Wildlife of Benin

Wildlife of Benin includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats.

Fauna

ubclass: Theria

Infraclass: Eutheria

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)

----The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat, they are well-furred with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.

*Family: Procaviidae (hylaxes)
***Genus: Dendrohyrax
**** Western Tree Hyrax "Dendrohyrax dorsalis" LC
***Genus: Procavia
**** Cape Hyrax "Procavia capensis" LC

Order: Proboscidea (elephants)

----The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.

*Family: Elephantidae (elephants)
***Genus: Loxodonta
**** African Bush Elephant "Loxodonta africana" VU

Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)

----
[
African Manatee] Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.

*Family: Trichechidae
***Genus: Trichechus
**** African Manatee "Trichechus senegalensis" VU

Order: Primates

----The order Primates contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. It is divided informally into three main groupings: prosimians, monkeys of the New World, and monkeys and apes of the Old World.

*Suborder: Strepsirrhini
**Infraorder: Lorisiformes
***Family: Lorisidae (lorises, bushbabies)
*****Genus: Perodicticus
****** Potto "Perodicticus potto" LR/lc
***Family: Galagidae
*****Genus: Galago
****** Demidoff's Dwarf Galago "Galago demidoff" LR/lc
****** Senegal Bushbaby "Galago senegalensis" LR/lc
*Suborder: Haplorrhini
**Infraorder: Simiiformes
***Parvorder: Catarrhini
****Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
*****Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
*******Genus: Erythrocebus
******** Patas Monkey "Erythrocebus patas" LR/lc
*******Genus: Cercopithecus
******** Chlorocebus "Cercopithecus aethiops" LR/lc
******** White-throated Guenon "Cercopithecus erythrogaster" EN
******** Mona Monkey "Cercopithecus mona" LR/lc
******** Greater Spot-nosed Monkey "Cercopithecus nictitans" LR/lc
******** Lesser Spot-nosed Guenon "Cercopithecus petaurista" LR/lc
*******Genus: Papio
******** Olive Baboon "Papio anubis" LR/lc
******Subfamily: Colobinae
*******Genus: Colobus
******** King Colobus "Colobus polykomos" LR/nt
******** Geoffroy's Black-and-white Colobus "Colobus vellerosus" VU
*******Genus: Procolobus
******** Van Beneden's Colobus "Procolobus verus" LR/nt
****Superfamily: Hominoidea
*****Family: Hominidae (humans)
******Subfamily: Homininae
*******Tribe: Hominini
********Genus: Pan
********* Common Chimpanzee "Pan troglodytes" EN

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

----Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).

*Suborder: Hystricognathi
**Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
***Genus: Atherurus
**** African Brush-tailed Porcupine "Atherurus africanus" LC
***Genus: Hystrix
**** Crested Porcupine "Hystrix cristata" LC
**Family: Thryonomyidae (cane rats)
***Genus: Thryonomys
**** Greater Cane Rat "Thryonomys swinderianus" LC
*Suborder: Sciurognathi
**Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
***Subfamily: Xerinae
****Tribe: Xerini
*****Genus: Xerus
****** Striped ground squirrel "Xerus erythropus" LC
****Tribe: Protoxerini
*****Genus: Funisciurus
****** Thomas's Rope Squirrel "Funisciurus anerythrus" DD
****** Red-cheeked Rope Squirrel "Funisciurus leucogenys" DD
****** Kintampo Rope Squirrel "Funisciurus substriatus" DD
*****Genus: Heliosciurus
****** Gambian Sun Squirrel "Heliosciurus gambianus" LC
****** Red-legged Sun Squirrel "Heliosciurus rufobrachium" LC
*****Genus: Paraxerus
****** Green Bush Squirrel "Paraxerus poensis" LC
*****Genus: Protoxerus
****** Forest Giant Squirrel "Protoxerus stangeri" LC
**Family: Gliridae (dormice)
***Subfamily: Graphiurinae
****Genus: Graphiurus
***** Jentink's Dormouse "Graphiurus crassicaudatus" DD
**Family: Nesomyidae
***Subfamily: Dendromurinae
****Genus: Dendromus
***** Gray Glimbing Mouse "Dendromus melanotis" LC
***** Banana Climbing Mouse "Dendromus messorius" LC
****Genus: Steatomys
***** Northwestern Fat Mouse "Steatomys caurinus" LC
***** Dainty Fat Mouse "Steatomys cuppedius" LC
***Subfamily: Cricetomyinae
****Genus: Cricetomys
***** "Cricetomys emini" LC
***** Gambian Pouch Rat "Cricetomys gambianus" LC
**Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
***Subfamily: Deomyinae
****Genus: Acomys
***** Johan's Spiny Mouse "Acomys johannis" LC
****Genus: Lophuromys
***** Rusty-bellied Brush-furred Rat "Lophuromys sikapusi" LC
****Genus: Uranomys
***** Rudd's Mouse "Uranomys ruddi" LC
***Subfamily: Gerbillinae
****Genus: Tatera
***** Kemp's Gerbil "Tatera kempi" LC
***Subfamily: Murinae
****Genus: Arvicanthis
***** Sudanian Arvicanthis "Arvicanthis ansorgei" LC
***** African Grass Rat "Arvicanthis niloticus" LC
***** Guinean Arvicanthis "Arvicanthis rufinus" LC
****Genus: Dasymys
***** West African Shaggy Rat "Dasymys rufulus" LC
****Genus: Hylomyscus
***** Allen's Wood Mouse "Hylomyscus alleni" LC
****Genus: Lemniscomys
***** Typical Striped Grass Mouse "Lemniscomys striatus" LC
***** Heuglin's Lemniscomys "Lemniscomys zebra" LC
****Genus: Mastomys
***** Guinea Multimammate Mouse "Mastomys erythroleucus" LC
***** Natal Multimammate Mouse "Mastomys natalensis" LC
****Genus: Mus
***** Baoule's Mouse "Mus baoulei" LC
***** Hausa Mouse "Mus haussa" LC
***** Matthey's Mouse "Mus mattheyi" LC
***** African Pygmy Mouse "Mus minutoides" LC
***** Peter's Mouse "Mus setulosus" LC
****Genus: Praomys
***** Dalton's Praomys "Praomys daltoni" LC
***** Deroo's Praomys "Praomys derooi" LC
***** Tullberg's Soft-furred Mouse "Praomys tullbergi" LC
****Genus: Stochomys
***** Target Rat "Stochomys longicaudatus" LC

