Mammal Practical

Pronghorn

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Antilocapridae

Tooth Formula: 32

Location: W KS

ID: Small tan and white ungulate w/ short true horns
• 2 white throat stripes, a white belly and rump
• Males: Have the taller pronged horns
• Females: Have short rarely forked horn

Bison

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Bovidae

Tooth Formula: 32

Location: Historically throughout NA

ID: Large bodied, massive heads and shoulders
• Brown bodied with darker heads
• Relatively small curved horns in both sexes
Status: Near Threatened

Wapiti (Elk)

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Cervidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Location: Reservations in KS

ID: Pale tan or brown body, dark mane, and yellowish rump
• Heavy, thick-set body on long legs
• Males: Large antlers angled back over the shoulders
• Multiple tines extend from a main branch

Mule Deer

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Cervidae

Tooth Formula: 32

Location: W KS

ID: Reddish-brown in Summer, grey in winter
• Long ears, dark forehead, white upper muzzle and throat
• Short black tipped tail on a white rump patch
• Males: Bifurcated antlers (no main branch)

White Tail Deer

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Cervidae

Tooth Formula: 32

Location: Everywhere in KS

ID: Smallest deer in KS
• Reddish-brown in the Summer, Grey in the Winter
• White below, with a white muzzle ring
• Tail is long, fluffy and white underneath (Flagging)
• Males (mostly): Antlers present that sweep up and forward with a main beam
• Begin growing in April and shed from Dec-Fe

Wild Boar

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Bovidae

Tooth Formula: 44

Location: Rare in KS

ID: Colors can be highly variable, mostly brown or black
and white
• Sparse to thick bristly hair, thicker than domestic pigs
• Short, thick snout and short legs
• 4 toes – 2 flat, 2 on leg (“dewclaws”)
• Omnivorous

Coyote

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Tooth Formula: 42

Location: Everywhere in KS

Diet: Mesocarnivore

ID: Color ranges from grayish-buff to brownish-gray
• Paler in winter than in summer
• Underparts are grey to white
• Back of the ear is reddish
• Tail is bushy and tipped with black
• Much smaller than grey wolves

Gray Wolf

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Tooth Formula: 42

Diet: Hyper→Mesocarnivore

Location: Extirpated from KS

ID: Largest wild Canid
• Mostly gray, but range from all white to all black
• White to gray under, bushy black tipped tail
Status: Extirpated from KS, Endangered in US, Stable in Canada/Alaska

Gray Fox

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Tooth Formula: 42

Diet: Hypercarnivore

Location: E KS

ID: Slender body, small head and long legs
• Grizzled gray above, white below with a transition of cinnamon between
• Long, fluffy tail with a black stripe and tip
• Narrow pointed muzzle under 2 long ears

Swift Fox

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Tooth Formula: 42
Diet: Hyper Carnivore

Location: W KS

ID: Smallest canid in KS (“mini coyote”)
• Winter coat is long, thick, and buffy-grey
• Summer coat is short and reddish-grey
• Orange-tan flanks and undertail
• Dark spot on either side of the snout and black tail tip
• Eyes appear to be set far apa

Red Fox

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Tooth Formula: 42

Diet: Mesocarnivore

Location: Everywhere in KS

ID: Largest of the foxes
• Range of reds above and white below
• Black lower legs, feet, tips of ears and tail
• 3 color morphs exist: Red, silver or black, and cross

Bobcat

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Tooth Formula: 28

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Location: KS

ID: Twice the size of a domestic cat
• Dense, short, yellowish- to reddish-brown fur
• Body covered in black spots, white underside
• Inner forelegs are covered in black bars
• Short tufts on ears with white spots on back

Cougar/Mountain Lion/Puma

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Tooth Formula: 30

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Location: Extirpated from KS

ID:Large, long-tailed cat (as big as 103 kg! or 220lb’s)
• Pale brown or buffy above, paler white below
• Small black muzzle spots, white upper lip and chin

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mephitidae

Tooth Formula:

Diet: Omnivore/Mesocarnivore

Striped Skunk

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mephitidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Omnivore/Mesocarnivore

Location: Throughout KS

ID: Stocky house cat sized mammal
• Black body with a large y from head to rump
• Small white stripe on forehead between eyes
• Tail hairs are tipped in white
• Front claws are long and recurved, rear are short and straight

Eastern Spotted Skunk

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mephitidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Omnivore/Mesocarnivore

Location: Throughout KS

ID: Smaller, long weasel-like skunk
• Black body broken up by 4-6 variable broken white stripes
• Small white spot on upper muzzle
• End of tail is white

Status: Threatened in KS, Vulnerable in US

North American River Otter

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Tooth Formula: 36

Diet: Mesocarnivore

Location: E KS

ID: Long, fusiform body, short legs, muscular neck
• Thick tapered tail and webbed toes
• Short dense brown to black color

Long-Tailed Weasel

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Location: Throughout KS

ID: Long slender body, short legs and a long neck
• Short, soft fur that is brown above and yellow/white below
• Long brown tail tipped in black
• Occasionally winter coats are dawned with all white fur

