrant
  - Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
    - Genus: Steno
      - Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis
    - Genus: Tursiops
      - Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
    - Genus: Stenella
      - Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
    - Genus: Delphinus
      - Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
    - Genus: Grampus
      - Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
    - Genus: Feresa
      - Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata
    - Genus: Pseudorca
      - False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
    - Genus: Orcinus
      - Orca, O. orca
    - Genus: Globicephala
      - Long-finned pilot whale, G. melas

Order: [[Carnivora]] (carnivorans)

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, 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: Felis
      - African wildcat, F. lybica
      - European wildcat, F. silvestris
    - Genus: Lynx
      - Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
- Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
  - Subfamily: Viverrinae
    - Genus: Genetta
      - Common genet, G. genetta vagrant
Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
  - Genus: Vulpes
    - Red fox, V. vulpes
  - Genus: Canis
    - Golden jackal, C. aureus vagrant
      - European jackal, C. a. moreoticus
    - Gray wolf, C. lupus
      - Sicilian wolf, C. l. cristaldii
      - Italian wolf, C. l. italicus
- Family: Ursidae (bears)
  - Genus: Ursus
    - Brown bear, U. arctos
      - Marsican brown bear, U. a. marsicanus/arctos
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
  - Genus: Lutra
    - European otter, L. lutra
  - Genus: Martes
    - Beech marten, M. foina
    - European pine marten, M. martes
  - Genus: Meles
    - European badger, M. meles
  - Genus: Mustela
    - Stoat, M. erminea
    - Least weasel, M. nivalis
    - European polecat, M. putorius
  - Genus: Neogale
    - American mink, N. vison introduced
- Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
  - Genus: Monachus
    - Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus possibly extirpated

Order: [[Artiodactyla]] (even-toed ungulates)

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: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
- Subfamily: Caprinae
  - Genus: Capra
    - Alpine ibex, C. ibex
  - Genus: Rupicapra
    - Pyrenean chamois, R. pyrenaica
      - Abruzzo chamois, R. p. ornata
    - Chamois, R. rupicapra
Family: Cervidae (deer)
- Subfamily: Cervinae
  - Genus: Cervus
    - Red deer, C. elaphus
      - Mesola deer, C.e. italicus
      - Sardinian deer, C. e. corsicanus
  - Genus: Dama
    - European fallow deer, D. dama
- Subfamily: Capreolinae
  - Genus: Capreolus
    - Roe deer, C. capreolus
Family: Suidae (pigs)
- Subfamily: Suinae
  - Genus: Sus
    - Wild boar, S. scrofa

Locally extinct

The following species are locally extinct in the country:

Blasius's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus blasii

References

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