The table below lists every family of mammals, along with the continents and ecozones each order is native to. The continents, from left to right, are South America (SA), North America (NA), Eurasia (EA), Africa (AF) and Australia (AU). The ecozones are Neotropic (NT), Nearctic (NA), Palearctic (PA), Afrotropic (AT), Indo-Malayan (IM) and Australasian (AA). (The table is sortable; click on any abbreviation in the top row to sort that column - though you may have to click it twice for it to display the way you probabably want it to.)
This symbol - (<) - indicates a marginal presence in a particular continent or ecozone. A question mark (?) indicates uncertainty. For example, I assume pangolins range north into the southern fringes of the Palearctic ecozone, but I’m not certain, so I labeled it ?.
The table lists distributions of terrestrial and freshwater species only. For the distribution of marine mammals by ocean, see the Marine Mammals Distribution table.
Associated articles: Homes 101 > Animal Homes > Mammal Homes
See also Reference > Mammal Orders Distribution
See also Reference > Mammal Orders Distribution
| Order | SA | NA | EA | AF | AU | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | AA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Continents) | (Ecozones) | ||||||||||
| Afrosoricida | |||||||||||
| Chrysochloridae (golden moles) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Tenrecidae (tenrecs) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Artiodactyla | |||||||||||
| Antilocapridae (pronghorn) | NA | NA | |||||||||
| Bovidae (cattle, buffalo, antelope, sheep, goats) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | (<) | |
| Camelidae (camels) | EA | AF | PA | ||||||||
| Cervidae (deer and relatives) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | IM | |||
| Giraffidae (giraffe and okapi) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Hippopotamidae (hippopotamuses) | EA | AF | EA | AT | |||||||
| Moschidae (musk deer) | EA | PA | |||||||||
| Suidae (pigs, hogs) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | (<) | |||||
| Tayassuidae (peccaries) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Tragulidae (chevrotains) | EA | AF | AT | IM | |||||||
| Carnivora | |||||||||||
| Ailuridae (red panda) | EA | PA | ? | ||||||||
| Canidae (wolves, dogs, jackals, coyote, foxes)*1 |
SA | NA | EA | AF | *1 | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | *1 |
| Eupleridae (Madagascan carnivores)*2 | AT | ||||||||||
| Felidae (cats) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | ||
| Herpestidae (civets, mongooses) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Hyaenidae (hyenas) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Mephitidae (skunks) | SA | NA | EA | NT | NA | IM | |||||
| Mustelidae (weasels and relatives) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | ||
| Nandiniidae (palm civet) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Odobenidae (walrus) |
NA | EA | NA | PA | |||||||
| Otariidae (eared seals, sea lions) | SA | NA | EA | AU | NT | NA | PA | AA | |||
| Phocidae (earless seals, true seals) | SA | NA | EA | AF | AU | NT | NA | PA | AT | AA | |
| Procyonidae (raccoon and coati mundi) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Ursidae (bears)*3 | SA | NA | EA | *3 | NT | NA | PA | IM | |||
| Viverridae (civets, genets and relatives) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Cetacea | |||||||||||
| Balaenidae (right whales and bowhead whale)*4 |
|||||||||||
| Balaenopteridae (rorquals)*4 | |||||||||||
| Delphinidae (dolphins, killer whales, marine dolphins, pilot whales)*5 | SA | EA | NT | IM | |||||||
| Eschrichtiidae (gray whales)*4 | |||||||||||
| Hyperoodontidae (beaked whales)*4 | |||||||||||
| Iniidae (river dolphins) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Kogiidae (small sperm whales)*4 | |||||||||||
| Monodontidae (beluga and narwhal)*5 | NA | EA | NA | PA | |||||||
| Neobalaenidae (pygmy right whales)*4 | |||||||||||
| Phocoenidae (porpoises)*5 | EA | PA | |||||||||
| Physeteridae (sperm whales)*4 | |||||||||||
| Platanistidae (river dolphins) | EA | PA | IM | ||||||||
| Chiroptera | |||||||||||
| Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats) |
EA | AF | AU | PA | AT | IM | AA | ||||
| Craseonycteridae (Kitti’s hog-nosed bat) | EA | IM | |||||||||
