Mammals
& Other Wildlife
(land & marine)
during FONT tours in
North America
1991 thru 2007
List compiled by Armas Hill
Codes:
AK:
in Alaska
AZ: in Arizona
BC: in British Colombia, Canada
CA: in California (inc. offshore)
CO: in Colorado
DE: in Delaware (inc. offshore, some in MD waters)
FL: in Florida
KN: in Kansas
NB: in Nebraska
NC: in North Carolina
NJ: in New Jersey (inc. offshore, some in NY waters)
NF; in Newfoundland, Canada
NM: in New Mexico
TX: in Texas
WA: in Washington State (inc. offshore)
WY: in Wyoming
(p): seen pelagically
AMERICAN OPOSSUMS
(in the Order
Didelphimorphia (formerly Marsupialia), Family Didelphidae)
- Virginia Opossum ______ CA,DE
Didelphis virginiana
ARMADILLOS (in the Order Xenarthra (formerly Edentata)
("Edentates" means "those without teeth". However, this term is more
appropriate for the xenarthrans that truly are toothless, the Old World pangolins.)
(Family Dasypodidae)
- Nine-banded (Long-nosed) Armadillo ______ FL,TX
Dasypus novemcinctus
(of the 20 New World armadillos, the only one that inhabits the
United States)
SHREWS & MOLES (in the Order Insectivores "insect eaters" - this
group, throughout much of the world, includes shrews, moles, hedgehogs,
moonrats, and tenrecs.
Family Soricidae)
- Montane (formerly Dusky)
Shrew ______ WA
Sorex monticolus
- Pribilof Island Shrew
______
AK
(endangered)
Sorex pribilofensis
BATS (Order Chiroptera - with about 950 species worldwide, the
diversity of bats is second only to that of rodents)
- North American Long-nosed Bat ______ AZ
Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (formerly conspecific with
what's now the Mexican Lon-nosed Bat, L.
nivalis)
(population in Arizona was formerly considered by some a distinct
species, the Sanborn's Long-nosed Bat, L.
sanborni)
- Mexican Long-tongued Bat ______ AZ
Choeronycteris mexicana (the single member of its genus)
Mexican (or Brazilian) Free-tailed Bat ______ NM
Tadarida brasiliensis
(many at Carlsbad Caverns)
Big Free-tailed Bat ______ NM
Nyctinomops macrotis
Silver-haired Bat ______ NJ (p)
(IN PHOTO ABOVE, at beginning of list)
Lasionycteris noctivagans (the single member of its genus)
(came onboard a FONT pelagic trip, 70 miles offshore from
New Jersey, September 12, 2004)
Eastern Red Bat ______ NJ (p)
Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat & Western Red Bat recently
split)
Seminole Bat ______ NC
Lasiurus seminolus
California Myotis ______ CA
Myotis californicus
Yuma Myotis ______ TX
Myotis (formerly Leuconoe) yumanensis
Little Brown Myotis ______ CO,NC
Myotis (formerly Leuconoe) lucifugus
Big Brown Bat ______ CA,WA
Eptesicus fuscus
Eastern Pipistrelle
______ NC
Pipistrellus (formerly Perimyotis) subflavus
Western Pipistrelle ______ TX
Pipistrellus (formerly
Hypsugo) hesperus
CARNIVORES (Order Carnivora)
Families include:
Canines: Dogs & Foxes (Canidae)
Felines: Cats (Felidae)
Bears: (Ursidae)
Procyonids: Raccoons & allies (Procyonidae)
Mustelids: Weasels, Skunks & allies (Mustelidae)
CANINES:
Coyote ______ AZ,CA,CO,KN,TX,WA
Canis latrans
Red Wolf ______ NC(i)
(critically endangered)
Canis rufus (Some contend this to be a "historical hybrid" between
the Gray Wolf, Canis lupus, and the
Coyote, Canis latrans.) (The
"Red
Wolf" was introduced into eastern North Carolina from the Southwest
US.)