Black-Footed Ferret

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Location: Logan County KS

ID: Long slender body, short legs and a long neck
• Yellowish-buff to dark brown above, whiteish on face and below
• Dark legs and black feet, tail is tipped in black
• Face has a distinctive black mask

Least Weasel

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Location: Everywhere but SW KS

ID: Smallest member of Carnivora worldwide
• Long slender body, short legs and a long neck
• Large black eyes and rounded ears
• Brown above, white below , the tail does not have a black tip

Mink

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Obligate Carnivore

Location: Throughout KS

ID: Long slender body, short legs and a long neck
• Dark brown-black fur, short ears, bushy tail
• May be white markings on chin, throat, and abdomen
• Partially webbed, fully furred toes

American Badger

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: Obligate Carnivore (loves burrowing rodents)

Location: Everywhere in KS

ID: Broad, pancake body, muscular neck, and short legs
• Broad, dark feet with 5 clawed digits and a bushy tail
• White head stripe, cheeks, and ear
• Multicolored hairs give a grizzled appearance

Raccoon

Order: Carnivora

Family: Procyonidae

Tooth Formula: 40

Diet: Mesocarnivore

Location: Everywhere

ID: Stocky, short-legged fluffy tailed bandit
• Grizzled body, black mask, black banded tail
• Tail is shorter than the body and head

American Black Bear

Order: Carnivora

Family: Ursidae

Tooth Formula: 42

Diet: Hypocarnivore

Location: Migrants in SE KS

ID: Currently the only bear in KS
• Large, heavy body, long legs, short tail
• Thick, glossy, black fur
• Variants: white chest and throat patches, brown fur

Nine-Banded Armadillo

Order: Cingulata

Family: Dasypodidae

Tooth Formula: 28

Diet: Insects/Inverts

Location: Statewide in KS

ID: Dermal plates (back, sides, tail, top of head) – similar to a turtle’s carapace
• Telescoping bands (usually 9) – allow them to roll up
• Feet w/ large claws for digging

Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Molossidae

Tooth Formula: 30

Diet: Moths

Location: Statewide in KS

ID: Pelage is short, dense, and dark brown to grayish
brown
• Tail extends well beyond the tail membrane
• Large, round ears with bumps on the leading edge

Cave Myotis

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 38

Diet: insects

Location: South-Central KS

ID: Pelage is pale brown/nearly black w/ a “wooly”
appearance
• Long forearms
• Stubby nose
• Short ears
• Largest myotis in KS

Gray Myotis

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 38

Diet: flying insects

Location: SE KS

ID: Gray pelage (paler on ventral side)
• Wing membrane is attached to the ankle
• Notched claws on the hind feet
• Tall skull

Status: Endangerede

Northern Myotis

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 38

Diet: insects

Location: north-central along/north of the Saline
River Valley, northeastern KS around the Blue Rive

ID: Dull brown dorsal pelage
• Pale brown ventral pelage
• Long, round ears – pointed tragus

Status: Federally threatened

Silver-Haired Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: nocturnal insects

Location: W KS

ID: Pelage is dark brown/black with silvery-white tips
• No other species in KS has this
• Ears – short, rounded, naked
• Broad, blunt tragus

Tri-Colored Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 34

Diet: moths, beetles, leafhoppers, small flies

Location: E KS

ID: Pelage is tricolored dorsally (ranges from yellowish,
reddish, brownish gray)
• Base and tip of each hair is dark
• Forearm skin is reddish
• Short, blunt tragus – less than half the length of the
ear
• Ears are longer than they are wide

Big Brown Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 32

Diet: insects of the orders Coleoptera and Hemiptera

Location: throughout KS

ID: Dorsal pelage ranges from pinkish tan to rich
brown
• Has 2 upper incisors and 1 upper premolar
• Short, rounded ears
• Short, broad wings

Eastern Red Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 32

Diet: flying insects

Location: throughout KS

ID: Dorsal pelage is brick/rusty red with white
• Ventral pelage is slightly paler
• Buffy white patch located at the anterior
surface of each shoulder
• Long tail

Hoary Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 32

Diet: moths

Location: E KS

ID: Pelage is frosted
• Large
• Heavily furred tail membrane
• Ears are short, rounded, and edged with
black

Evening Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 30

Diet: beetles

Location: C and NE KS

ID: Dorsal pelage is dark brown
• Ventral pelage is paler
• Tragus is blunt and curved forward
• Only 1 pair of upper incisors

Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 36

Diet: small moths

Location: SC KS

ID: Pelage is long and soft
• Dorsal – pale brown
• Ventral – slightly paler
• Two large lumps on the snout
• Very large, naked ears

Status: SINC

Pallid Bat

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Tooth Formula: 28

Diet: insects

Location: SC KS

ID: Large eyes and ears
• Pelage is pale brown

Status: SINC

Virginia Opossum

Order: Didelphimorphia

Family: Didelphidae

Tooth Formula: 50

Diet: mostly insects, carrion, and small animals

Location: Everywhere in KS

ID: Pouch (marsupium)
• Hind feet - opposable thumbs w/ flat nails
• Naked tail