The Amazon is home to more species of plants and animals than any other terrestrial ecosystem on the planet -- perhaps 30 percent of the world's species are found there.

  • More than 430 species of mammal are found in the Amazon, the majority of which are bats and rodents.
  • The Amazon is home to the world's largest rodent, the capybara which can weigh 200 pounds (91 kg).
  • Two species of freshwater dolphin live in the Amazon river.
  • Edentates -- including sloths, anteaters, and armadillos -- are common residents of the Amazon rainforest and only exist in the New World.
  • In 2013, scientists announced the discovery of a previously undescribed species of tapir.

Dusky Titi Monkey (Callicebus spp.) Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Capybara leaving water with a bird on its back Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Jaguar (Panthera onca) Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Pair of tapirs in water Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Tayassu tajacu Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Common woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha) Taken by Rhett A. Butler
Taken by Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus) Rhett A. Butler

List of selected mammals from the greater Amazon region

Note: this list is not comprehensive. Some species may live outside the Amazon rainforest biome.
Common nameLatin nameFamilyIUCN status
Black-headed night monkeyAotus nigricepsAotidaeLC
Spix's night monkeyAotus vociferansAotidaeLC
Mantled howlerAlouatta palliataAtelidaeLC
Venezuelan red howlerAlouatta seniculusAtelidaeLC
White-fronted spider monkeyAteles belzebuthAtelidaeVU
Brown woolly monkeyLagothrix lagothrichaAtelidaeLR/lc
Pale-throated three-toed slothBradypus tridactylusBradypodidae (three-toed sloths)LC
Brown-throated three-toed slothBradypus variegatusBradypodidae (three-toed sloths)LC
Short-eared dogAtelocynus microtisCanidae (dogs, foxes)DD
Crab-eating foxCerdocyon thousCanidae (dogs, foxes)LC
CulpeoLycalopex culpaeusCanidae (dogs, foxes)LC
Bush dogSpeothos venaticusCanidae (dogs, foxes)VU
Brazilian guinea pigCavia apereaCaviidae (guinea pigs)LR/lc
Guinea pigCavia porcellusCaviidae (guinea pigs)LR/lc
CapybaraHydrochoerus hydrochaerisCaviidae (guinea pigs)LR/lc
Goeldi's marmosetCallimico goeldiiCebidaeNT
Pygmy marmosetCebuella pygmaeaCebidaeLC
White-fronted capuchinCebus albifronsCebidaeLC
Large-headed capuchinCebus macrocephalusCebidaeLC
Brown-mantled tamarinSaguinus fuscicollisCebidaeLC
Common squirrel monkeySaimiri sciureusCebidaeLC
TarucaHippocamelus antisensisCervidae (deer)DD
Red brocketMazama americanaCervidae (deer)DD
Gray brocketMazama gouazoupiraCervidae (deer)DD
White-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianusCervidae (deer)LR/lc
Pudú|Northern pudúPudu mephistophilesCervidae (deer)LR/nt
Amazonian marsh ratHolochilus sciureusCricetidaeLR/lc
Highland small rice ratMicroryzomys altissimusCricetidaeLR/lc
Forest small rice ratMicroryzomys minutusCricetidaeLR/lc
Common neacomysNeacomys spinosusCricetidaeLR/lc
Narrow-footed bristly mouseNeacomys tenuipesCricetidaeLR/lc
Bicolored arboreal rice ratOecomys bicolorCricetidaeLR/lc
Robert's arboreal rice ratOecomys robertiCricetidaeLR/lc
Trinidad arboreal rice ratOecomys trinitatisCricetidaeLR/lc
Destructive pygmy rice ratOligoryzomys destructorCricetidaeDD
Fulvous pygmy rice ratOligoryzomys fulvescensCricetidaeLR/lc
Azara's broad-headed rice ratOryzomys megacephalusCricetidaeLR/lc
Yungas rice ratOryzomys yunganusCricetidaeLR/lc
Coues's climbing mouseRhipidomys couesiCricetidaeLR/lc
White-footed climbing mouseRhipidomys leucodactylusCricetidaeLR/lc
Atlantic Forest climbing mouseRhipidomys mastacalisCricetidaeLR/lc
Alston's cotton ratSigmodon alstoniCricetidaeLR/lc
Golden oldfield mouseThomasomys aureusCricetidaeLR/lc
Short-tailed cane ratZygodontomys brevicaudaCricetidaeLR/lc
Lowland pacaCuniculus pacaCuniculidae (paca)LC
Mountain pacaCuniculus taczanowskiiCuniculidae (paca)LR/nt
Silky anteaterCyclopes didactylusCyclopedidaeLC
Southern naked-tailed armadilloCabassous unicinctusDasypodidae (armadillos)LC
Greater long-nosed armadilloDasypus kappleriDasypodidae (armadillos)LC
Nine-banded armadilloDasypus novemcinctusDasypodidae (armadillos)LC
Giant armadilloPriodontes maximusDasypodidae (armadillos)VU
Black agoutiDasyprocta fuliginosaDasyproctidae (agoutis and pacas)LR/lc
Central American agoutiDasyprocta punctataDasyproctidae (agoutis and pacas)LR/lc
Red acouchiMyoprocta acouchyDasyproctidae (agoutis and pacas)LR/lc
TucuxiSotalia fluviatilisDelphinidae (marine dolphins)DD
Brown-eared woolly opossumCaluromys lanatusDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/nt
Water opossumChironectes minimusDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/nt
White-eared opossumDidelphis albiventrisDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Common opossumDidelphis marsupialisDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Bushy-tailed opossumGlironia venustaDidelphidae (American opossums)VU
Lutrine opossumLutreolina crassicaudataDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Woolly mouse opossumMarmosa demeraraeDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Rufous mouse opossumMarmosa lepidaDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/nt
Linnaeus's mouse opossumMarmosa murinaDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Bare-tailed woolly mouse opossumMarmosa reginaDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Robinson's mouse opossumMarmosa robinsoniDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Tschudi's slender opossumMarmosops impavidusDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/nt
