Terrestrial mammals of Malaysia

Zoology (main)

Published: June 18, 2014, 6:41 pm

Topics:

Zoology (main) Biodiversity (main) Biology (main)

Dawn in the Bornean Rainforests (Source: Cayce, Flickr via Wikimedia Commons)

Introduction

According to the Checklist of Mammals compiled by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, 230 species of terrestrial mammals are found in Malaysia, placing Malaysia among the top 20 most diverse countries for mammals. Bats and rodents are the two most common groups of terrestrial Malaysian mammals making up almost 70% of the mammalian fauna.

Chiroptera (bats)

There are 103 species in eight families of bats in Malaysia.

Flying lemur (photo from www.forestry.sarawak.gov.my)

Dermoptera (colugos)

Only one species of colugo, the flying lemur (Cynocephalus variegatus) is found in Malaysia.

Scandentia (treeshrews)

Three species oftreeshrews are found in Malaysia.

Rodentia (rodents)

There are 57 species of rodents in four families in Malaysia

Pangolin (photo from www.mongabay.com)

Pholidota (pangolins)

There is only one species, the spiny anteater/pangolin (Manis javanica) in this order in Malaysia.

Insectivora (insectivores)

There are ten species of insectivores in three families in Malaysia.

Carnivora (carnivores)

There are 32 species of carnivores in five families in Malaysia.

Proboscidae (elephants)

There is only one species,the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)in this order in Malaysia

Perisodactyla (horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs)

There are three species of Perisodactyla in two families in Malaysia

Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

There are eight species of Artiodactyla in four families in Malaysia

Primates (primates)

There are 11 species of primates in three families in Malaysia.

See Also

• Malaysia Ecology and Biodiversity Collection

Citation

McGinley, M. (2014). Terrestrial mammals of Malaysia. Retrieved from http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Terrestrial_mammals_of_Malaysia