Molecular studies by
molecular systematists, based on
DNA analysis, in the early 21st century have revealed new relationships among mammal families. Classification systems based on molecular studies reveal three major groups or lineages of
placental mammals,
Afrotheria,
Xenarthra, and
Boreoeutheria, which diverged from early common ancestors in the
Cretaceous. The relationships between these three lineages are contentious, and all three have been proposed as basal in different hypotheses. The following taxonomy only includes living placentals (infraclass
Eutheria): ===
Atlantogenata=== ====
Afrotheria==== • Clade
Afroinsectiphilia • Order
Macroscelidea • Family
Macroscelididae: (20 species), sengis or elephant shrews (Africa) • Order
Afrosoricida • Family
Tenrecidae: (31 species), tenrecs (Madagascar) • Family
Potamogalidae: (3 species), otter-shrews (West and Central Africa) • Family
Chrysochloridae: (21 species), golden moles (Africa south of the Sahara) • Order
Tubulidentata • Family
Orycteropodidae: (1 species), aardvark (Africa south of the Sahara) • Clade
Paenungulata • Order
Proboscidea • Family
Elephantidae: (3 species), elephants (Africa, Southeast Asia) • Order
Hyracoidea • Family
Procaviidae: (4 species), hyraxes, dassies (Africa, Arabia) • Order
Sirenia • Family
Dugongidae: (1 species), dugong (East Africa, Red Sea, North Australia) • Family
Trichechidae: (3 species), manatees (tropical Atlantic coasts and adjacent rivers) ====
Xenarthra==== • Order
Cingulata • Family
Chlamyphoridae: (14 species), armadillos (Neotropical) • Family
Dasypodidae: (7 species), long-nosed armadillos (Neotropical and Nearctic) • Order
Pilosa (=Dasypoda) • Suborder
Vermilingua (anteaters) • Family
Cyclopedidae: (1 species), silky anteater (Neotropical) • Family
Myrmecophagidae: (3 species), anteaters (Neotropical) • Suborder
Folivora (sloths) • Family
Choloepodidae: (2 species), two-toed sloths (Neotropical) • Family
Bradypodidae: (4 species), three-toed sloths (Neotropical) ===
Boreoeutheria=== ====
Euarchontoglires ==== (
Cheirogaleus)
Phaner furcifer • Superorder
Euarchonta • Order
Scandentia • Family
Ptilocercidae (1 species), pen-tailed treeshrews (Southeast Asia) • Family
Tupaiidae: (19 species), treeshrews (Southeast Asia) • Mirorder
Primatomorpha • Order
Dermoptera • Family
Cynocephalidae: (2 species), flying lemurs or colugos (Southeast Asia) • Order
Primates: lemurs, bushbabies, monkeys, apes (
cosmopolitan) (Daubentonid) • Family
Cheirogaleidae: (32 species), dwarf lemurs (Madagascar) • Family
Lemuridae: (22 species), lemurs (Madagascar) • Family
Lepilemuridae: (26 species), sportive lemurs (Madagascar) • Family
Indriidae: (19 species), indri and sifakas (Madagascar) • Family
Daubentoniidae: (1 species), aye-aye (Madagascar area) • Family
Lorisidae: (9 species), lorises and potto (Africa and Southeast Asia) • Family
Galagidae: (19 species), galagos (Africa) (Cebid) • Family
Tarsiidae: (9 species), tarsiers (Southeast Asia) • Family
Callitrichidae: (41 species), marmosets and tamarins (South America) • Family
Cebidae: (14 species), New World monkeys (South America) • Family
Cercopithecidae: (137 species), Old World monkeys (Africa and Eurasia) • Family
Hylobatidae: (14 species), gibbons (Southeast Asia) • Family
Hominidae: (8 species), great apes (worldwide) • Superorder
Glires • Order
Lagomorpha: pikas, rabbits, hares (Eurasia, Africa, Americas) (
Leporid) • Family
Leporidae: (60 species), rabbits and hares (Eurasia, Africa, Americas) • Family
Ochotonidae: (30 species), pikas (Holarctic) • Order
Rodentia: rodents (cosmopolitan) • Suborder
Castorimorpha • Family
Castoridae: (2 species) beavers (Holarctic) • Family
Geomyidae: (about 35 species) pocket gophers (North America) • Family
Heteromyidae: (about 59 species) kangaroo rats and kangaroo mice (North America) • Suborder
Myomorpha • Family
Dipodidae: (33 species) jerboas (Africa, Eurasia, North America) • Family
Zapodidae: (11 species) jumping mice (North America, Asia) • Family
