Mammals of Nebraska Checklist, Key, and Bibliography Hugh H. Genoways, Justin D. Ho!man, Patricia W. Freeman, Keith Geluso, Russell A. Benedict, and Je!rey J. Huebschman #VMMFUJOPGUIF6OJWFSTJUZPG/FCSBTLB4UBUF.VTFVN7PMVNFr ® Front cover photograph: Courtesy of NEBRASKAland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Back cover photograph: Provided by Keith Geluso. Cover design: Angie Fox, scientific illustrator, University of Nebraska State Museum. Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum Volume 23 Mammals of Nebraska Checklist, Key, and Bibliography by Hugh H. Genoways Justin D. Hoffman Patricia W. Freeman Keith Geluso Russell A. Benedict and Jeffrey J. Huebschman Published by the University of Nebraska State Museum Lincoln, Nebraska 2008 Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum Volume 23 Date Issued: 1 October 2008 Editor: Brett C. Ratcliffe Cover Design: Angie Fox Text Design and Layout: Gail Littrell Text Font: Century Schoolbook Funding of this Bulletin was provided by the Conservation and Survey Division, School of Natural Resources, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Copyright © by the University of Nebraska State Museum, 2008. All rights reserved. Apart from citations for the purposes of research or review, no part of this Bulletin may be reproduced in any form, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN 0093-6812 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number Printed in the United States The Bulletin is a peer-reviewed journal. Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum Volume 23 Mammals of Nebraska Checklist, Key, and Bibliography by Hugh H. Genoways University of Nebraska State Museum W436 Nebraska Hall Lincoln, NE 68588-0514 Justin D. Hoffman Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences McNeese State University Lake Charles, LA 70609 Patricia W. Freeman School of Natural Resources and University of Nebraska State Museum W436 Nebraska Hall University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-0514 Keith Geluso Department of Biology University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE 68849-1140 Russell A. Benedict Department of Biology Central College Pella, IA 50219 Jeffrey J. Huebschman Department of Biology University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI 53818 2 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM ABSTRACT The Recent mammalian fauna of Nebraska is composed of 89 native species, 8 domestic species that can have feral populations, and 4 wild species introduced by humans, but not by intentional action. Thus, the included checklist and dichotomous key contain 101 species of mammals. Of the native species, 36 are rodents, 20 carnivores, 13 bats, 7 shrews and mole, 7 even-toed ungulates, 4 rabbits and hares, 1 armadillo, and 1 opossum. Another 8 species are identied as potentially occurring in peripheral areas of Nebraska. The bibliography includes 1693 entries that each contain data concerning one or more species of mammals from Nebraska. INTRODUCTION The checklist, key, and bibliography of connement or human control to become the mammals of Nebraska that we pres- feral individuals, and, when a number of ent herein were prepared as the initial individuals are involved, they can form product of a major study on the mammals wild breeding populations. Obviously, there of the state that has been underway for are more than eight species of domesticated more than ten years. The larger study will mammals or exotic pets in Nebraska, and so detail the systematics, distribution, natu- it is difcult to know where to make a cut-off ral history, and economic importance of for the checklist and key. We have chosen to mammals living within the geopolitical limit the species to those eight species that boundaries of the state of Nebraska. As a are domesticated in such numbers that one state located in the northern Great Plains, occasionally nds wild individuals or their Nebraska has a remarkably diverse mam- remains in seemingly “wild” places. Thus, malian fauna, a result of the intersection we have excluded such domestic mammals of major climatic and environmental zones as the burro/donkey, llama, and alpaca and within its boundaries (Freeman 1990). exotic pets such as guinea pigs, gerbils, and As currently understood, the mam- hamsters. malian fauna of Nebraska is composed of Another four species that have been 89 species of native mammals that live, or included in the checklist and key have have lived, in the state. Not surprisingly, come to Nebraska through introduction or rodents are represented by the most native invasion. Introduced mammals are wild species with 36. Rodents are followed by car- species that were brought to the state for nivores (20), bats (13), shrews and mole (7), some human benefit/purpose, and those even-toed ungulates (7), rabbits and hares that have invaded the state have come here (4), armadillo (1), and opossum (1). Another by human action, but not intentional ac- ��ight species are identied as potentially tions. In total we have included 101 