Endemic Animals of Florida

The Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus ) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is the only species in the genus Podomys, which is the only mammal genus endemic to Florida. The Florida mouse (also known as the big-eared deermouse, the Florida deermouse, and the gopher mouse) is found only in a limited area in central peninsular Florida and in one small area in the Florida panhandle. The mouse inhabits some of Florida's hottest and ...
driest areas in the high pinelands, sandhills, flatlands, and coastal scrub.The mouse is an omnivore, measures 195 mm (7.7 in) in total length, has relatively large ears, and displays brown to orange upperparts and white underparts. The mouse breeds throughout the year, and raises its two or three young per litter in the nesting chambers and passages it constructs in the burrow of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus ). Real estate development and a decline in the gopher tortoise population threaten the mouse's future. The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Less

The Southern black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) is one of the more common subspecies of the non-venomous Eastern racer. These snakes are quite active during the day and eat almost any animal they can overpower. They are quite fast, giving them the name "racer". Less

The Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens ) is one of the species of scrub jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida and one of only 15 species endemic to the continental United States. Because of this, it is keenly sought by birders. It is known to have been present in Florida as a distinct species for at least 2 million years, and is possibly derived from the ancestors of Woodhouse's ...
scrub jay.It measures 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11.0 in) in length, and weighs from 66 to 92 g (2.3 to 3.2 oz), with an average 80.2 g (2.83 oz). The wingspan of the jay is 33–36 cm (13–14 in). It has a strong black bill, blue head and nape without a crest, a whitish forehead and supercilium, blue bib, blue wings, grayish underparts, gray back, long blue tail, black legs and feet. Less

The dusky seaside sparrow (Ammospiza maritima nigrescens ) was a non-migratory subspecies of the seaside sparrow, found in Florida in the natural salt marshes of Merritt Island and along the St. Johns River. The last definite known individual died on Walt Disney World's Discovery Island in 1987, and the subspecies was officially declared extinct in December 1990. Less

The Florida black wolf (Canis rufus floridanus ), also known as the Florida wolf and the black wolf, is an extinct subspecies of red wolf. that was endemic to Florida. This subspecies became extinct in 1934 due to crowding out of its habitat and hunting. Less

Storeria occipitomaculata obscura, the Florida redbelly snake, is a subspecies of the redbelly snake that ranges from the northern peninsula to southern Florida. they are found in pinelands, bogs, marshes, ponds, and swamps. They will grow to be 8-10 inches with the largest being 16 inches. They look similar to the ring-necked snake because of the red belly and the ring around its neck. it is distinguished from them because the Florida redbelly ...
snake has a stripe down its back and is brown while the ring-necked snake has no stripe and is gray. Less

The Florida sand skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi ) is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae, the skinks. It is endemic to Florida in the United States. Less

The Florida red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis umbrinus ) is a subspecies of red-tailed hawk. It occurs year-round in peninsular Florida north as far as Tampa Bay and the Kissimmee Prairie and south down to the Florida Keys. This subspecies is very large, only the southwestern red-tailed hawk (B. j. fuertesi ) averages larger in overall dimensions. Although a non-migratory subspecies, its wings are notably longer than those of the eastern ...
red-tailed hawk (S. b. borealis ) and S. b. umbrinus may be conspicuously larger than the relatively small southern S. b. borealis that they overlap with. The wing chord of males can range from 396 to 400 mm (15.6 to 15.7 in), averaging 398.8 mm (15.70 in), and, in females, it ranges from 373 to 432 mm (14.7 to 17.0 in), averaging 408.9 mm (16.10 in). Males and females average 225 and 234 mm (8.9 and 9.2 in) in tail length, 91.1 and 88.9 mm (3.59 and 3.50 in) in tarsal length and 27.2 and 30 mm (1.07 and 1.18 in) in culmen length. Compared to B. j. borealis which it replaces, it has a darker back, more similar to the dark brown of the western red-tailed hawk (B. j. calurus ). Adults tend to have chestnut to rufous side patches, multiple tail bars and no barring on the "trousers". A very rare dark morph has been reported. Less

The Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus ) is an endangered subspecies of grasshopper sparrow native to the dry prairies of south-central Florida.The Florida grasshopper sparrow is one of four subspecies of grasshopper sparrows in North America, and is perhaps the most endangered. Despite biologists' best efforts, attempts at improving the declining population have been largely unsuccessful. Less

The Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis ) is a subspecies of the seaside sparrow, a species of bird in the family Passerellidae native to the United States. This subspecies is endemic to southern Florida. It is designated endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Less

Scott's seaside sparrow (Ammospiza maritima peninsulae ) is a subspecies of the seaside sparrow. It was originally thought to be a separate species but later reconsidered as a subspecies of the seaside sparrow.It can be found along the Gulf of Mexico coast of northwestern Florida, where it breeds from Pasco County to Apalachee Bay and in the swamplands of St. George and St. Vincent islands. The exact limits of the population are not well known. Less

The bluestripe ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus nitae ), which belongs in the same family as the garter snakes, is a subspecies of the ribbon snake that occurs along the Gulf Coast in Florida. Adults are thin and are black with a mid-dorsal stripe that is a lighter shade of black and two blue stripes, hence the name "bluestripe ribbon snake". They are semi-aquatic and are active during the day. They can be found by lakes, rivers, and ...
slow-moving streams. Less