Gray Fox ______ AZ,CA,CO,TX,WA
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
(would be monotypic were it not for the
Island Gray Fox
of the Channel Is. of California, Urocyon littoralis)
Red Fox _____ AK,CA,CO,WA
Vulpes fulva (the North
American animal considered by some as conspecific with the Old World
Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes)
Swift Fox ______ CO
Vulpes velox
Kit Fox ______ TX
Vulpes macrotis
Arctic Fox ______ AK
Vulpes (formerly Alopex) lagopus
FELINES:
Bobcat ______ CA,NC,TX
Felis (formerly Lynx) rufa
BEARS:
American Black Bear ______ AK,AZ,NC
Urus (formerly Euarctos) americanus
(Up to 18 subspecies are recognized.)
(Note: Not all "Black
Bears" are black. Some coastal populations of British Columbia
and Alaska are creamy white, the "Kermode Bear".
Others are bluish gray, the "Glacier Bear". Another
population in the Northwest US is light reddish-brown, the "Cinnamon
Bear". Most in the eastern US are black.)
Brown (or
Grizzly)
Bear ______ AK
Ursus arctos (has also been
Ursus horribilis)
(The larger "Big
Brown (or Kodiak) Bear" of Alaska
& northwest Canada has been considered a distinct species, U.
middendorffi, but generally now considered conspecific with U.
arctos)
(The Brown Bear of North America, Europe, and Asia is now by
most considered as a single species.)
PROCYONIDS:
Northern Raccoon ______ CO,DE,FL,NB,NC,TX,WA
Procyon lotor
Ringtail ______ TX
Bassariscus astutus
White-nosed Coati ______ AZ
Nasua narica
AQUATIC MUSTELIDS
American Mink ______ DE,NC
Mustela vison
(Note: There formerly was a "Sea Mink", larger and redder,
Mustela
v. macrodon, along the North Atlantic coast. It was trapped to extinction by
the 1860's. Some say it was a full species.)
Northern River Otter ______ CA,NC,WA
Lutra (formerly Lontra) canadensis
(Up to 5 feet in length; up to 22 pounds in weight.)
Sea Otter ______ AK,CA
Enhydra lutris (the single member of its genus)
OTHER MUSTELIDS:
American Badger ______
CO
Taxidea taxus (the single member of its genus)
Western Spotted Skunk
______ CO
Spilogale gracilis
Hooded Skunk ______ AZ
Mephitis macroura
Striped Skunk ______ AZ,CO,TX
Mephitis mephitis
MARINE MAMMALS I - SEALS & SEA LIONS (Order Pinnidedia,
"fin-footed")
EARED SEALS, including SEA LIONS & FUR SEALS (Family Otariidae)
California Sea Lion ______ CA
(the Galapagos Sea Lion is a race of this species, there is
another rare subspecies in Japan)
Zalophus californiannus (the single member of its genus)
(Males are about 6.5 feet in length, and
weigh up to almost 600 pounds; females about 5.9 feet in length, and
weighing up to 198 pounds.)
Steller's (or Northern)
Sea Lion ______ AK,WA
Eumetopias jubatus (the single member of its genus)
(Males are nearly 10 feet long, and can weigh up to 2,200 pounds; females
up 6.6 feet in length, and weighing up to 660 pounds.)
(The smallest adult Steller's Sea Lion
is larger than the largest California Sea Lion)
Northern Fur Seal ______ AK,CA,WA
Callorbinnus ursinus (the single member of its genus)
HAIR, including PHOCID, SEALS (Family Phocidae)
Harbor Seal ______ AK,CA,WA
Phoca vitulina
(range from 3.9 to 5.9 feet in length, weigh
from 99 to 230 pounds)
Ringed Seal ______ AK
Phoca hispida
Bearded Seal ______
AK
Erignathus barbatus (the single member of its
genus)
Northern Elephant Seal ______ CA
Mirounga angustirostris
(Males can be over 16 feet in length,
and weigh up to 4,400 pounds; females weigh up to 1,760 pounds.)