| Emballonuridae (sac-winged bats, sheath-tailed bats) | SA | NA | EA | AF | AU | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | AA |
| Furipteridae (smokey bat and thumbless bat) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Megadermatidae (false vampire bats) | EA | AF | AU | AT | IM | AA | |||||
| Molossidae (free-tailed bats) | SA | NA | EA | AF | AU | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | AA |
| Mormoopidae (ghost-faced bats, moustached bats, naked-backed bats) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Mystacinidae (New Zealand short-tailed bats)*6 | AA | ||||||||||
| Myzopodidae (Old World sucker-footed bat)*2 | AT | ||||||||||
| Natalidae (funnel-eared bats) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Noctilionidae (bulldog bats) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Nycteridae (slit-faced bats) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Phyllostomidae (New World leaf-nosed bats) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats) | EA | AF | AU | PA | AT | IM | AA | ||||
| Rhinopomatidae (mouse-tailed bats) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Thyropteridae (disc-winged bats) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Vespertilionidae (evening bats and vesper bats; vespertilionid bats) | SA | NA | EA | AF | AU | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | AA |
| Cingulata | |||||||||||
| Dasypodidae (armadillos) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Dasyuromorphia | |||||||||||
| Dasyuridae (marsupial carnivores) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Myrmecobiidae (numbat) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Thylacinidae (thylacine) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Dermoptera | |||||||||||
| Cynocephalidae (colugos, or flying lemurs) | EA | IM | |||||||||
| Didelphimorphia | |||||||||||
| Didelphidae (American opossums, opossoms) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Diprotodontia | |||||||||||
| Acrobatidae (feathertail glider and feather-tailed possum) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Burramyidae (pygmy possums) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Hypsiprymnodontidae (musky rat-kangaroo) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Macropodidae (kangaroos and wallabies) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Petauridae (possums) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Phalangeridae (brushtail possums, cuscuses) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Phascolarctidae (koalas) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Potoroidae (bettongs, potoroos and rat-kangaroos) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Pseudocheiridae (ringtailed possums and relatives) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Tarsipedidae (honey possum) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Vombatidae (wombats) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Erinaceomorpha | |||||||||||
| Erinaceidae (gymnures, hedgehogs) | EA | AF | PA | AT | |||||||
| Hyracoidea | |||||||||||
| Procaviidae (hyraxes)*7 | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Lagomorpha | |||||||||||
| Leporidae (hares and rabbits) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | ||
| Ochotonidae (pikas) | NA | EA | NA | PA | |||||||
| Prolagidae (Mediterranean pikas)*8 | EA | PA | |||||||||
| Macroscelidea | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Macroscelididae (elephant shrews) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Microbiotheria | |||||||||||
| Microbiotheriidae (monito del monte) |
SA | NT | |||||||||
| Monotremata | |||||||||||
| Ornithorhynchidae (platypus) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Tachyglossidae (echidnas, spiny anteaters) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Notoryctemorphia | |||||||||||
| Notoryctidae (marsupial “moles”) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Paucituberculata | |||||||||||
| Caenolestidae (shrew opossums) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Peramelemorphia | |||||||||||
| Chaeropodidae (pig-footed bandicoot)*8 | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Peramelidae (bandicoots) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Thylacomyidae (bilbies) | AU | AA | |||||||||
| Perissodactyla | |||||||||||
| Equidae (asses, horses, zebras) |
EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses) | EA | AF | AT | IM | |||||||
| Tapiridae (tapirs) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Pholidota | |||||||||||
| Manidae (pangolins) | EA | AF | ? | AT | IM | ||||||
| Pilosa | |||||||||||
| Bradypodidae (three-toed sloths) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Megalonychidae (two-toed sloths)*9 | SA | NA | NT | *9 | |||||||
| Cyclopedidae (silky anteater) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Myrmecophagidae (American anteaters) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Primates | |||||||||||
| Callitrichidae (marmosets, tamarins and relatives) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Cebidae (New World monkeys) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys) | EA | AF | PA | AT | (<) | ||||||
| Cheirogaleidae (dwarf and mouse lemurs)*2 | AT | ||||||||||
| Daubentoniidae (aye-aye)*2 | AT | ||||||||||
| Galagonidae (galagos and bushbabies) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Hominidae (great apes and humans)*10 | EA | AF | AT | IM | |||||||
| Hylobatidae (gibbons) | EA | IM | |||||||||
| Indridae (indris, sifakas and relatives) | AT | ||||||||||
| Lemuridae (lemurs)*2 | AT | ||||||||||
| Loridae (lorises and pottos) | EA | AF | AT | IM | |||||||
| Megaladapidae (koala lemurs)*2 | AT | ||||||||||
| Pitheciidae (titi monkeys, sakis and uakaris) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Tarsiidae (tarsiers) | EA | IM | (<) | ||||||||
| Proboscidea | |||||||||||
| Elephantidae (elephants) | EA | AF | ? | AT | IM | ||||||
| Rodentia | |||||||||||
| Abrocomidae (chinchilla rats) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Anomaluridae (scaly-tailed squirrels) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Aplodontidae (mountain beaver) | NA | NA | |||||||||
| Bathyergidae (mole rats) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Capromyidae (West Indian hutias; capromyid rodents)*11 | NT | ||||||||||
| Castoridae (beavers) | NA | EA | NA | PA | |||||||
| Caviidae (cavies) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Chinchillidae (chinchillas) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Ctenodactylidae (gundis) | AF | PA | |||||||||
| Ctenomyidae (tuco-tucos) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Cuniculidae (pacas) | SA | NA | NT | ? | |||||||
| Dasyproctidae (acuchis and agoutis) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Diatomyidae (Laotian rock rat) | EA | IM | |||||||||
| Dinomyidae (pacarana) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Dipodidae (birch mice, jeroboas, jumping mice) | NA | EA | AF | NA | PA | ||||||
| Echimyidae (spiny rats) | SA | NA | NT | ||||||||
| Erethizontidae (New World porcupines) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Geomyidae (pocket gophers) | NA | NT | NA | ||||||||
| Heptaxodontidae (giant hutias)*11 | NT | ||||||||||
| Heteromyidae (heteromyid rodents, kangaroo mice, kangaroo rats, pocket mice) | SA | NA | NT | NA | |||||||
| Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) | EA | AF | PA | AT | IM | ||||||
| Muridae (mice, rats, voles, campagnols, souris) | EA | AF | AU | PA | AT | IM | AA | ||||
| Myocastoridae (coypus and nutria) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Myoxidae (dormice) | EA | AF | PA | AT | |||||||
| Octodontidae (degus, rock rats, and viscacha rats) | SA | NT | |||||||||
| Pedetidae (springhare) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Petromuridae (dassie rat) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Sciuridae (squirrels, marmots and chipmunks) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | ||
| Thryonomyidae (cane rats) | AF | AT | |||||||||
| Scandentia | |||||||||||
| Ptilocercidae (pen-tailed treeshrews) | EA | IM | |||||||||
| Tupaiidae (treeshrews) | EA | IM | |||||||||
| Sirenia | |||||||||||
| Dugongidae (dugong and Steller’s sea cow)*12 | |||||||||||
| Trichechidae (manatees) | SA | NA | AF | NT | NA | AT | |||||
| Soricomorpha | |||||||||||
| Nesophontidae (West Indies shrews)*11 | NT | ||||||||||
| Solenodontidae (solenodons)*11 | NT | ||||||||||
| Soricidae (shrews) | SA | NA | EA | AF | NT | NA | PA | AT | IM | (<) | |
| Talpidae (moles, shrew-moles and desmans) | NA | EA | NA | PA | IM | ||||||
| Tubulidentata | |||||||||||
| Orycteropodidae (aardvark) | AF | ? | AT | ||||||||
