List of mammals of Iran

This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the 261 mammal species occurring in Iran. Two of them are critically endangered, six are endangered, 17 are vulnerable, and five are near threatened. Another 11 species are likely present. The following tags are used to highlight each species' status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)
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: Dugongidae
 * Genus: Dugong
 * Dugong, D. dugon presence uncertain, possible vagrant

Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing.
 * Suborder: Hystricomorpha
 * Family: Hystricidae
 * Genus: Hystrix
 * Indian crested porcupine, H. indica
 * Suborder: Sciurognathi
 * Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
 * Subfamily: Sciurinae
 * Tribe: Sciurini
 * Genus: Sciurus
 * Caucasian squirrel, S. anomalus LC
 * Subfamily: Callosciurinae
 * Genus: Funambulus
 * Northern palm squirrel, Funambulus pennantii LC
 * Subfamily: Xerinae
 * Tribe: Xerini
 * Genus: Spermophilopsis
 * Long-clawed ground squirrel, Spermophilopsis leptodactylus LC
 * Tribe: Marmotini
 * Genus: Spermophilus
 * Yellow ground squirrel, S. fulvus LC
 * Asia Minor ground squirrel, S. xanthoprymnus NT
 * Family: Gliridae (dormice)
 * Subfamily: Leithiinae
 * Genus: Dryomys
 * Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LC
 * Genus: Myomimus
 * Masked mouse-tailed dormouse, Myomimus personatus DD
 * Setzer's mouse-tailed dormouse, Myomimus setzeri DD
 * Subfamily: Glirinae
 * Genus: Glis
 * Iranian edible dormouse, Glis persicus NE
 * Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
 * Subfamily: Allactaginae
 * Genus: Allactaga
 * Small five-toed jerboa, Allactaga elater LC
 * Euphrates jerboa, Allactaga euphratica LC
 * Iranian jerboa, Allactaga firouzi DD
 * Hotson's jerboa, Allactaga hotsoni LC
 * Williams' jerboa, Allactaga williamsi LC
 * Tousi jerboa, Allactaga toussi
 * Genus: Pygeretmus
 * Dwarf fat-tailed jerboa, Pygeretmus pumilio LC
 * Subfamily: Dipodinae
 * Genus: Dipus
 * Northern three-toed jerboa, Dipus sagitta LC
 * Genus: Jaculus
 * Blanford's jerboa, Jaculus blanfordi LC
 * Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus LC
 * Thaler three-toed jerboa, Jaculus thaleri
 * Family: Spalacidae
 * Genus: Spalax
 * Lesser mole rat, Spalax leucodon LC
 * Family: Calomyscidae
 * Genus: Calomyscus
 * Zagros Mountains mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus bailwardi LC
 * Afghan mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus mystax LC
 * Urar mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus urartensis LC
 * Goodwin's mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus elburzensis LC
 * Noble mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus grandis
 * Family: Cricetidae
 * Subfamily: Cricetinae
 * Genus: Cricetulus
 * Grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius LC
 * Genus: Mesocricetus
 * Turkish hamster, Mesocricetus brandti LC
 * Golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus LC
 * Subfamily: Arvicolinae
 * Genus: Arvicola
 * European water vole, A. amphibius
 * Genus: Blanfordimys
 * Afghan vole, Blanfordimys afghanus LC
 * Genus: Chionomys
 * European snow vole, Chionomys nivalis
 * Genus: Ellobius
 * Northern mole vole, Ellobius talpinus LC
 * Southern mole vole, Ellobius fuscocapillus LC
 * Transcaucasian mole vole, Ellobius lutescens LC
 * Genus: Microtus
 * Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri LC
 * Persian vole, Microtus irani LC
 * Baluchistan vole, Microtus kermanensis EN
 * Altai vole, Microtus obscurus LC
 * Social vole, Microtus socialis LC
 * Transcaspian vole, Microtus transcaspicus LC
 * European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus LC
 * Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
 * Major's pine vole, Microtus majori LC
 * Sibling vole, Microtus levis
 * Qazvin vole, Microtus qazvinensis
 * Paradox vole, Microtus paradoxus
 * Schelkovnikov's pine vole, Microtus schelkovnikovi
 * Daghestan pine vole, Microtus daghestanicus
 * Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
 * Subfamily: Deomyinae
 * Genus: Acomys
 * Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC
 * Eastern spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus
 * Subfamily: Gerbillinae
 * Genus: Gerbillus
 * Swarthy gerbil, Gerbillus aquilus LC
 * Cheesman's gerbil, Gerbillus cheesmani LC
 * Harrison's gerbil, Gerbillus mesopotamiae LC
 * Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus LC
 * Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi
 * Genus: Meriones
 * Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC
 * Indian desert jird, Meriones hurrianae LC
 * Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC
 * Mid-day jird, Meriones meridianus LC
 * Persian jird, Meriones persicus LC
 * Tristram's jird, Meriones tristrami LC
 * Vinogradov's jird, Meriones vinogradovi LC
 * Zarudny's jird, Meriones zarudnyi EN
 * Dahl's jird, Meriones dahli
 * Genus: Rhombomys
 * Great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus LC
 * Genus: Tatera
 * Indian gerbil, Tatera indica LC
 * Subfamily: Murinae
 * Genus: Apodemus
 * Persian field mouse, Apodemus arianus LC
 * Yellow-breasted field mouse, Apodemus fulvipectus LC
 * Broad-toothed field mouse, Apodemus mystacinus LC
 * Black Sea field mouse, Apodemus ponticus LC
 * Ward's field mouse, Apodemus wardi LC
 * Hyrcanian field mouse, Apodemus hyrcanicus
 * Yellow-necked field mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
 * Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis
 * Steppe field mouse, Apodemus witherbyi
 * Apodemus avicennicus
 * Genus: Golunda
 * Indian bush rat, Golunda ellioti LC
 * Genus: Mus
 * Macedonian mouse, Mus macedonicus
 * House mouse, M. musculus
 * Genus: Nesokia
 * Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica LC
 * Genus: Rattus
 * Brown rat, R. norvegicus introduced
 * Black rat, R. rattus introduced
 * Turkestan rat, R. turkestanicus LC
 * Family: Myocastoridae
 * Genus: Myocastor
 * Coypu, Myocastor coypus