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

----

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early twentieth century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.

*Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
**Genus: Lepus
*** Cape Hare "Lepus capensis" LR/lc

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

----

The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.

*Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
**Subfamily: Erinaceinae
***Genus: Atelerix
**** Four-toed Hedgehog "Atelerix albiventris" LR/lc

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and soledons)

----The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and soledons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout bodied burrowers.

*Family: Soricidae (shrews)
**Subfamily: Crocidurinae
***Genus: Crocidura
**** Crosse's Shrew "Crocidura crossei" LC
**** Fox's Shrew "Crocidura foxi" LC
**** Savanna Shrew "Crocidura fulvastra" LC
**** Tiny Musk Shrew "Crocidura fuscomurina" LC
**** Large-headed Shrew "Crocidura grandiceps" NT
**** Lamotte's Shrew "Crocidura lamottei" LC
**** Nigerian Shrew "Crocidura nigeriae" LC
**** Olivier's Shrew "Crocidura olivieri" LC
**** Fraser's Musk Shrew "Crocidura poensis" LC
**** Savanna Path Shrew "Crocidura viaria" LC
**** Voi Shrew "Crocidura voi" LC
***Genus: Sylvisorex
**** Climbing Shrew "Sylvisorex megalura" LC

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

----The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

*Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
**Subfamily: Pteropodinae
***Genus: Eidolon
**** Straw-coloured Fruit Bat "Eidolon helvum" LC
***Genus: Epomophorus
**** Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat "Epomophorus gambianus" LC
***Genus: Epomops
**** Franquet's Epauletted Fruit Bat "Epomops franqueti" LC
***Genus: Hypsignathus
**** Hammer-headed bat "Hypsignathus monstrosus" LC
***Genus: Lissonycteris
**** Smith's Fruit Bat "Lissonycteris smithi" LC
***Genus: Micropteropus
**** Peter's Dwarf Epauletted Fruit Bat "Micropteropus pusillus" LC
***Genus: Nanonycteris
**** Veldkamp's Bat "Nanonycteris veldkampi" LC
**Subfamily: Macroglossinae
***Genus: Megaloglossus
**** Woermann's Fruit Bat "Megaloglossus woermanni" LC
*Family: Vespertilionidae
**Subfamily: Myotinae
***Genus: Myotis
**** Rufous Mouse-eared Bat "Myotis bocagii" LC
**Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
***Genus: Glauconycteris
**** Abo Bat "Glauconycteris poensis" LC
**** Butterfly Bat "Glauconycteris variegata" LC
***Genus: Neoromicia
**** Cape Serotine "Neoromicia capensis" LC
**** Tiny Serotine "Neoromicia guineensis" LC
**** Banana Pipistrelle "Neoromicia nanus" LC
**** Rendall's Serotine "Neoromicia rendalli" LC
**** Somali Serotine "Neoromicia somalicus" LC
***Genus: Nycticeinops
**** Schlieffen's Twilight Bat "Nycticeinops schlieffeni" LC
***Genus: Pipistrellus
**** Aellen's Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus inexspectatus" DD
**** Tiny Pipistrelle "Pipistrellus nanulus" LC
***Genus: Scotoecus
**** Light-winged Lesser House Bat "Scotoecus albofuscus" DD
***Genus: Scotophilus
**** African Yellow Bat "Scotophilus dinganii" LC
**** White-bellied Yellow Bat "Scotophilus leucogaster" LC
**** Schreber's Yellow Bat "Scotophilus nigrita" NT
**** Greenish Yellow Bat "Scotophilus viridis" LC
*Family: Molossidae
**Genus: Chaerephon
*** Lappet-eared Free-tailed Bat "Chaerephon major" LC
*** Nigerian Free-tailed Bat "Chaerephon nigeriae" LC
*** Little Free-tailed Bat "Chaerephon pumila" LC
**Genus: Mops
*** Angolan Free-tailed Bat "Mops condylurus" LC
*** Midas Free-tailed Bat "Mops midas" LC
*Family: Emballonuridae
