An annotated checklist of mammals of the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas, USA

Abstract

Mammals of Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (Hutchinson, Moore and Potter counties, Texas) were surveyed between March 2002 and October 2003 as a part of the larger inventory of vertebrate animals of this protected area. Both Sherman and Tomahawk traps were used to catch small and medium-size mammals (for a total 330 trap-nights). Pit-fall traps, gopher live traps, Trailmaster™ cameras, mist-nets (for bats), and spotlight surveys were also utilized. The study detected 29 (72.5%) of the 39 mammalian species previously confirmed for Lake Meredith, and provided confirmed records for four other species (Cryptotis parva, Notiosorex crawfordi, Dasypus novemcinctus, and Sciurus niger). Four additional species were recorded in the adjacent area. This manuscript compares the 2002–2003 study with the three mammal inventories previously undertaken in the area (Blair 1954; Killebrew 1979; Yancey et al. 1998).