Order: Lagomorpha
The lagomorphs comprise the families Leporidae and Ochotonidae. Though members can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th 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
 * Genus: Lepus
 * Cape hare, L. capensis
 * European hare, L. europaeus
 * Tolai hare, L. tolai
 * Family: Ochotonidae
 * Genus: Ochotona
 * Afghan pika, O. rufescens

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: Erinaceus
 * Southern white-breasted hedgehog, E. concolor
 * Genus: Hemiechinus
 * Long-eared hedgehog, H. auritus
 * Genus: Paraechinus
 * Desert hedgehog, P. aethiopicus
 * Brandt's hedgehog, P. hypomelas

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
 * Family: Soricidae (shrews)
 * Subfamily: Crocidurinae
 * Genus: Crocidura
 * Caspian shrew, C. caspica
 * Gmelin's white-toothed shrew, C. gmelini
 * Bicolored shrew, C. leucodon
 * Katinka's shrew, C. katinka presence uncertain
 * Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens
 * Iranian shrew, C. susiana
 * Zarudny's shrew, C. zarudnyi
 * Subfamily: Soricinae
 * Tribe: Nectogalini
 * Genus: Neomys
 * Mediterranean water shrew, N. anomalus
 * Transcaucasian water shrew, N. schelkovnikovi
 * Tribe: Soricini
 * Genus: Sorex
 * Caucasian pygmy shrew, S. volnuchini
 * Genus: Suncus
 * Asian house shrew, S. murinus introduced, presence uncertain
 * Pygmy white-toothed shrew, S. etruscus
 * Family: Talpidae (moles)
 * Subfamily: Talpinae
 * Tribe: Talpini
 * Genus: Talpa
 * Père David's mole, T. davidiana
 * Levant mole, T. levantis

Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
 * Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
 * Subfamily: Pteropodinae
 * Genus: Rousettus
 * Egyptian fruit bat, R. aegyptiacus
 * Family: Vespertilionidae
 * Subfamily: Myotinae
 * Genus: Myotis
 * Steppe whiskered bat, M. aurascens
 * Long-fingered bat, M. capaccinii
 * Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini
 * Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii
 * Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus
 * Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus
 * Natterer's bat, M. nattereri
 * Nepal myotis, M. nipalensis
 * Schaub's myotis, M. schaubi
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Barbastella
 * Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus
 * Eastern barbastelle, B. leucomelas
 * Barbastella caspica
 * Genus: Otonycteris
 * Desert long-eared bat, O. hemprichii
 * Turkestani long-eared bat, O. leucophaea
 * Genus: Eptesicus
 * E. anatolicus
 * Bobrinski's serotine, E. bobrinskoi
 * Botta's serotine, E. bottae
 * Northern bat, E. nilssoni
 * E. ognevi
 * E. pachyomus
 * Serotine bat, E. serotinus
 * Eptesicus pachyomus
 * Genus: Hypsugo
 * Arabian pipistrelle, H. arabicus
 * Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
 * Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
 * Common noctule, N. noctula
 * Genus: Pipistrellus
 * Kuhl's pipistrelle, P. kuhlii
 * Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus
 * Soprano pipistrelle, P. pygmaeus
 * Genus: Plecotus
 * Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus
 * Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus
 * Mountain long-eared bat, P. macrobullaris
 * P. strelkovi
 * Genus: Vespertilio
 * Parti-coloured bat, V. murinus
 * Genus: Rhyneptesicus
 * Sind bat, R. nasutus
 * Family: Rhinopomatidae
 * Genus: Rhinopoma
 * Lesser mouse-tailed bat, R. hardwickei
 * Greater mouse-tailed bat, R. microphyllum
 * Small mouse-tailed bat, R. muscatellum
 * Family: Emballonuridae
 * Genus: Taphozous
 * Naked-rumped tomb bat, T. nudiventris
 * Egyptian tomb bat, T. perforatus
 * Family: Rhinolophidae
 * Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
 * Genus: Rhinolophus
 * Blasius's horseshoe bat, R. blasii
 * Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale
 * Bokhara horseshoe bat, R. bocharicus
 * Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum
 * Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros
 * Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi
 * Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
 * Genus: Asellia
 * Trident leaf-nosed bat, A. tridens
 * Genus: Triaenops
 * Persian trident bat, T. persicus
 * Family: Molossidae
 * Genus: Tadarida
 * Egyptian free-tailed bat, T. aegyptiaca
 * European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis

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.