WALRUS (Family Odobenidae)
Walrus ______ AK
Odobenus rosmarus (the single member of its genus)
RODENTS: gnawing mammals (Order Rodentia - the largest order of mammals with nearly 2,000
species worldwide)
Families include:
Squirrels (Sciuridae)
Pocket Gophers (Geomyidae)
Kangaroo Rats & Pocket Mice (Heteromyidae)
Mice & Rats (Muridae), New World Mice & Rats (subfamily
Sigmodontinae)
New World Porcupines (Erethizontidae)
Hoary Marmot ______ AK,WA
(has also been called "Whistler")
Marmota caligata
Yellow-bellied Marmot ______ CO
(has also been called Rockchuck)
Marmota flaviventris
Woodchuck ______ AK,DE
(has also been called "Groundhog")
Marmota monax
(The subspecies in Alaska, M. m. ochracea,
is reddish cinnamon in color.)
Black-tailed Prairie-Dog ______ CO,KN,NB
Cynomys ludovicianus
White-tailed Prairie-Dog ______ CO
Cynomys leucurus
Gunnison Prairie-Dog ______ CO
Cynomys gunnisoni
Harris's Antelope Squirrel ______ AZ
(has
also been called Yuma Antelope Squirrel)
Ammospermophilus harrisii
Texas Antelope Squirrel ______ TX
Ammospermophilus interpres
California Ground Squirrel ______ CA
Spermophilus (formerly Otospermophilus) beecheyi
Arctic Ground Squirrel ______ AK
Spermophilus (formerly Urocitellus) parryii
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel ______
CO,WY
Spermophilus (formerly Ictidomys) tridecemlineatus
Mexican Ground Squirrel ______ NM,TX
Spermophilus (formerly Ictidomys) mexicanus
Wyoming Ground Squirrel ______ CO,WY
(formerly conspecific with Richardson's Ground Squirrel, Spermphilus
richardsonii)
Spermophilus elegans
Washington Ground Squirrel ______ WA
Spermophilus washingtoni
Belding's Ground Squirrel ______ WA
(seen in eastern Washington State,
slightly north of boundary in range maps)
Spermophilus beldingi
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel ______ CO
Spermophilus (formerly Callospermophilus or Citellus) lateralis
Cascade Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
______ WA (a
recent "split" from the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel,
Spermophilus lateralis)
Spermophilus (formerly Callospermophilus) saturatus
Townsend's Ground Squirrel ______ WA
Spermophilus townsendii
Round-tailed Ground Squirrel ______ AZ
Spermophilus (formerly Urocitellus) tereticaudus
Variegated Ground Squirrel (or Rock Squirrel) ______ AZ,CO,NM,TX
Spermophilus (formerly Otospermophilus) variegatus
Townsend's Chipmunk ______ WA
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) townsendii
Yellow-pine Chipmunk ______ WA
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) amoenus
Merriam's Chipmunk ______ CA
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) merriami
Least Chipmunk ______ CO,WA,WY
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) minimus
Panamint Chipmunk ______ CA
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) panamintinus
Colorado Chipmunk ______ CO
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) quadrivittatus
Cliff Chipmunk ______ AZ
Tamias (formerly Neotamias) dorsalis
Eastern Chipmunk ______ DE
Tamias striatus
Eastern Gray Squirrel (i/wNA) ______
BC,DE,NC,WA
Sciurus carolinensis
Western Gray Squirrel ______ CA,WA
Sciurus (formerly Hesperosciurus) griseus
Arizona Gray Squirrel ______ AZ
Sciurus arizonensis
Eastern Fox Squirrel ______ CO,NB,NC,TX
Sciurus niger
(northern form in Colorado & Nebraska; in Nebraska the black morph)
(in North Carolina, a dark southeastern form, but with white nose and
ears)
Mexican Fox Squirrel ______ AZ
