The Anomaluridae are a family of rodents found in central Africa. They are known as anomalures or scaly-tailed squirrels. The six extant species are classified into two genera. All anomalurids have membranes between their front and hind legs like those of a

flying squirrel Flying squirrels (scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini) are a tribe of 50 species of squirrels in the family Sciuridae. Despite their name, they are not in fact capable of full flight in the same way as birds or bats, but they ar ...

, but they are not closely related to the flying squirrels that form the tribe Petauristini of the family Sciuridae. They are distinguished by two rows of pointed, raised scales on the undersides of their tails. The anatomy of their

heads A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may no ...

is quite different from that of the

sciurid Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Sq ...

s. By extending their limbs, anomalures transform themselves into a gliding platform that they control by manipulating the membranes and tail. Most anomalurid species roost during the day in hollow trees, with up to several dozen animals per tree. They are primarily herbivorous, and may travel up to from their roosting tree in search of leaves, flowers, or fruit, although they also eat a small amount of insects. They give birth to litters up to three young, which are born already furred and active. Anomalurids represent one of several

independent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last co ...

s of gliding ability in

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s, having evolved from climbing animals. The others include the true

s of Eurasia and

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, colugos or flying lemurs of Southeast Asia, and the marsupial gliding possums of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Taxonomy

Taxonomy follows Fabre et al. 2018. *Family Anomaluridae **Genus '' Anomalurus'' ***

Beecroft's flying squirrel Beecroft's flying squirrel (''Anomalurus beecrofti'') or Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Anomaluridae. Some authorities consider it to be monotypic within the genus ''Anomalurops''. Its natural habitats a ...

, ''Anomalurus beecrofti'' *** Lord Derby's scaly-tailed flying squirrel, ''Anomalurus derbianus'' *** Pel's flying squirrel, ''Anomalurus pelii'' *** Dwarf scaly-tailed squirrel, ''Anomalurus pusillus'' **Genus '' Idiurus'' *** Long-eared flying mouse, ''Idiurus macrotis'' *** Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel, ''Idiurus zenkeri''

Fossil genera

Several fossil genera are also known: * Genus †'' Argouburus'' * Genus †'' Kabirmys''Sallam, Hesham M; Seiffert, Erik R.; Simons, Elwyn L., Brindley, Chloe. ''A Large-bodied Anomaluroid rodent from the earliest late Eocene of Egypt: Phylogenetic and biogeographic implications.'' Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(5):1579–1593, September 2010. * Genus †'' Oromys'' * Genus †'' Paranomalurus'' * Genus †'' Pondaungimys'' * Genus †'' Prozenkerella'' * Genus †'' Shazurus''

External websites

Meet the Scaly-tail Gliders
Among the weirdest and most fascinating of rodents are the scalytails/scaly-tails, scaly-tailed squirrels or anomalures, properly termed Anomaluridae.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q135251 Extant Eocene first appearances Taxa named by Paul Gervais