More than 14 species have been recorded within Iran's exclusive economic zone.
 * Suborder: Mysticeti
 * Family: Balaenopteridae
 * Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
 * Genus: Balaenoptera
 * Sei whale, B. borealis
 * Bryde's whale, B. edeni
 * Blue whale, B. musculus
 * Omura's whale, B. omurai
 * Fin whale, B. physalus
 * Common minke whale, B. acutorostrata
 * Genus: Globicephala
 * Short-finned pilot whale, G. macrorhynchus
 * Genus: Kogia
 * Dwarf sperm whale, K. Sima
 * Genus: Orcinus
 * Killer whale, O. Orca
 * Genus: Physeter
 * Sperm whale, P. macrocephalus
 * Genus: Ziphius
 * Cuvier's beaked whale, Z. cavirostris
 * Subfamily: Megapterinae
 * Genus: Megaptera
 * Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae CR (Arabian Sea population)
 * Suborder: Odontoceti
 * Superfamily: Platanistoidea
 * Family: Phocoenidae
 * Genus: Neophocaena
 * Finless porpoise, Neophocaena phocaenoides DD
 * Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
 * Genus: Sousa
 * Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis DD
 * Genus: Steno
 * Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD
 * Genus: Tursiops
 * Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DD
 * Genus: Stenella
 * Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris DD
 * Genus: Delphinus
 * Long-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus capensis DD
 * Genus: Lagenodelphis
 * Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD
 * Genus: Grampus
 * Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
 * Genus: Feresa
 * Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD
 * Genus: Peponocephala
 * Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra DD
 * Genus: Pseudorca
 * False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
 * Suborder: Feliformia
 * Family: Felidae
 * Subfamily: Felinae
 * Genus: Acinonyx
 * Cheetah, A. jubatus
 * Asiatic cheetah, A. j. venaticus
 * Genus: Caracal
 * Caracal, C. caracal
 * Genus: Felis
 * Jungle cat, F. chaus
 * African wildcat, F. lybica
 * Asiatic wildcat, F. l. ornata
 * Sand cat, F. margarita
 * Turkestan sand cat, F. m. thinobia
 * Genus: Lynx
 * Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
 * Genus: Otocolobus
 * Pallas's cat, O. manul
 * Subfamily: Pantherinae
 * Genus: Panthera
 * Leopard, P. pardus
 * Panthera pardus tulliana
 * Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
 * Genus: Urva
 * Small Indian mongoose, U. auropunctata
 * Indian grey mongoose, U. edwardsii
 * Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
 * Genus: Hyaena
 * Striped hyena, H. hyaena
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Canidae
 * Genus: Canis
 * Golden jackal, C. aureus
 * Persian jackal, C. a. aureus
 * Gray wolf, C. lupus
 * Steppe wolf, C. l. campestris
 * Indian wolf, C. l. pallipes
 * Genus: Vulpes
 * Blanford's fox, V. cana
 * Corsac fox, V. corsac
 * Rüppell's fox, V. rueppellii
 * Red fox, V. vulpes
 * Family: Ursidae (bears)
 * Genus: Ursus
 * Brown bear, U. arctos
 * Asiatic black bear, U. thibetanus
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Lutra
 * European otter, L. lutra
 * Genus: Martes
 * Beech marten, M. foina
 * European pine marten, M. martes
 * Genus: Meles
 * Caucasian badger, M. canescens
 * Genus: Mellivora
 * Honey badger, M. capensis
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis
 * Genus: Vormela
 * Marbled polecat, V. peregusna
 * Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
 * Genus: Pusa
 * Caspian seal, P. caspica

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
 * Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
 * Genus: Equus
 * Onager, E. hemionus
 * Syrian wild ass, E. h. hemippus
 * Indian wild ass, E. h. khur
 * Persian onager, E. h. onager

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: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, buffalo, sheep, goats)
 * Subfamily: Antilopinae
 * Genus: Gazella
 * Chinkara, G. bennettii
 * Goitered gazelle, G. subgutturosa
 * Subfamily: Caprinae
 * Genus: Capra
 * Wild goat, C. aegagrus
 * Bezoar ibex, C. a. aegagrus
 * Genus: Ovis
 * Mouflon, O. gmelini
 * Armenian mouflon, O. g. gmelini
 * Urial, O. vignei
 * Family: Cervidae (deer)
 * Subfamily: Cervinae
 * Genus: Cervus
 * Red deer, C. elaphus
 * Genus: Dama
 * Persian fallow deer, D. mesopotamica
 * Subfamily: Capreolinae
 * Genus: Capreolus
 * European roe deer, C. capreolus
 * Family: Suidae (pigs)
 * Subfamily: Suinae
 * Genus: Sus
 * Wild boar, S. scrofa

Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in Iran:
 * Eurasian beaver, Castor fiber
 * Lion, Panthera leo
 * Tiger, Panthera tigris