Wildlife of the United States: A Taxonomic Overview

The US spans diverse biomes (arctic to tropical, coastal to alpine), hosting immense fauna diversity. Here's a structured overview by class.

Mammals (~450 species)

• Ungulates: White-tailed/mule deer, elk, moose, bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mountain goat.
• Carnivores: Grizzly/black/polar bear, wolf, coyote, red/gray fox, cougar, bobcat, lynx, wolverine, badger, otter, skunk, raccoon.
• Small: Squirrels, chipmunks, voles, mice, rats, rabbits, hares, beaver, muskrat, porcupine, opossum, armadillo, shrews, moles, bats (47 spp.).

Birds (~900 species)

• Raptors: Bald/golden eagle, hawks, falcons, owls.
• Gamebirds: Turkey, pheasant, grouse, quail.
• Waterfowl: Ducks, geese, swans, loons, grebes.
• Waders/Seabirds: Herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, pelicans, cormorants, gulls, terns, auks, puffins.
• Songbirds: Hundreds of passerines (warblers, sparrows, finches, tanagers, cardinals).

Reptiles (~300 species)

• Alligator (SE), Crocodile (S FL only), snakes (rattlesnakes, copperheads, coral snakes, colubrids), lizards (iguanas, skinks, geckos, horned lizards), turtles/tortoises (box, snapping, sea turtles, gopher tortoise).

Amphibians (~250 species)

• Frogs/toads (bullfrog, treefrogs, spadefoots), salamanders (newts, hellbender, lungless), sirens.

Fish (~1,000+ freshwater + marine)

• Freshwater: Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Guadalupe, shoal), trout, salmon, steelhead, catfish, walleye, pike, muskie, perch, sunfish (bluegill, redear, pumpkinseed, warmouth), crappie.
• Marine: Tuna, mackerel, swordfish, marlin, sailfish, wahoo, mahi-mahi, sharks, rays, skates, flounder, halibut, rockfish, snapper, grouper.

Invertebrates (Tens of thousands)

• Insects (butterflies, beetles, bees, ants, termites, dragonflies), spiders, mites, ticks, crustaceans (crayfish, crabs, shrimp), mollusks (mussels, snails), echinoderms (sea stars, urchins).

Conservation status varies: ESA lists ~1,600 US species as threatened/endangered. Habitat loss, climate change, invasives are primary threats.