(has
been called Apache Fox Squirrel, Sciurus
apache)
Sciurus nayaritensis
Tassel-eared (or Abert's) Squirrel ______
AZ,CO
Sciurus (formerly Otosciurus) aberti
American Red (or Spruce)
Squirrel ______ AK,CO,WA
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Douglas' Squirrel ______ WA
(also
called "Chickaree") (Note, however, that the Red
Squirrel is also referred to as "Chickaree" in
the Rocky Mtns)
Tamiasciurus douglasii
POCKET
GOPHERS (Family Geomyidae)
Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher ______
TX
Pappogeomys (formerly Cratogeomys) castanops
MICE & RATS
North American Deermouse ______ AZ,WA
Peromyscus maniculatus
Northwestern Deermouse ______ WA
Peromyscus keeni
Chihuahan Pocket Mouse ______ TX
Chaetodipus eremicus
Olive-backed Pocket
Mouse ______ CO
Perognathus fasciatus
Plains Pocket Mouse
______ KN
Perognathus flavescens
Plains Harvest Mouse
______ CO
Reithrodontomys montanus
White-throated Woodrat
______ AZ
Neotoma albigula
Hispid Cotton Rat ______
NC,TX
Sigmodon hispidus
Singing (formerly
called Alaska)
Vole ______ AK
Microtus (formerly
Stenocranius) miurus
Tiaga (formerly called Yellow-cheeked)
Vole ______ AK
Microtus (formerly
Aulacomys) xanthognathus
NEW WORLD PORCUPINES (Family Erethizontidae)
North American Porcupine ______ AK,CO,WA
Erethizon dorsatum
AQUATIC RODENTS
American Beaver ______ AK,CO,NB,WY
Castor canadensis
Muskrat ______ AK,CO,DE,NB,WA,WY
Ondatra zibethicus (the single member of its genus)
Nutria (or Coypu) (i) ______ NC,TX,WA
Myocastor coypus (the single member of its genus)
(native to South America)
PIKAS, RABBITS & HARES (Order Lagomorpha)
PIKA (Family Ochotonidae)
American Pika (or Cony)
______ AK,CO
Ochotona princeps
RABBITS & HARES (Family Leporidae)
European Rabbit (i) ______ WA
Oryctolagus cuniculus (the single member of its genus)
Mountain Cottontail ______ CO,WA,WY
(has also been
called
Nuttall's Cottontail)
Sylvilagus nuttallii
Desert Cottontail ______
AZ,CA,CO,NM,TX
Sylvilagus audubonii
Eastern Cottontail ______ AZ,CO,DE,FL,KN,NB,NC,TX,WA
Sylvilagus floridanus
(a western population in central-east Washington State)
Marsh Rabbit ______ FL,NC
Sylvilagus
(formerly Tapeti) palistris
Brush Rabbit ______ CA
Sylvilagus (formerly Microlagus) bachmani
Black-tailed Jackrabbit ______ AZ,CA,CO,KN,NM,TX
Lepus californicus
White-tailed Jackrabbit ______ CO,KN
Lepus townsendii
Antelope Jackrabbit ______ AZ
Lepus alleni
Snowshoe (or Varying) Hare ______ AK,CO,WY
Lepus americanus
EVEN-TOED UNGULATES (Order Artiodactyla)
(This order worldwide is diverse, including: pigs, hippopotamuses, camels,
deer, antelope, and cattle.)
SHEEP, GOATS, BISON, & MUSKOX (Family Bovidae)
Bighorn Sheep ______ CO,WA
Ovis canadensis
("Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep" in Colorado, O. c. canadensis)
("Desert Bighorn Sheep" in Washington)

A
Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis, in the Rocky Mountains of
Colorado.
(photo by Rick Greenspun,
during the April 1005 FONT tour in Colorado & nearby states)
Dall's Sheep ______ AK
Orvis dalli
Mountain Goat ______ AK
Ocramnos americanus (the single member of
its genus)
(Plains) American Bison (or Buffalo) ______
CO
(today domesticated)
Bison b. bison
Muskox ______ AK
Ovibus moschatus (the single member of
its genus)
(nearly extinct at the end of the 19th Century, now
reestablished in parts of Alaska)
PRONGHORN ANTELOPE (Family Antilocapridae)
(There is only one living species in this exclusively American family.)