**Genus: Coleura
*** African Sheath-tailed Bat "Coleura afra" LC
**Genus: Taphozous
*** Mauritian Tomb Bat "Taphozous mauritianus" LC
*** Egyptian Tomb Bat "Taphozous perforatus" LC
*Family: Nycteridae
**Genus: Nycteris
*** Gambian Slit-faced Bat "Nycteris gambiensis" LC
*** Large Slit-Faced Bat "Nycteris grandis" LC
*** Hairy Slit-Faced Bat "Nycteris hispida" LC
*** Large-Eared Slit-Faced Bat "Nycteris macrotis" LC
*** Egyptian Slit-Faced Bat "Nycteris thebaica" LC
*Family: Megadermatidae
**Genus: Lavia
*** Yellow-winged bat "Lavia frons" LC
*Family: Rhinolophidae
**Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
***Genus: Rhinolophus
**** RÜppell's Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus fumigatus" LC
**** Lander's Horseshoe Bat "Rhinolophus landeri" LC
**Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
***Genus: Hipposideros
**** Sundevall's Roundleaf Bat "Hipposideros caffer" LC
**** Cyclops Roundleaf Bat "Hipposideros cyclops" LC
**** nopage "Hipposideros gigas" LC
**** Noack's Roundleaf Bat "Hipposideros ruber" LC

Order: Pholidota (pangolins)

----The order Philodota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species.

*Family: Manidae
**Genus: Manis
*** Giant Pangolin "Manis gigantea" LR/lc
*** Tree Pangolin "Manis tricuspis" LR/lc

Order: Cetacea (whales)

----The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

*Suborder: Mysticeti
**Family: Balaenopteridae
***Subfamily: Megapterinae
****Genus: Megaptera
***** Humpback Whale "Megaptera novaeangliae" VU
*Suborder: Odontoceti
**Superfamily: Platanistoidea
***Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
****Genus: Sousa
***** Humpback dolphin "Sousa teuszii" DD
****Genus: Stenella
***** Clymene Dolphin "Stenella clymene" DD
****Genus: Lagenodelphis
***** Fraser's Dolphin "Lagenodelphis hosei" DD
****Genus: Feresa
***** Pygmy Killer Whale "Feresa attenuata" DD

Order: Carnivora (carnivores)

----The carnivores include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. Carnivores have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

*Suborder: Feliformia
**Family: Felidae (cats)
***Subfamily: Felinae
****Genus: Acinonyx
***** Cheetah "Acinonyx jubatus" VU
****Genus: Caracal
***** Caracal "Caracal caracal" LC
****Genus: Felis
***** Wildcat "Felis silvestris" LC
****Genus: Leptailurus
***** Serval "Leptailurus serval" LC
****Genus: Profelis
***** African Golden Cat "Profelis aurata" VU
***Subfamily: Pantherinae
****Genus: Panthera
***** Lion "Panthera leo" VU
***** Leopard "Panthera pardus" LC
**Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
***Subfamily: Viverrinae
****Genus: Civettictis
***** African Civet "Civettictis civetta" LR/lc
****Genus: Genetta
***** Common Genet "Genetta genetta" LR/lc
***** Haussa Genet "Genetta thierryi" LR/lc
**Family: Nandiniidae
***Genus: Nandinia
**** African Palm Civet "Nandinia binotata" LR/lc
**Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
***Genus: Crossarchus
**** Flat-headed Kusimanse "Crossarchus platycephalus" LR/lc
***Genus: Galerella
**** Slender Mongoose "Galerella sanguinea" LR/lc
**Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
***Genus: Crocuta
**** Spotted Hyena "Crocuta crocuta" LR/cd
***Genus: Hyaena
**** Striped Hyena "Hyaena hyaena" LR/nt
*Suborder: Caniformia
**Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
***Genus: Vulpes
**** Pale Fox "Vulpes pallida" DD
***Genus: Lycaon
**** African Wild Dog "Lycaon pictus" EN
**Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
***Genus: Ictonyx
**** Striped Polecat "Ictonyx striatus" LR/lc
***Genus: Mellivora
**** Ratel "Mellivora capensis" LR/lc
***Genus: Lutra
**** Speckle-throated Otter "Lutra maculicollis" LC
***Genus: Aonyx
**** African Clawless Otter "Aonyx capensis" LC

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

----The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.