The Apalachicola kingsnake (also known as the Apalachicola Lowlands kingsnake) is a nonvenomous species of kingsnake found in a small area of the Florida Panhandle known as the Apalachicola Lowlands. Long argued as to whether or not it is a subspecies, the Apalachicola kingsnake was formerly named Lampropeltis getula goini. After years of research and many more specimens examined, in 2006, it was renamed to L. g. meansi after D. Bruce Means, in ...
recognition of his work on this subspecies. Less

Lampropeltis getula brooksi (also known as Brooks' kingsnake) is a subspecies of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. L. g. brooksi is one of several subspecies of Lampropeltis getula. Less

Cemophora coccinea coccinea, commonly known as the Florida scarlet snake, is the nominotypical subspecies of the scarlet snake. It is a nonvenomous colubrid snake that is endemic to the southeastern United States. Less

Bothriechis nubestris, the Talamancan palm-pitviper, is a species of pit viper native to Costa Rica. The snake was mistaken for Bothriechis nigroviridis . Less

Leiocephalus carinatus armouri, commonly known as the Little Bahama curly-tailed lizard, is a subspecies of Leiocephalus carinatus, the northern curly-tailed lizard. It was previously endemic to the Bahama Islands. Less

The pallid beach mouse or Ponce de Leon beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus decoloratus ) was known from two locations in Florida, Ponce Park, Volusia County and Bulow, Flagler County. No individuals have been seen since 1959. The average pallid beach mouse was 4 to 8 cm in length. This subspecies burrowed into dunes for protection. Less

The Florida bonneted bat or Florida mastiff bat (Eumops floridanus ) is a species of bat in the genus Eumops, the bonneted bats or mastiff bats.Until recently, it was classified as a subspecies of Wagner's bonneted bat (Eumops glaucinus ).It is endemic to southern Florida in the United States.This species has one of the smallest geographical distributions of any New World bat.It has been called "one of the most critically endangered mammal ...
species in North America".It is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Less

Sylvilagus palustris hefneri, also known as the Lower Keys marsh rabbit, is an endangered subspecies of marsh rabbit named after Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. Less

The Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis ) is an endangered subspecies of the oldfield mouse. It is found on Perdido Key, Florida. The small white and gray mouse, weighing only 13–16 g (0.46–0.56 oz), blends in well with the white quartz sand of northern Gulf coast beaches. Less

Goff's southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis goffi ) was a pocket gopher endemic to Brevard County, Florida, United States. The last sightings recorded were in 1955. They burrowed and lived mostly underground eating mainly underground vegetation. Their habitat was temperate desert and sandy coastline. Due to human population growth and development of its habitat, this gopher is now extinct. Less

The Chadwick Beach cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus restrictus ) is a presumed extinct subspecies of the cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus ). It was confined to a small area on the Manasota Key peninsula in Florida. Less

Desmodus stocki, or Stock's vampire bat, is an extinct species of vampire bat native to Pleistocene Florida, farther north than any living vampire bats.It weighed about 50% more than the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus ), and was also more robust and 15-20% larger in size. Less

Atrina rigida, commonly called the rigid pen shell, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Pinnidae. Less

Codakia orbicularis, or the tiger lucine, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Lucinidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from Florida to the West Indies. Less

Conus anabathrum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.There are three subspecies :Conus anabathrum anabathrum Crosse, 1865: alternate representation of Conus anabathrum Conus anabathrum antoni ...
Cargile, 2011: synonym of Conus burryae Clench, 1942Сonus anabathrum tranthami Petuch, 1998: synonym of Gradiconus anabathrum tranthami (Petuch, 1998) accepted as Conus burryae Clench, 1942 Less

Medionidus walkeri is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels.This species is endemic to the United States. Less

Illex oxygonius, commonly known as the sharptail shortfin squid, is a species of neritic squids in the family Ommastrephidae. Of the species of the genus Illex, they have the most restricted range, being found only in the western North Atlantic Ocean; from off New Jersey, south to the Straits of Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico. They are very difficult to distinguish from Illex coindetii and Illex illecebrosus, with which their geographic ...
range overlaps. The most obvious difference of I. oxygnius is their sharper fin angles of 25° to 40° (hence their common name). There is also the possibility that they may be a hybrid of I. coindetii and I. illecebrosus. Less

Conus ziczac is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.Conus ziczac archetypus Crosse, 1865 (synonyms: Conus archetypus Crosse, 1865; Conus bertarollae Costa & Simone, 1997; Conus brasiliensis ...
Clench, 1942; Conus mauricioi Coltro, 2004)Conus ziczac ziczac Mühlfeld, 1816: synonym of Conus ziczac Mühlfeld, 1816 Less

Inodrillia avira is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Horaiclavidae.It was previously included within the family Turridae. Less

Felimare juliae is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. Less

Stenodrillia horrenda is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Drilliidae. Less

Conasprella fluviamaris is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Like all species within the genus Conasprella, these cone snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all. Less

Pyrgocythara filosa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae. Less

Crassispira calligona is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies.† Crassispira calligona paraconsors Gardner, 1938 (synonym of † Hindsiclava paraconsors J. Gardner, 1938 Less

Crassispira meunieri is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies. Less

Kurtziella dorvilliae, common name Dorvill's mangelia, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Mangeliidae. Less

Conasprella pfluegeri is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Like all species within the genus Conasprella, these cone snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all. Less

Conasprella stearnsii, common name Stearn's cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Like all species within the genus Conasprella, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all. Less

Inodrillia miamia is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Horaiclavidae.It was previously included within the family Turridae. Less

Hindsiclava calligonoides is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies. Less