Pronghorn ______ AZ,CO,KN,TX,WY
Antilocapra americana (the single member of its genus)
(the fastest North American mammal; has been clocked at 60 mph)

Pronghorn
NEW WORLD PIGS OR PECCARIES - 2 species, 1 of which
north of Mexico (Family Tayassuidae)
(Note: the Old World Swine (Boars, introduced various places in North
America) are in the Family Suidae)
Collared Peccary ______ AZ,TX
(also
called Javelina)
Dicotyles
(formerly Pecari) tajacu
(was at one time Pecari angulatus)
DEER (Family Cervidae: hoofed animals with antlers shed each year)
"American" Elk (or Wapiti) ______
CO,WA,WY
Cervus elaphus canadensis
(another, slightly smaller, subspecies in Europe is called there the
Red Deer)
"Tule" Elk ______ CA
Cervus elaphus nannodes (a subspecies of the
Elk
in
California)
Moose ______ AK,CO
(in Europe called
Elk)
Alces alces (the single member of its genus)
Mule Deer ______ AZ,CA,CO,KN,NM,TX,WA,WY
(subspecies west of the Cascades
called
Blacktail Deer,
O. h. columbianus)
Odocoileus hemionus
White-tailed Deer ______
AZ,CO,DE,FL,KN,NB,NC,TX,WA
Odocoileus virginianus
(including "Columbian White-tailed Deer" in the Pacific Northwest)
(including "Coue's White-tailed Deer" in Arizona)
(including "Sierra del Carmen White-tailed Deer" in the Chisos
Mtns of west Texas)
(including "Key White-tailed Deer" in the Florida
Keys)
(This mammal occurs in all 48 states of the lower mainland US.)
(Common) Fallow Deer (i) ______ CA
(feral at Point Reyes, CA; originally in the Mediterranean region of the Old
World)
Dama dama
(Barren Ground) Caribou ______ AK
Rangifer tarandus (the single member of
its genus)
"Reindeer" (i) ______ AK
(either from domesticated stock or from European Caribou)
Rangifer
tarandus
SIRENIANS (Order Sirenia)
MANATEES (Family Trichechidae)
(There are 3 species of manatees in the world.)
West Indian Manatee ______ FL
(has also been called "Sea Cow")
Trichechus manatus
MARINE MAMMALS II - PORPOISES, DOLPHINS, & WHALES (Order Cetacea)
TOOTHED WHALES (Suborder Odontoceti) include:
Dolphins & Porpoises, the Beaked Whales, Sperm Whales, the Beluga and
Narwhal.
OCEAN DOLPHINS (Family Delphinidae)
Short-beaked Common Dolphin ______ CA,DE,NJ
(p) (also called "Saddleback Dolphin")
Delphinus delphis
Common Bottle-nosed Dolphin
inshore population ______ DE,NC,
offshore population ______ DE,NJ (p)
Tursiops truncatus
(in the Atlantic, called "Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin")
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin ______ NC (p)
Stenella frontalis
Clymene (or Short-snouted
Spinner) Dolphin
______ NC (p)
Stenella clymene
Northern Right Whale Dolphin ______ CA,WA
(p)
Lissodelphis borealis
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin ______ NJ (p)
Lagenorhynchus acutus
Pacific White-sided Dolphin ______ CA
(p)
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
(Up to just over 7 feet in length; up to
about 200 pounds in weight.)
Risso's Dolphin ______ CA,DE,NC,NJ
(p) (also
called Gray Grampus)
Grampus griseus (the single member of its genus)
(Up to nearly 12 feet in length; up to 900
pounds in weight.)
Orca ______ AK,CA,WA (p)
(has also been called Killer Whale or "Sea Wolf")
Orcinus orca (the single member of its genus)
(Males up to 30 feet in length, females up to
27 feet; males weigh up to 5 tons, females up to 3 tons. The male's dorsal
fin can be 6 feet high; that of the female about 2 feet in height)
(One of the fastest swimming whales, with a maximum recorded speed of 30
knots maintained for 20 minutes.)