White-bellied slender opossumMarmosops noctivagusDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Delicate slender opossumMarmosops parvidensDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/nt
Brown four-eyed opossumMetachirus nudicaudatusDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Sepia short-tailed opossumMonodelphis adustaDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Anderson's four-eyed opossumPhilander andersoniDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
Gray four-eyed opossumPhilander opossumDidelphidae (American opossums)LR/lc
PacaranaDinomys branickiiDinomyidae (pacarana)EN
Amazon bamboo ratDactylomys dactylinusEchimyidaeLR/lc
Ferreira's spiny tree ratMesomys hispidusEchimyidaeLR/lc
Short-tailed spiny ratProechimys brevicaudaEchimyidaeLR/lc
Cuvier's spiny ratProechimys cuvieriEchimyidaeLR/lc
Napo spiny ratProechimys quadruplicatusEchimyidaeLR/lc
Simon's spiny ratProechimys simonsiEchimyidaeLR/lc
Bicolor-spined porcupineCoendou bicolorErethizontidae (New World porcupines)LR/lc
ColocoloLeopardus colocoloFelidae (cats)NT
OcelotLeopardus pardalisFelidae (cats)LC
OncillaLeopardus tigrinusFelidae (cats)NT
MargayLeopardus wiediiFelidae (cats)LC
JaguarPanthera oncaFelidae (cats)NT
CougarPuma concolorFelidae (cats)NT
JaguarundiPuma yagouaroundiFelidae (cats)LC
Amazon river dolphin, BotoInia geoffrensisIniidaeVU
Linnaeus's two-toed slothCholoepus didactylusMegalonychidae (two-toed sloths)LC
Hoffmann's two-toed slothCholoepus hoffmanniMegalonychidae (two-toed sloths)LC
Striped hog-nosed skunkConepatus semistriatusMephitidaeLR/lc
TayraEira barbaraMustelidae (mustelids)LR/lc
Greater grisonGalictis vittataMustelidae (mustelids)LR/lc
Neotropical river otterLontra longicaudisMustelidae (mustelids)DD
Amazon weaselMustela africanaMustelidae (mustelids)DD
Long-tailed weaselMustela frenataMustelidae (mustelids)LR/lc
Giant otterPteronura brasiliensisMustelidae (mustelids)EN
Giant anteaterMyrmecophaga tridactylaMyrmecophagidae (American anteaters)NT
Northern tamanduaTamandua mexicanaMyrmecophagidae (American anteaters)LC
Southern tamanduaTamandua tetradactylaMyrmecophagidae (American anteaters)LC
Tailed tailless batAnoura caudiferPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Handley's tailless batAnoura cultrataPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Geoffroy's tailless batAnoura geoffroyiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Andersen's fruit-eating batArtibeus anderseniPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Silver fruit-eating batArtibeus glaucusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Jamaican fruit batArtibeus jamaicensisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Great fruit-eating batArtibeus lituratusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Dark fruit-eating batArtibeus obscurusPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Pygmy fruit-eating batArtibeus phaeotisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Chestnut short-tailed batCarollia castaneaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Seba's short-tailed batCarollia perspicillataPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Salvin's big-eyed batChiroderma salviniPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Little big-eyed batChiroderma trinitatumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Hairy big-eyed batChiroderma villosumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Godman's long-tailed batChoeroniscus godmaniPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Minor long-nosed long-tongued batChoeroniscus minorPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Common vampire batDesmodus rotundusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
White-winged vampire batDiaemus youngiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Hairy-legged vampire batDiphylla ecaudataPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Velvety fruit-eating batEnchisthenes hartiiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Commissaris's long-tongued batGlossophaga commissarisiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Miller's long-tongued batGlossophaga longirostrisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Pallas's long-tongued batGlossophaga soricinaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Davies's big-eared batGlyphonycteris daviesiPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Tricolored big-eared batGlyphonycteris sylvestrisPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Yellow-throated big-eared batLampronycteris brachyotisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Dark long-tongued batLichonycteris obscuraPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Chestnut long-tongued batLionycteris spurrelliPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Handley's nectar batLonchophylla handleyiPhyllostomidaeVU
Orange nectar batLonchophylla robustaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Thomas's nectar batLonchophylla thomasiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Tomes's sword-nosed batLonchorhina auritaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Pygmy round-eared batLophostoma brasiliensePhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Carriker's round-eared batLophostoma carrikeriPhyllostomidaeVU