Sicistidae: (19 species) birch mice (Eurasia) • Family
Platacanthomyidae: (3 species) spiny dormouse (Southeast Asia) • Family
Spalacidae: (37 species) zokors, root rats, blind mole rats (Africa, Eurasia) • Family
Calomyscidae: (8 species) mouse-like hamsters (Asia) • Family
Nesomyidae: (68 species) old endemic African muroids (Africa, Madagascar) • Family
Cricetidae: (about 580 species) hamsters, voles, and New World rats and mice (Holarctic, South America) • Family
Muridae: (about 1,383 species) Old World rats and mice and gerbils (Africa, Eurasia, Australia) • Suborder
Anomaluromorpha • Family
Anomaluridae: (6 species) scaly-tailed flying squirrels (Africa) • Family
Pedetidae: (2 species) springhares or springhaas (Africa) • Suborder
Hystricomorpha • Family
Ctenodactylidae: (5 species) gundis (Africa, Asia) • Family
Diatomyidae: (1 species) Laotian rock rat (Southeast Asia) • Family
Hystricidae: (11 Species) Old World porcupines (Africa, Asia) • Family
Bathyergidae: (about 21 species) African mole-rats (Africa) • Family
Petromuridae: (1 species) rock dassies (Africa) • Family
Thryonomyidae: (2 species) cane rats (Africa) • Family
Erethizontidae: (19 species) New World porcupines (New World) • Family
Chinchillidae: (3 species) chinchillas and viscachas (South America) • Family
Dinomyidae: (1 species) pacarana (South America) • Family
Caviidae: (18 species) cavies and capybara (South America) • Family
Dasyproctidae: (13 species) agoutis and acouchis (South America) • Family
Cuniculidae: (about 3 species) paca (South America) • Family
Ctenomyidae: (about 60 species) tuco-tucos (South America) • Family
Octodontidae: (14 species) degus (South America) • Family
Abrocomidae: (9 species) chinchilla-rats (South America) • Family
Echimyidae: spiny rats (South America) • Family
Capromyidae: (10 species) hutias (South America) • Family
Heptaxodontidae: giant hutias (recently extinct) • Family
Myocastoridae: (57 species) nutrias (South America) • Suborder
Sciuromorpha • Family
Aplodontiidae: (1 species) mountain beaver (western North America) • Family
Sciuridae: (about 285 species) squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots (cosmopolitan except Australia) • Family
Gliridae: (29 species) dormice (Africa, Eurasia) ====
Laurasiatheria==== • Order
Eulipotyphla • Family
Solenodontidae: (2 species) solenodons (Cuba, Hispaniola) • Family
Nesophontidae: nesophontes (West Indies shrews) (recently extinct) • Family
Soricidae: (385 species) shrews (Eurasia, Africa, North America to northern South America) • Family
Talpidae: (59 species) moles, shrew-moles, desmans (Eurasia, North America) • Family
Erinaceidae: (26 species) hedgehogs, gymnures (Eurasia, Africa) • Family
Galericidae: (8 species) moonrats (southeast Asia) • Grandorder
Chiroptera • Order
Chiroptera: bats • Suborder Yinpterochiroptera • Family
Pteropodidae: (about 197 species) flying foxes (Africa, Eurasia, Australia) • Family
Hipposideridae: (84 species) trident bats, leaf-nosed bats • Family
Rhinolophidae: (106 species) horseshoe bats (Old World) • Family
Rhinopomatidae: (6 species) mouse-tailed bats (Africa, Southeast Asia) • Family
Craseonycteridae: (1 species) Kitti's hog-nosed bat (Thailand) • Family
Megadermatidae: (6 species) false vampire bats (Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia) • Suborder Yangochiroptera • Family
Emballonuridae: (54 species) sac-winged bats (southern continents) • Family
Nycteridae: (about 15 species) slit-faced bats (Africa, Southeast Asia) • Family
Mystacinidae: (about 2 species) short-tailed bats (New Zealand) • Family
Thyropteridae: (5 species) disk-winged bats (South America) • Family
Furipteridae: (2 species) smoky bats (South America) • Family
Noctilionidae: (2 species) fishing bats (South America) • Family
Mormoopidae: (about 11 species) leaf-chinned bats (South America) • Family
Phyllostomidae: (192 species) leaf-nosed bats (South America) • Family