False Killer Whale ______ NC (p)
Pseudorca crassidens (the single member of its genus)
Dall's Porpoise ______ AK,CA,WA
(p)
Phocoenoides dalli (the single member of its genus)
(Up to 6.6 feet in length; up to 330 pounds
in weight.)
Long-finned Pilot Whale ______ NJ (p)
(has also been called "Blackfish")
Globicephala melas
Short-finned Pilot Whale ______
CA,NC (p) (has also been
called "Blackfish")
Globicephala macrorhynchus
(Males up to over 22 feet in length; females
up to over 16 feet long. Males weigh to to 2,640 pounds; females up to 1,760
pounds.)
BEAKED WHALES (Family Ziphiidae)
(Pelagic in habitat, most are poorly known)
Cuvier's Beaked Whale ______ NC (p)
(has also been called Goosebeak Whale)
Ziphius cavirostris (the single member of its genus)
Blainville's Beaked Whale ______ NC (p)
Mesoplodon densirostris
True's Beaked Whale ______ NC (p)
Mesoplodon mirus
Baird's Beaked Whale ______ CA
(p)
Berardius bairdii
SPERM WHALES (Family Physeteridae)
(2 smaller species, the Pygmy Sperm Whale and the Dwarf Sperm Whale, are
sometimes placed in a different family, Kogiidae; they appear to be
distantly related to the Great Sperm Whale.)
(Note: Both the Great Sperm Whale and the Dwarf Sperm Whale has been seen
during FONT pelagic trips in the Caribbean.)
(Great) Sperm Whale ______ NC (p)
(has also been called Cachalot)
Physeter catodon
BALEEN WHALES - whales without teeth (Suborder
Mysticeti)
GRAY WHALE (Family Eschrichtiidae)
(California) Gray Whale ______
AK,CA,WA (p) (Other names:
"Mussel-digger", "Scrag Whale")
Eschrichtius robustus (the single member of its genus)
(Females are larger than males: females up to over 46 feet long, males up
to over 42 feet long; the animal's weight can be up to 33 tons)
(During a FONT tour near Nome, AK, seen from shore)
(Has a 12,000 mile round-trip migration between its southern breeding
grounds in Baja California and its northern feeding grounds in the Bering,
Chukchi, and western Beaufort seas)
(Gray Whales
formerly occurred in the North Atlantic, where they were hunted to
extinction by the 17th or 18th Century. In the western Pacific, a population
off Korea, may now be extinct. The eastern Pacific population was reduced to
only a few hundred or thousand in the early 1900's.Protection came in 1946,
and that population has now recovered.)
RORQUAL (or FINBACK) WHALES (Family Balaenopteridae)
Humpback Whale ______ AK,CA,NJ,WA (p)
Megaptera novaeanliae (the single member of its genus)
(up to over 52 feet in length, weighing up to 44 tons)
Northern Minke Whale ______ NC,NJ,WA
(p) (has also been called Piked Whale or
Lesser Rorqual)
Balacnoptera acutorostrata
(formerly, until 1998, considered conspecific with southern population,
now Antarctic Minke Whale, B.
bonaerensis)
(up to about 30 feet in length,
weighing up to nearly 10 tons)
Fin Whale ______ DE,NJ (p)
(has also been called Common Rorqual) (endangered)
Balaenoptera physalus
Blue Whale ______ CA (p)
(has also been called "Sulphurbottom") (endangered)
Balaenoptera musculus
(the largest of all mammals)
Note: RIGHT
& BOWHEAD WHALES in Family Balaenidae
References for the above mammal-list include:
the new book:
"Mammals of North America" by Roland W. Kays & Don E. Wilson,
published by Princeton Univ Press, 2002.
