Mammals of Ohio

ORDER / Family Common Name Species Name Status Distribution ASM Slide Library # * Mamm. Species # Comments
DIDELPHIMORPHIA              
Didelphidae Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana common statewide 4(W), 630, 828(B), 829(B), 830(B) 40 nocturnal
INSECTIVORA              
Soricidae Short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicauda common statewide 20, 644(S) 261 venomous; Ohio's most common mammal
  Least shrew Cryptotis parva uncommon statewide 957 43 active day and night
  Pygmy shrew Microsorex hoyi uncommon southeast 1/3   33 smallest mammal in the world
  Masked shrew Sorex cinereus uncommon north and central     active day and night
  Smoky shrew Sorex fumeus common east1/2   215 inhabits boreal regions
Talpidae Star-nosed mole Condylura cristata common northeast 1/4 649(C), 650(B) 129 22 fleshy appendages; semi-aquatic
  Hairy-tailed mole Parascalops breweri uncommon-common east 2/3 646(S), 852 98 fossorial
  Eastern mole Scalopus aquaticus common north 1/3 west 4/5 647(C), 648(S) 105 fossorial
CHIROPTERA              
Molossidae Brazilian free-tailed bat Tadarida baziliensis accidental southwest 1/4 729 331 tail not enclosed by membrane
Vespertilionidae Big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus common statewide 39(C) 356 some individuals do not migrate
  Silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans uncommon statewide 658 172 migrate south in winter
  Red bat Lasiurus borealis common statewide 40, 655(C), 815(C) 183 roosts in trees/interfemoral membrane is heavily furred
  Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus uncommon statewide 41, 42, 656 185 roosts in trees; interfemoral membrane is heavily furred
  Eastern small-footed myotis Myotis leibii extirpated northcentral (Erie Co.) 226   only one known specimen from Ohio
  Gray myotis Myotis grisescens accidental southwest 1/4 228   wing attached to ankle
  Keen's myotis Myotis keenii common-uncommon statewide 227 121 hibernates in caves
  Little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus common statewide 224, 225(G), 814(G) 142 hibernates in caves
  Indiana myotis Myotis sodalis endangered statewide 391(P) 163 90% of population occupies five caves in surrounding states
  Evening bat Nycticeius humeralis uncommon statewide 232 23 frequently found in man-made structures
  Eastern pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus common statewide 38, 654(C) 228 only Ohio bat with 34 teeth
  Rafinesque's big-eared bat Plecotus rafinesquii uncommon southcentral (Adams Co.) 394(C) 69 may merely pass through southern Ohio
LAGAMORPHA              
Leporidae Snowshoe hare Lepus americanus extirpated northeast 1/4 246, 544(P)   white winter pelage
  Swamp rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus accidental south 1/5   151 swamp habitat
  Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus common statewide 58, 953(Y) 136 most popular game animal in Ohio
RODENTIA              
Castoridae Beaver Castor canadensis common statewide 247(H), 248(H), 408, 409(H), 410(H), 1239 120 largest rodent in North America
Muridae Southern red-backed vole Clethrionomys gapperi uncommon-extirpated northeast 1/10   146 inhabits boreal regions
  Prairie vole Microtus ochrogaster uncommon-common south 4/5 1160 355 northern Great Plains species
  Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus common statewide   159 cyclic populations
  Woodland vole Microtus pinetorum common statewide   147 woodland inhabitant
  House mouse Mus musculus introduced-common statewide 92, 754   from Europe; frequently associated with man made structures
  Eastern woodrat Neotoma floridana endangered southcentral 1016 139 "pack rat"; inhabits rugged terrain
  Golden mouse Ochrotomys nuttalli NEVER SEEN southern tip   75 found across Ohio River in Kentucky
  Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus common statewide 1162 141 tail flattened laterally
  Marsh rice rat Oryzomys palustris extirpated southwest 1/4 252 176 archaeological digs provide the only evidence of Ohio range.
  White-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus common statewide 73, 1174 247 all terrestrial habitats in Ohio
  Deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus common statewide 251(A), 1175   grassland species in Ohio
