The Wild Mammals of Missouri
First published in 1959, The Wild Mammals of Missouri has become the definitive guide to identify these animals and provide information about them. The drawings by Charles Schwartz capture the spirit of the animal as well as being technically accurate. This book has remained popular as a college textbook and for general reference since it was first published. There have been two previous revisions, one in 1981 and also in 2001. The book has grown from sixty-three full species accounts to seventy-two in this most recent edition.
Table of Contents
List of Species Illustrations viii
Foreword by Robert L. Ziehmer ix
Preface to the Third Revised Edition xi
Preface to the Second Revised edition xiii
Preface to the First revised edition xv
Preface to the First edition xvii
1. Introducing the Mammals 1
Some Characteristics of Mammals 2
Where Mammals Live 5
Ecological Sections of Missouri 6
About the Range Maps 9
Social Communication and Behavior 9
Host-Parasite relationships 11
Age determination 12
Mammal Signs 13
Size of Mammals 15
Human-Wild Mammal Conflicts 16
How Mammals are Named 17
List of the Wild mammals of Missouri 19
How to Identify Mammals by the Keys 20
Key to the Orders by Whole Adult Animals 20
Key to the Orders by Skulls of Adults 21
General References 23
2. Pouched Mammals (Opossums)
(Order Didelphimorphia) 27
Opossums (Family Didelphidae) 27
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) 27
3. Shrew-form Mammals (Order Soricomorpha) 37
Key to the Species by Whole Adult Animals 37
Key to the Species by Skulls of Adults 38
Shrews (Family Soricidae) 38
General References 38
Cinereus Shrew (Sorex cinereus) 38
Southeastern Shrew (Sorex Longirostris) 42
Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) 45
Southern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina carolinensis) 45
Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina hylophaga) 45
North American Least Shrew (Cryptotis parva) 52
Moles and Relatives (Family Talpidae) 56
Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus) 56
4. Flying Mammals (Order Chiroptera) 63
Key to the Species by Whole Adult Animals 64
Key to the Species by Skulls of Adults 66
Evening Bats (Family Vespertilionidae) 67
General References 66
Mouse-eared Bats (Myotis spp.) 67
Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) 67
Gray Myotis (Myotis grisescens) 77
Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius) 81
Northern Long-eared Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) 83
Indiana Myotis (Myotis sodalist) 86
Eastern Small-footed Myotis (Myotis leibii) 89
Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) 91
Tri-colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) 94
Big Brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) 98
Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) 102
Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) 106
Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) 109
Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) 113
Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) 117
5. Armored Mammals (Order Cingulata) 121
Armadillos (Family Dasypodidae) 121
6. Hare-shaped Mammals (Order Lagomorpha) 127
Key to the Species by Whole Adult Animals 127
Key to the Species by Skulls of Adults 127
Hares and Rabbits (Family Leporidae) 128
General References 128
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) 128
Swamp Rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) 139
Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) 144
7. Gnawing Mammals (Order Rodentia) 151
Key to the Species by Whole Adult Animals 151
Key to the Species by Skulls of Adults 153
Squirrels, Chipmunks, Marmots, and Relatives (Family Sciuridae) 155
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) 155
Woodchuck (Marmota monax) 162
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) 168
Franklin’s Ground Squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii) 174
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) 179
Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) 187
Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans) 194
Pocket Gophers (Family Geomyidae) 201
Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys bursarius) 201
Pocket Mice and Relatives (Family Heteromyidae) 207
Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens) 207
Beavers (Family Castoridae) 210
American Beaver (Castor Canadensis) 211
New World Rats and Mice, Voles, and Relatives (Family Cricetidae) 219
Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris) 219
Plains Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus) 223
Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis) 224
Fulvous Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens) 229
Peromyscus spp. Mice 231
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) 231
White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) 239
Cotton Mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) 242
Texas Mouse (Peromyscus attwateri) 243
Golden Mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli) 245
Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) 248
Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana) 253
Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) 258
Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster) 261
Woodland Vole (Microtus pinetorum) 267
Common Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) 272
Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) 280
Old World Rats, Mice, and Relatives (Family Muridae) 284
Black Rat (Rattus rattus) 285
Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) 287
House Mouse (Mus musculus) 293
Jumping Mice and Relatives (Family Dipodidae) 298
Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius) 298
8. Flesh-eating Mammals (Order Carnivora) 305
Key to the Species by Whole Adult Animals 306
Key to the Species by Skulls of Adults 307
Dogs, Coyotes, Foxes, and Relatives (Family Canidae) 308
Coyote (Canis latrans) 308
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) 315
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) 322
Bears (Family Ursidae) 326
American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) 326
Raccoons and Relatives (Family Procyonidae) 333
Raccoon (Procyon lotor) 333
Weasels, Badgers, Otters, Minks, and Relatives (Family Mustelidae) 340
Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis) 341
Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) 344
American Mink (Neovison vison) 350
American Badger (Taxidea taxus) 356
North American River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) 362
Skunks and Relatives (Family Mephitidae) 369
Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius) 369
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) 375
Cats (Family Felidae) 382
Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) 382
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) 387
9. Even-toed Hoofed Mammals (Order Artiodactyla) 393
Key to the Species by Whole Adult Animals 394
Key to the Species by Skulls of Adults 394
Deer, Elk, and Relatives (Family Cervidae) 395
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 395
Elk (Cervus elaphus) 410
10. Other Wild Mammals ((Extirpated or Rare Visitors) 417
American Bison (Bison bison) 417
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) 418
Red Wolf (Canis rufus) 418
White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) 419
Brazilian Free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) 420
Big Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida macrotis) 420
Seminole Bat (Lasiurus seminolus) 420
Nutria (Myocastor coypus) 420
Index 423
By Charles W. Schwartz and Elizabeth R. Schwartz
Edited by Debby K. Frantz and Victoria L. Jackson
2016
Number of pages: 426
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