spe- occurring in peripheral areas of the state. cies of mammals in our checklist and key. There are eight primary species of do- In the following checklist, the higher- mestic mammals in Nebraska. These are level taxonomy, generic and specific epi- all Old World species that have been do- thets, and common names used for Nebraska mesticated by humans as livestock, beasts mammals follow Wilson and Reeder (2005) of burden, or companion animals. Any of in most cases. Hall (1981) provided the these species are capable of escaping from initial basis for the subspecic taxonomic MAMMALS OF NEBRASKA 3 arrangement. In addition to these two ref- Clark, over 200 years of literature needed erences, other authors have updated the to be searched, thus we cannot claim that taxonomy of a number of taxa, and we have all relevant publications have been found. attempted to identify and incorporate these In the following bibliography, entries are changes. We are in a period of rapid change listed alphabetically by the last name of in mammalian systematics and taxonomy authors. We considered arranging entries as genetic data give a much clearer picture by species included in the articles, but all of relationships among and within groups such schemes proved to be too cumbersome. of mammals. Many readers may nd un- The most surprising result of our lit- familiar names in these lists, but in many erature survey was just how extensive the cases these represent new and exciting in- mammalian literature is for the state. The formation. A good example of these changes following list contains 1693 entries (as of 1 is ��erimyotis subavus, previously known May 2008), which is about three times the as the eastern pipistrelle with the scientic number of papers that we anticipated nd- name of Pipistrellus subavus. Two species ing at the beginning of this project. Even in the genus Pipistrellus were known from with the depth and breadth of information North America, whereas the other nearly available, there are some species about 50 species in the genus are Old World in which we know very little. This even in- distribution. New research shows that the cludes some important furbearers and game New World species are not close relatives of species such as the opossum, eastern and the Old World species, and, in fact, they are desert cottontails, and black-tailed jackrab- not even that closely related to each other bit. Why these gaps in our knowledge exist (Hoofer and Van den Bussche 2003; Hoofer is unclear, but we hope that one result of our et al. 2006). The American pipistrelle prob- survey will be identifying those species on ably is most closely related to the bats in the which resources should be expended in the genus Myotis, thus the new generic name future. Certainly, as we move forward in proposed for it was Perimyotis. time more work will be published on mam- The key that we present for Nebraska mals from the state so that periodic updates mammals is a dichotomous key, meaning will be necessary to keep the bibliography that characters are presented in couplets. comprehensive. Users must choose that part of the cou- plet that best fits the specimen at hand and follow where directed until the iden- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS tification of the specimen is complete. Insofar as possible, couplets have both ex- We wish to thank our two reviewers ternal and cranial/skeletal characteristics. — Robert M. Timm, University of Kansas We made the following bibliography of and Jerry R. Choate, Fort Hays State Uni- Nebraskan mammals as comprehensive versity — for their time and assistance in as possible. If a paper contained any data completing the details of our publication. concerning a mammal from Nebraska, it The librarians of the Interlibrary Loan is included in the bibliography. Although Department, Love Library, University of the task has been exhausting, it may not Nebraska–Lincoln, provided exceptional be exhaustive, but we have made a good service in nding copies of many obscure faith effort to make it as complete as pos- publications. Gail Littrell laid out the manu- sible. However, because writings about the script and Angie Fox designed the cov- mammals occurring in Nebraska date back ers. We appreciate the professional support to at least 1804 in the diaries of Lewis and from these two State Museum employees. 4 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM CHECKLIST NATIVE MAMMALS Order Didelphimorphia Family Didelphidae (opossums) Didelphis virginiana virginiana (Virginia opossum) — statewide except dry prairies in west. Order Cingulata Family Dasypodidae (armadillos) Dasypus novemcinctus mexicanus (nine-banded armadillo) — expanding geographic range in southern and central portions of state; northernmost documented occurrence near Ord, Valley Co. Order Lagomorpha Family Leporidae (rabbits and hares) Sylvilagus audubonii baileyi (desert cottontail) — western half of state. Sylvilagus oridanus mearnsi (eastern cottontail) — eastern quarter of state. Sylvilagus oridanus similis (eastern cottontail) — western three-quarters of state.