*Family: Suidae (pigs)
**Subfamily: Phacochoerinae
***Genus: Phacochoerus
**** Warthog "Phacochoerus africanus" LR/lc
**Subfamily: Suinae
***Genus: Potamochoerus
**** Red River Hog "Potamochoerus porcus" LR/lc
*Family: Hippopotamidae (hippopotamuses)
**Genus: Hippopotamus
*** Hippopotamus "Hippopotamus amphibius" VU
*Family: Tragulidae
**Genus: Hyemoschus
*** "Hyemoschus aquaticus" DD
*Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
**Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
***Genus: Alcelaphus
**** Hartebeest "Alcelaphus buselaphus" LR/cd
***Genus: Damaliscus
**** Topi "Damaliscus lunatus" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Antilopinae
***Genus: Gazella
**** Red-fronted Gazelle "Gazella rufifrons" VU
***Genus: Ourebia
**** Oribi "Ourebia ourebi" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Bovinae
***Genus: Syncerus
**** African Buffalo "Syncerus caffer" LR/cd
***Genus: Tragelaphus
**** Bushbuck "Tragelaphus scriptus" LR/lc
**** Sitatunga "Tragelaphus spekii" LR/nt
**Subfamily: Cephalophinae
***Genus: Cephalophus
**** Bay Duiker "Cephalophus dorsalis" LR/nt
**** Maxwell's Duiker "Cephalophus maxwellii" LR/nt
**** Blue Duiker "Cephalophus monticola" LR/lc
**** Black Duiker "Cephalophus niger" LR/nt
**** Red-flanked Duiker "Cephalophus rufilatus" LR/cd
**** Yellow-backed Duiker "Cephalophus silvicultor" LR/nt
***Genus: Sylvicapra
**** Common Duiker "Sylvicapra grimmia" LR/lc
**Subfamily: Hippotraginae
***Genus: Hippotragus
**** Roan Antelope "Hippotragus equinus" LR/cd
**Subfamily: Reduncinae
***Genus: Kobus
**** Waterbuck "Kobus ellipsiprymnus" LR/cd
**** Kob "Kobus kob" LR/cd
***Genus: Redunca
**** Bohor Reedbuck "Redunca redunca" LR/cd

Birds

Flora

Notes

References

*cite web
url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/search.php?kingname=ANIMALIA&phyname=CHORDATA&claname=MAMMALIA&freetext=&modifier=phrase&criteria=wholedb&taxa_species=1&redlistCategory%5B0%5D=all&redlistAssessyear%5B0%5D=all&country%5B0%5D=BJ&aquatic%5B0%5D=all&regions%5B0%5D=all&habitats%5B0%5D=all&threats%5B0%5D=all&Submit_x=34&Submit_y=9&extendedResults=0&terrestrial=0&marine=0&freshwater=0&offset=0&sortorder%5B0%5D=spcscientificname&sortorder%5B1%5D=genname&sortorder%5B2%5D=spcname&sortorder%5B3%5D=spcauthor&sortorder%5B4%5D=spcinfrarank&sortorder%5B5%5D=spcinfraepithet&sortorder%5B6%5D=spcinfrarankauthor&sortorder%5B7%5D=spcstockname&sortorder%5B8%5D=comname_comp&sortorder%5B9%5D=rlcabb&sortorder%5B10%5D=rlscriteria&sortorder%5B11%5D=poptrend_code&sortorder%5B12%5D=rlcatcrit2001&sortorder%5B13%5D=spcrecid&sortorder%5B14%5D=kingname&debug=0&taxa_subspc=0&taxa_stock=0&newsort=Genus
title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Benin
publisher=IUCN
date=2001
accessdaymonth = 22 May
accessyear=2007
*cite web
url=http://nmnhgoph.si.edu/msw/
title=Mammal Species of the World
publisher=Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
date=2005
accessdaymonth = 22 May
accessyear=2007
*cite web
url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html
title=Animal Diversity Web
publisher=University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
date=1995-2006
accessdaymonth = 22 May
accessyear=2007

External links