Mammalogy taxonomic ID: Chiroptera and rodentia

What is unique about bat skulls?

U shaped notch around nose

Tails stick out past patagium

include suborder

Mexican Free-tailed Bat Chirpotera Yinpterochiroptera Molossidae Tadarida brasiliensis

can be (bright) red or yellow but have WHITE armpits

fur covering patagium

include suborder

Eastern red bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Lasiurus borealis

Darker/chocolate red

Seminole Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Lasiurus seminolus

Salt and pepper color of their hair

Hoary Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Lasiurus cinereus

Salt and pepper color on its back but darker on its belly and tail

Silver-haired Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Lasionycteris noctivagans

> Hair on back has three layers of color on hair follicle

> smallest bat we have in southeast

> Light colored arm bones in wings

Tricolored Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Peromyotis subflavus

> tail sticks out a little bit past the patgium 

> very dark in color on fur and arm bones

> no fur on europatagium

Evening Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Nycticeius humeralis

>Very big very brown

> No hair on tail/europitagium

Big Brown Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Eptesicus fuscus

> Big ears (longer than whole head)

> Blonde or light colored fur

> Large bat

Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat Chirpotera Yangochiroptera Vespertilionidae Corynorhinus rafinesquii

Eastern Chipmunk Rodentia Sciuridae Tamias striatus

> really fluffy fur and tail unlike other large rodents

> Diastema and NO second row in teeth for skull

> White front incisors

Groundhog Rodentia Sciuridae Marmota monax

> reddish and brown color

> tufts on ears

Eastern Fox Squirrel Rodentia Sciuridae Sciurus niger

> Patagium from wrist to jawline

>tail has stiff hairs

> peg tooth tiny tooth in skull

Southern Flying Squirrel Rodentia Sciuridae Glaucomys volans

> peg tooth tiny tooth in skull

Eastern Gray Squirrel Rodentia Sciuridae Sciurus carolinensis

> identifiable tail

> dense brown fur

> red staining in front incisor teeth in skull

American Beaver Rodentia Castoridae Castor canadensis

> Tail is rounded bald rat tail. No flat shape

> More bristley fur. Dark and stiffer

> Both have reddish staining on front incisors

> Giant giant infraorbital foramen, whereas beaver has a groove

Nutria Rodentia Echimyidae Myocastor coypus

> largest in family

> Tail is laterally flattened (has keel on it to tell it is laterally flattened)

> on skull in between eyes is very narrow and pinched

> also have staining on teeth

> smaller than beaver and nutria

Muskrat Rodentia Cricetidae Ondatra zibethicus

> Fluffy hair and short (semi-fluffy) tail

Woodland Vole Rodentia Cricetidae Microtus pinetorum

only need genus for skin. No distinct white line

Harvest Mice Reithrodontomys

You only need to know the genus for the species of mice that have the clear white line and countershading on their stomachs

Peromyscus

> Stiff dark hairs on back (bristle like guard hairs

> Short ears and tail (less than length of body)

> Rounded short ears

Hispid Cotton Rat Rodentia Cricetidae Sigmodon hispidus

> thick fluffy body hair and hair along the tail

Eastern Wood Rat Rodentia Cricetidae Neotoma floridana

> Grayish brown fur color and sparse hair on tail

> Short tail

Marsh Rice Rat Rodentia Cricetidae Oryzomys palustris

> fur is brown and short bald tail

Norway Rat Rodentia Muridae Rattus norvegicus

> gray to black fur color and they have a long bald tail

Black Rat Rodentia Muridae Rattus rattus

> larger more bald ears

> dont have distinct difference in coloration

> bald tail

House Mouse Rodentia Muridae Mus musculus