Field Guide to Illinois Mammals

Joyce E. Hofmann is a research affiliate at the Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

“As a field biologist for the Illinois Natural History Survey, I had easy access to mammalogists. Even though retired, I am still roaming the state, and I still have a mammalogist at my fingertips, Joyce Hofmann’s Mammals of Illinois. Not only does it contain relevant identification information but also fascinating mammal facts. It will definitely be in my field pack.”--Susan L. Post, author of Hiking Illinois

• Acknowledgments Introduction About This BookChecklist of Illinois MammalsKey to the Skulls of Illinois Mammal Orders Species Accounts Order DIDELPHIMORPHIA Family Didelphidae - opossums Virginia opossum Didelphis virginianaOrder SORICOMORPHAFamily Talpidae - moles eastern mole Scalopus aquaticusFamily Soricidae - shrews masked shrew Sorex cinereusAmerican pygmy shrew Sorex hoyisoutheastern shrew Sorex longirostris northern short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicaudasouthern short-tailed shrew Blarina carolinensisNorth American least shrew Cryptotis parvaOrder CHIROPTERA Family Vespertilionidae - bats southeastern bat Myotis austroripariusgray bat Myotis grisescenseastern small-footed bat Myotis leibiilittle brown bat Myotis lucifugusnorthern long-eared bat Myotis septentrionalisIndiana bat Myotis sodaliseastern red bat Lasiurus borealishoary bat Lasiurus cinereussilver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans tricolored bat Perimyotis subflavusbig brown bat Eptesicus fuscusevening bat Nycticeius humeralisRafinesque's big-eared bat Corynorhinus rafinesquiiOrder CINGULATA Family Dasypodidae - armadillos nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctusOrder LAGOMORPHA Family Leporidae - rabbits swamp rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticuseastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus Order RODENTIA Family Sciuridae - squirrels eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus woodchuck Marmota monaxFranklin's ground squirrel Poliocitellus frankliniithirteen-lined ground squirrel Ictidomys tridecemlineatuseastern gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensiseastern fox squirrel Sciurus nigerred squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicussouthern flying squirrel Glaucomys volansFamily Geomyidae - pocket gophers plains pocket gopher Geomys bursariusFamily Castoridae - beaversAmerican beaver Castor canadensisFamily Cricetidae - mice, rats, voles marsh rice rat Oryzomys palustriswestern harvest mouse Reithrodontomys megalotiscotton mouse Peromyscus gossypinuswhite-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopusNorth American deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatusgolden mouse Ochrotomys nuttallieastern woodrat Neotoma floridanaprairie vole Microtus ochrogastermeadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicuswoodland vole Microtus pinetorummuskrat Ondatra zibethicussouthern bog lemming Synaptomys cooperiFamily Muridae - Old World mice and rats brown rat Rattus norvegicushouse mouse Mus musculusFamily Dipodidae - jumping mice meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsoniusOrder CARNIVORA Family Canidae - foxes, coyote coyote Canis latransred fox Vulpes vulpesgray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteusFamily Mustelidae - weasels, otters, badgers long-tailed weasel Mustela frenataleast weasel Mustela nivalisAmerican mink Neovison visonAmerican badger Taxidea taxusNorth American river otter Lontra canadensisFamily Mephitidae - skunks striped skunk Mephitis mephitisFamily Procyonidae - raccoons raccoon Procyon lotorFamily Felidae - cats bobcat Lynx rufusOrder ARTIODACTYLA Family Cervidae - deer white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianusAdditional Resources Glossary Index