Myzopodidae: (2 species) sucker-footed bats (Madagascar) • Family
Natalidae: (10 species) funnel-eared bats (South America) • Family
Molossidae: (about 110 species) free-tailed bats (cosmopolitan) • Family
Miniopteridae: (about 40 species) long-fingered bats (Africa, Eurasia, Australia) • Family
Cistugidae: (2 species) wing-gland bats (Southern Africa) • Family
Vespertilionidae: (over 300 species) vesper bats (cosmopolitan) • Grandorder
Ferae • Order
Pholidota • Family
Manidae: (about 8 species) pangolins, scaly anteaters (Africa, South Asia) • Order
Carnivora: carnivorans (cosmopolitan) • Suborder
Feliformia • Family
Nandiniidae: (4 species) African palm civet (Central Africa) • Family
Prionodontidae: (2 species) Asiatic linsangs (Southeast Asia) • Family
Felidae: (41 species) cats (cosmopolitan except Australia) • Family
Viverridae: (33 species) civets, Asiatic palm civets (Africa, Southern Europe, Southeast Asia) • Family
Herpestidae: (34 species) mongooses (Africa, Asia, Southern Europe) • Family
Eupleridae: (10 species) Malagasy carnivorans (Madagascar) • Family
Hyaenidae: (4 species) hyaenas, aardwolf (Africa, Asia) • Suborder
Caniformia • Family
Canidae: (38 species) dogs (cosmopolitan) • Family
Ursidae: (8 species) bears (Europe, Asia, New World) • Family
Otariidae: (15 species) eared seals (cosmopolitan except North Atlantic) • Family
Odobenidae: (1 species) walrus (Northern North American, Northern Europe, Northern Asia) • Family
Phocidae: (18 species) true seals (cosmopolitan) • Family
Ailuridae: (1 species) red panda (South-Central Asia) • Family
Mephitidae: (12 species) skunks (Southeast Asia, New World) • Family
Mustelidae: (about 69 species) weasels and relatives (cosmopolitan except Australia) • Family
Procyonidae: (14 species) ringtails, olingos, kinkajou, raccoons, coatis (New World) • Grandorder
Euungulata • Order
Perissodactyla: odd-toed ungulates • Family
Equidae: (13 species) horses, zebras, donkeys (Africa, West and Central Asia) • Family
Tapiridae: (3 species) tapirs (Central and South America, Southeast Asia) • Family
Rhinocerotidae: (5 species) rhinoceroses (Africa, Southeast Asia) • Order
Artiodactyla: even-toed ungulates (now includes
cetaceans) • Suborder
Suiformes • Family
Suidae: (18 species) pigs (Africa, Eurasia) • Family
Tayassuidae: (about 3 species) peccaries (New World) • Suborder
Tylopoda • Family
Camelidae: (7 species) camels (South America, Asia) • Suborder
Ruminantia • Family
Tragulidae: (10 species) mouse-deer (Africa, Asia) • Family
Antilocapridae: (1 species) pronghorn (North America) • Family
Giraffidae: (2-9 species) giraffe and okapi (Africa) • Family
Cervidae: (26 species) deer (Holarctic, South America) • Family
Moschidae: (7 species) musk deer (Asia) • Family
Bovidae: (143 species) cattle, antelope, sheep, etc. (Africa, Holarctic) • Suborder
Whippomorpha • Family
Hippopotamidae: (2 species) hippos (Africa) • Infraorder
Cetacea • Parvorder
Mysticeti • Family
Balaenopteridae: (10 species) rorquals and grey whales (cosmopolitan) • Family
Balaenidae: (4 species) right and bowhead whales (polar and temperate waters) • Family
Eschrichtiidae: (1 species) gray whale (North Pacific and North Atlantic) • Family
Neobalaenidae: (1 species) pygmy right whales (southern hemisphere) • Parvorder
Odontoceti • Family
Delphinidae: (about 37 species) dolphins (cosmopolitan) • Family
Monodontidae: (2 species) beluga and narwhal (Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific) • Family
Phocoenidae: (8 species) porpoises (cosmopolitan) • Family
Physeteridae: (3 species) sperm whales (cosmopolitan) • Family
Kogiidae: (2 species) dwarf sperm whales (cosmopolitan) • Family
Platanistidae: (2 species) South Asian river dolphin (Southern Asia) • Family
Iniidae: (1-4 species) Amazon River dolphin (South America) • Family
Pontoporiidae: (1 species) La Plata River dolphin (South America) • Family
Lipotidae: baiji • Family
Ziphiidae: (24 species) beaked whales (cosmopolitan) ==Standardized textbook classification==