| *1 The dingo was introduced into Australia by humans thousands of years ago. Some people consider it a native species because it has lived there for so long and has reverted to a wild species. *2 The families Cheirogaleidae, Daubentoniidae, Eupleridae, Lemuridae and Megaladapidae and Myzopodidae occur only in Madagascar. *3 The brown bear (Ursos arctos) once ranged into northwest Africa, though it is now extinct there. No other bears live in Africa. *4 Members of the cetacean families Balaenidae, Balaenopteridae, Eschricthtiidae, Neobalaenidae, Hyperoodontidae, Kogiidae and Physeteridae are marine, though many species live close to shore and may occasionally enter freshwater. Members of the sirenian family Dugongidae are typically nearshore marine species. *5 Some members of the cetacean families Delphinidae, Monodontidae and Phocoenidae occur in both marine and freshwater environments. *6 The families Mystacinidae and Myzopodidae are endemic to New Zealand. *7 Hyraxes (Procaviidae) range into the Middle East (Arabian Peninsula). *8 The families Chaeropodidae, Nesophontidae and Prolagidae are extinct. *9 Megalonychidae includes the now extinct giant ground sloths ranged north into what is now the United States. *10 Doesn’t include the distribution of humans (Home sapiens), which live on every continent, including scientific stations in Antarctica. *11 The families Capromyidae, Heptaxodontidae, Nesophontidae and Solenodontidae are found only in the Caribbean. *12 Steller’s sea cow lived in the Bering Sea (North Pacific) when it was exterminated by Russian explorers. It earlier ranged along the western coast of North America, where it was perhaps wiped out by Native Americans. |
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Marine Mammals Distribution
This table lists the distribution of cetaceans (whales) and sirenians (dugong and manatees) by ocean (Arctic, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Southern). It also lists members of the order Carnivora that are considered marine mammals, including pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), the sea otter and marine otter and polar bear.
In the columns on the right, N, S, E and W stand for the cardinal directions - north, south, east and west. For example, the walrus (family Odobenidae) lives in the Arctic Ocean (Arc) and in the northern reaches of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
| Order | Arc | Pac | Atl | Ind | Sou |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnivora | |||||
| Mustelidae (weasels and relatives)*1 | E | ||||
| Odobenidae (walrus) |
Arc | N | N | ||
| Otariidae (eared seals, sea lions) | Pac | S | S | Sou | |
| Phocidae (earless seals, true seals) | Arc | Pac | Atl | S | Sou |
| Ursidae (bears)*2 | Arc | N | N | ||
| Cetacea | |||||
| Balaenidae (right whales and bowhead whale) |
Arc | Pac | Atl | S | Sou |
| Balaenopteridae (rorquals) | Arc | Pac | Atl | Ind | Sou |
| Delphinidae (dolphins, killer whales, marine dolphins, pilot whales) | Arc | Pac | Atl | Ind | Sou |
| Eschrichtiidae (gray whales)*3 | NE | Atl | |||
| Hyperoodontidae (beaked whales) | Arc | Pac | Atl | Ind | Sou |
| Iniidae (river dolphins)*4 | |||||
| Kogiidae (small sperm whales) | Pac | Atl | Ind | ||
| Monodontidae (beluga and narwhal) | Arc | Pac | Atl | ||
| Neobalaenidae (pygmy right whales) | S | S | S | Sou | |
| Phocoenidae (porpoises) | Arc | Pac | Atl | Ind | Sou |
| Physeteridae (sperm whales) | Pac | Atl | Ind | Sou | |
| Platanistidae (river dolphins)*4 | |||||
| Sirenia | |||||
| Dugongidae (dugong and Steller’s sea cow)*5 | Pac | Ind | |||
| Trichechidae (manatees) | Atl | ||||
| *1 The sea otter lives along the Pacific coast of North America, while the marine otter is found along the Pacific coast of South America. *2 The polar bear is often classified as a marine mammal, though it isn’t truly aquatic. *3 The gray whale was hunted to extinction in the Atlantic Ocean in the 18th century. The surviving population ranges along the western coast of North America, from Mexico into Alaska. *4 Members of the cetacean families Iniidae and Platanistidae live in freshwater only. *5 Before it was hunted to extinction, Steller’s sea cow lived in the North Pacific (Bering Sea). It apparently ranged along the Pacific coast of North America even earlier. |
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The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - 
