Mammals of Ohio

A comprehensive and informative review of mammalian biology and conservation in Ohio with illustrative accounts of fifty-five species, including updated research and high-quality photographs, maps, and original drawings.

List of contents

vii

CONTENTS

Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

INTRODUCTION 1

1 NATURAL HISTORY OF MAMMALS IN OHIO 13

2 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER DIDELPHIMORPHIA 27

Family Didelphidae: New World Opossums 27

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) 28

3 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER LAGOMORPHA 37

Family Leporidae: Rabbits and Hares 38

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) 38

4 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER RODENTIA 47

Family Castoridae: Beavers 48

American Beaver (Castor canadensis) 48

Family Cricetidae: New World Rats and Mice 56

Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster) 58

Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) 65

Woodland Vole or Pine Vole (Microtus pinetorum) 71

Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma magister) 77

Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) 85

White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) 92

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) 98

Eastern Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis) 104

Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) 108

Family Muridae: Old World Rats and Mice 112

House Mouse (Mus musculus) 112

Brown Rat or Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) 118

Family Sciuridae: Squirrels 124

Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans) 125

Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) 132

Woodchuck (Marmota monax) 138

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) 144

Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) 150

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) 156

Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) 162

Family Zapodidae: Jumping Mice 168

Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus insignis) 169

Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius) 175

5 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER EULIPOTYPHLA 181

Family Soricidae: Shrews 181

Northern Short-tailed

Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) 183

Least Shrew (Cryptotis parva) 189

Cinereus Shrew (Sorex cinereus) 194

Smoky Shrew (Sorex fumeus) 199

Pygmy Shrew (Sorex hoyi) 204

Family Talpidae: Moles 208

Star-nosed

Mole (Condylura cristata) 209

Hairy-tailed Mole (Parascalops breweri) 215

Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus) 220

6 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER CARNIVORA 229

Family Canidae: Dogs and Relatives 231

Coyote (Canis latrans) 232

Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) 240

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) 245

Family Felidae: Cats 253

Bobcat (Lynx rufus) 254

Family Mephitidae: Skunks 259

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) 259

Family Mustelidae: Weasels, Mink, Badgers, and Otters 266

North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) 267

Ermine or Short-tailed

Weasel (Mustela erminea) 274

Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) 281

Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis) 288

American Mink (Neovison vison) 294

American Badger (Taxidea taxus) 300

Family Procyonidae: Raccoons and Relatives 307

Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor) 308

Family Ursidae: Bears 316

American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) 316

7 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER CETARTIODACTYLA 325

Family Cervidae: Deer 326

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 326

8 INTRODUCTION TO THE ORDER CHIROPTERA 335

Family Vespertilionidae: Evening Bats 336

Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) 340

Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) 346

Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) 352

Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) 359

Eastern Small-footed Myotis (Myotis leibii) 364

Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) 369

Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) 375

Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) 380

Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) 387

Tri-colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) 393

9 OTHER OHIO MAMMALS: EXTIRPATED,

OCCASIONAL OCCURRENCE, AND PREHISTORIC 401

Appendix A: Dental Formulas of Ohio Mammals 415

Appendix B: Equivalent Metric and Imperial Units of Measure 417

Appendix C: Common and Scientific Names of Plants

and Animals 419

Appendix D: Glossary 423

Index

About the author

John D. Harder is associate professor emeritus in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology at The Ohio State University, where he taught upper-division courses in mammalogy and conservation biology. His research on the reproductive biology and ecology of mammals has focused on marsupials and involved field studies in Ohio, Venezuela, and Amazonian Peru.

Summary

A comprehensive and informative review of mammalian biology and conservation in Ohio with illustrative accounts of fifty-five species, including updated research and high-quality photographs, maps, and original drawings.

Product details

• Authors: Guy N Cameron, Guy N. Cameron, John D Harder, John D. Harder, John D./ Cameron Harder
• Publisher: University of ohio press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2021
• EAN: 9780821424636
• ISBN: 978-0-8214-2463-6
• No. of pages: 524
• Subject: Guides > Nature