  Norway rat Rattus norvegicus introduced-common statewide 755(W), 756(G), 757(B), 758   from England; possibly the most destructive of all mammals
  Black rat Rattus rattus introduced-extirpated statewide 759, 760(B)   displaced by the Norway rat
  Eastern harvest mouse Reithrodontomys humulis uncommon south 1/4, southeast 1/2 685   grooved upper incisor
  Southern bog lemming Synaptomys cooperi uncommon statewide   210 grooved upper incisor
Erethizontidae Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum uncommon-extirpated north 1/4 83, 870(Y) 29 barbed quills
Myocastoridae Nutria Myocastor coypus introduced-extirpated statewide 1019   cause damage to agriculture and wildlife
Sciuridae Southern flying squirrel Glacomys volans common statewide 1021, 1022(B) 78 nocturnal; great gliders
  Woodchuck Marmota monax common statewide 107   largest squirrel in Ohio
  Gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis common statewide 94, 95(P) 480 forest dweller
  Fox squirrel Sciurus niger common statewide 96, 880 479 woodland dweller; largest tree squirrel in U.S.
  Thirteen-lined ground squirrel Spermophilus tridecemlineatus uncommon west 2/3 103, 573(C), 103 hibernates up to six months
  Eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus common statewide 110, 259(AB) 168 internal cheek pouches
  Red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus uncommon-common north 4/5 111, 260, 826, 827(H)   forest dweller
Zapodidae Meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius common statewide     routinely leaps up to one meter
  Woodland jumping mouse Napaeozapus insignis uncommon west 1/4 113   strict woodland species
CARNIVORA              
Canidae Coyote Canis latrans common statewide 256(C), 1126, 1267 79 was once extripated from Ohio
  Gray wolf Canis lupus extirpated statewide 581, 1038(P), 1128 37 federally endangered
  Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus uncommon statewide 584 189 commonly climbs trees
  Red fox Vulpes vulpes common statewide 435(W), 436(Y), 582   may have been introduced from Europe
Procyonidae Raccoon Procyon lotor common statewide 140, 709(S) 119 does not wash food
Ursidae Black bear Ursus americanus endangered statewide 142(C)   occasionally wanders in from neighboring states
Mustelidae Wolverine Gulo gulo extirpated north 1/5 442(C), 807(S) 499 resembles a small bear
  River otter Lutra canadensis endangered statewide 802(AC), 859(G)   re-introduced into wild
  Marten Martes americana extirpated statewide   289 extirpated before 1850
  Fisher Martes pennanti extirpated northeast 1/4 590(C) 156 extirpated before 1850
  Striped skunk Mephitis mephitis common statewide 280 173 fond of bees
  Ermine Mustela erminea uncommon northeast 588(P), 1051 195 occasionally wanders in from Michigan and Pennsylvania
  Long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata common statewide     Ohio's most common weasel
  Least weasel Mustela nivalis uncommon statewide 440(Y), 1214 454 smallest carnivore in the world
  Mink Mustela vison common statewide 1129   semi-aquatic
  Badger Taxidea taxus uncommon west 1/2, northwest 4/5 701(C), 702(A), 703(H) 26 sleeps during extremely cold periods
Felidae Mountain lion Felis concolor extirpated statewide 275, 276, 586(C) 200 largest range of any mammal in North America
  Bobcat Lynx rufus endangered statewide 819   tufts of hair on ears
  Lynx Lynx lynx extirpated statewide 1046 269 settlement by man reduced its range
ARTIODACTYLA              
Cervidae American elk Cervus elaphus extirpated statewide 189(W), 190(G), 318(Y), 809(FM), 863(M), 864(F), 1077(F), 1278   disappeared from state around 1830
  White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus common statewide 185(F), 186(A), 803(M), 1279 388 state mammal/population has increased since 1922
Bovidae Bison Bos bison extirpated statewide 167(M), 304(CM), 305(Y), 306(H), 719(W), 720 266 last one in Ohio shot in 1803
               
Selected references              

Burt, W. H. 1957. Mammals of the great lakes region. Univ. of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    

Gottschang, J. L. 1981. A guide to the mammals of Ohio. Ohio State Univ. Press, Columbus, Ohio.

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