also new, "Mammals of the World - A Checklist", by Andrew Duff &
Ann Lawson, 2004
"A Field Guide to the Mammals (of North America north of Mexico), by
William H. Burt & Richard P. Grossenheider
"Mammals of the Pacific Northwest", by James R. Christensen & Earl
J. Larrison, 1982
"Marine Birds and Mammals of Puget Sound", by Tony Angell &
Kenneth C. Balcomb, 1982
"Eyewitness Handbook: Whales, Dolphins & Porpoises - a Visual Guide to
the World's Cetaceans", by Mark Carwardine, illustrated by Martin Camm,
1995
"World Guide to Mammals" by Nicole Duplaix
& Noel Simon, 1976
"The Encyclopedia of Mammals", edited by Dr. David Macdonald, 1984
"A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America & Southeast
Mexico", by Fiona A. Reid, 1997

Other
Wildlife (marine):
MARINE, or SEA, TURTLES
- Leatherback (Sea) Turtle ______ CA,DE,NC,NJ
(p)
Dermochelys coriacea
(the world's largest turtle, can weigh half a ton; a deep
diver, can go to a depth of about 5,000 feet)
- Loggerhead (Sea) Turtle ______ DE,NC,NJ (p)
Caretta caretta
- Kemp's Ridley (Sea) Turtle ______ DE (p)
Lepidochelys kempii
(the world's rarest sea turtle, listed as
"endangered')
PLANKTON-FEEDING SHARKS & RAYS
- Basking Shark ______ NJ (p)
Cetorhinus maximus
(the world's second largest fish, can be over 30 feet long
and weigh more than 4 tons; can jump completely out of the water)
- Manta Ray ______ NJ (p)
Manta birostris
REQUIEM SHARKS (Family Carcharhinidae)
- Blue Shark ______ CA,NJ
(p)
Prionace glauca
THRESHER SHARKS (Family Alopiidae)
- Thresher Shark ______
CA (p)
Alopias vulpinus
SWORDFISH (Family Xiphiidae)
- Swordfish ______ NJ (p)
Xiphias gladius
OCEAN SUNFISHES (Family Molidae)
(Large fish with disc-like bodies, lacking a tail.)
- Ocean Sunfish ______ DE,NC,NJ
(p)
Mola mola
(can weigh up to 2 tons)
FROGFISHES (Family Antennariidae)
- Sargassum Fish ______ NC (p)
Histrio histrio
TUNAS & MACKERELS (Family Scombridae)
- Yellowfin Tuna ______ NC,NJ (p)
Thunnus albacares
- Skipjack Tuna ______ DE,NJ (p)
Katsuwonus pelamis
- Atlantic Mackerel ______ NJ (p)
Scomber scombrus
- Wahoo ______ NC (p)
Acanthocybium solandri
DOLPHIN FISHES (Family Coryphaenidae)
- Dorado / Dolphin ______ NC (p)
Coryphaena hippurus
BILLFISHES (Family Xiphiidae)
- Atlantic Sailfish ______ NC (p)
Istiophorus albicans
- Longbill Spearfish ______ NC (p)
Tetrapturus pfluegeri
- Atlantic White Marlin ______ NC (p)
Tetrapturus albidus
- Atlantic Blue Marlin ______ NC (p)
Makaira nigricans
SALMONS (Family Salmonidae)
- Chinook (also called King
Salmon) ______ WA
Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha
SEAHORSES (in Family Syngnathidae, along with Pipefishes)
- Common Seahorse ______ NC (p)
Hippocampus ramulosus
OPEN-OCEAN
INVERTEBRATES
JELLYFISH (Class Scyphozoa)
- Moon Jelly ______ CA,DE,NJ (p)
Aurelia aurita
HYDROIDS (Class Hydrozoa, Order Siphonophora: not true jellyfish)
- Portuguese Man-of-war ______ NC,NJ (p)
Physalia physalis
References include:
"Sea Life - A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment", edited by
Geoffrey Waller, with principal contributors Marc Dando & Michael Burchett,
1996.
"Nature in the Northwest - An Introduction to the Natural History and
Ecology of the Northwestern United States from the Rockies to the
Pacific", by Susan Schwartz, 1983.