White-throated round-eared batLophostoma silvicolumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Long-legged batMacrophyllum macrophyllumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
MacConnell's batMesophylla macconnelliPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Hairy big-eared batMicronycteris hirsutaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Little big-eared batMicronycteris megalotisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
White-bellied big-eared batMicronycteris minutaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Striped hairy-nosed batMimon crenulatumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Pale-faced batPhylloderma stenopsPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Pale spear-nosed batPhyllostomus discolorPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Lesser spear-nosed batPhyllostomus elongatusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Greater spear-nosed batPhyllostomus hastatusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Short-headed broad-nosed batPlatyrrhinus brachycephalusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Thomas's broad-nosed batPlatyrrhinus dorsalisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Heller's broad-nosed batPlatyrrhinus helleriPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Buffy broad-nosed batPlatyrrhinus infuscusPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
White-lined broad-nosed batPlatyrrhinus lineatusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Greater broad-nosed batPlatyrrhinus vittatusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Fischer's little fruit batRhinophylla fischeraePhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Dwarf little fruit batRhinophylla pumilioPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Visored batSphaeronycteris toxophyllumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Aratathomas's yellow-shouldered batSturnira aratathomasiPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Bidentate yellow-shouldered batSturnira bidensPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Bogota yellow-shouldered batSturnira bogotensisPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Hairy yellow-shouldered batSturnira erythromosPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Little yellow-shouldered batSturnira liliumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Highland yellow-shouldered batSturnira ludoviciPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Louis's yellow-shouldered batSturnira luisiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Greater yellow-shouldered batSturnira magnaPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Tilda's yellow-shouldered batSturnira tildaePhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Stripe-headed round-eared batTonatia saurophilaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Fringe-lipped batTrachops cirrhosusPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Niceforo's big-eared batTrinycteris niceforiPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Tent-making batUroderma bilobatumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Brown tent-making batUroderma magnirostrumPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Bidentate yellow-eared batVampyressa bidensPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Brock's yellow-eared batVampyressa brockiPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
Southern little yellow-eared batVampyressa pusillaPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Great stripe-faced batVampyrodes caraccioliPhyllostomidaeLR/lc
Spectral batVampyrum spectrumPhyllostomidaeLR/nt
White-tailed titiCallicebus discolorPitheciidaeLC
Lucifer titiCallicebus luciferPitheciidaeLC
Monk sakiPithecia monachusPitheciidaeLC
Eastern lowland olingoBassaricyon alleniProcyonidae (raccoons)LR/lc
South American coatiNasua nasuaProcyonidae (raccoons)LR/lc
KinkajouPotos flavusProcyonidae (raccoons)LR/lc
Crab-eating raccoonProcyon cancrivorusProcyonidae (raccoons)LR/lc
Amazon dwarf squirrelMicrosciurus flaviventerSciuridae (squirrels)LR/lc
Northern Amazon red squirrelSciurus igniventrisSciuridae (squirrels)LR/lc
Southern Amazon red squirrelSciurus spadiceusSciuridae (squirrels)LR/lc
Thomas' small-eared shrewCryptotis thomasiSoricidae (shrews)LR/lc
Spectacled bearTremarctos ornatusUrsidae (bears)VU
Little black serotineEptesicus andinusVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Brazilian brown batEptesicus brasiliensisVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Argentine brown batEptesicus furinalisVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Big brown batEptesicus fuscusVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Small big-eared brown batHistiotus montanusVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Desert red batLasiurus blossevilliiVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Hoary batLasiurus cinereusVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Southern yellow batLasiurus egaVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Silver-tipped myotisMyotis albescensVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Hairy-legged myotisMyotis keaysiVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Black myotisMyotis nigricansVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Montane myotisMyotis oxyotusVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Riparian myotisMyotis ripariusVespertilionidaeLR/lc
Velvety myotisMyotis simusVespertilionidaeLR/lc




 

Amazon rainforest section contents: