Flying squirrels (scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini) are a
tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...
of 50
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
squirrels in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Sciuridae
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. Squ ...
. Despite their name, they are not in fact capable of full flight in the same way as
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s or
bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...
s, but they are able to glide from one tree to another with the aid of a
patagium, a furred parachute-like skin membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle. Their long tails also provide stability as they glide.
Anatomically they are very similar to other squirrels with a number of adaptations to suit their lifestyle; their limb bones are longer and their hand bones, foot bones, and distal vertebrae are shorter. Flying squirrels are able to steer and exert control over their glide path with their limbs and tail.
Molecular studies have shown that flying squirrels are
monophyletic and originated some 18–20 million years ago. The genus Paracitellus is the earliest lineage to the flying squirrel dating back to the late Oligocene era.
Most are nocturnal and
omnivorous
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...
, eating
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
,
seeds,
buds,
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s,
insect
Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three ...
s,
gastropods
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. The ...
,
spider
Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...
s,
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...
,
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
's eggs,
tree sap 01 or '01 may refer to:
* The year 2001, or any year ending with 01
* The month of January
* 1 (number)
Music
* 01'' (Richard Müller album), 2001
* ''01'' (Son of Dave album), 2000
* ''01'' (Urban Zakapa album), 2011
* ''O1'' (Hiroyuki Sawa ...
and young birds. The young are born in a nest and are at first naked and helpless. They are cared for by their mother and by five weeks are able to practice gliding skills so that by ten weeks they are ready to leave the nest.
Some captive-bred southern flying squirrels have become domesticated as small household pets, a type of "
pocket pet
The most common rodents kept as household pets are hamsters (golden hamsters and dwarf hamsters), gerbils (Mongolian jirds and duprasi gerbils), common degus, fancy mice, fancy rats, common chinchillas, and guinea pigs (cavies).
The domest ...
".
Description
![Flying squirrel in a tree](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Flying_squirrel_in_a_tree.jpg)
Flying squirrels are not capable of flight like
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s or
bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...
s; instead, they
glide
Glide may refer to:
* Gliding flight, to fly without thrust
Computing
*Glide API, a 3D graphics interface
*Glide OS, a web desktop
*Glide (software), an instant video messenger
*Glide, a molecular docking software by Schrödinger (company), Schr ...
between trees. They are capable of obtaining lift within the course of these flights, with flights recorded to .
The direction and speed of the animal in midair are varied by changing the positions of its limbs, largely controlled by small
cartilaginous
Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck a ...
wrist bones. There is a cartilage projection from the wrist that the squirrel holds upwards during a glide.
This specialized cartilage is only present in flying squirrels and not other gliding mammals.
Possible origins for the styliform cartilage have been explored, and the data suggests that it is most likely homologous to the carpal structures that can be found in other squirrels.
This cartilage along with the manus forms a wing tip to be used during gliding. After being extended, the wing tip may adjust to various angles, controlling aerodynamic movements.
The wrist also changes the tautness of the
patagium, a furry parachute-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle.
[ It has a fluffy tail that stabilizes in flight. The tail acts as an adjunct airfoil, working as an air brake before landing on a tree trunk.
The ]colugo
Colugos () are arboreal gliding mammals that are native to Southeast Asia. Their closest evolutionary relatives are primates. There are just two living species of colugos: the Sunda flying lemur (''Galeopterus variegatus'') and the Philippine fly ...
s, Petauridae
Petauridae is a family of possums containing 13 species: four species of trioks and striped possum (genus ''Dactylopsila''), eight species of wrist-winged glider (genus ''Petaurus''), and Leadbeater's possum (''Gymnobelideus leadbeateri''), whic ...
, and Anomaluridae are gliding mammals which are similar to flying squirrels through convergent 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 com ...
. These mammals can glide through the trees; they do not actually fly (like birds and bats). They have a membrane of skin on each side of their body.
Prior to the 21st century, the evolutionary history of the flying squirrel was frequently debated. This debate was clarified greatly as a result of two molecular studies. These studies found support that flying squirrels originated 18–20 million years ago, are monophyletic, and have a sister relationship with tree squirrels. Due to their close ancestry, the morphological differences between flying squirrels and tree squirrels reveal insight into the formation of the gliding mechanism. Compared to squirrels of similar size, flying squirrels, northern and southern flying squirrels show lengthening in bones of the lumbar vertebrae and forearm, whereas bones of the feet, hands, and distal vertebrae are reduced in length. Such differences in body proportions reveal the flying squirrels’ adaptation to minimize wing loading and to increase more maneuverability while gliding. The consequence for these differences is that unlike regular squirrels, flying squirrels are not well adapted for quadrupedal locomotion and therefore must rely more heavily on their gliding abilities.
Several hypotheses have attempted to explain the evolution of gliding in flying squirrels. One possible explanation is related to energy efficiency and foraging. Gliding is an energetically efficient way to progress from one tree to another while foraging, as opposed to climbing down trees and maneuvering on the ground floor or executing dangerous leaps in the air. By gliding at high speeds, flying squirrels can rummage through a greater area of forest more quickly than tree squirrels. Flying squirrels can glide long distances by increasing their aerial speed and increasing their lift. Other hypotheses state that the mechanism evolved to avoid nearby predators and prevent injuries. If a dangerous situation arises on a specific tree, flying squirrels can glide to another, and thereby typically escape the previous danger. Furthermore, take-off and landing procedures during leaps, implemented for safety purposes, may explain the gliding mechanism. While leaps at high speeds are important to escape danger, the high-force impact of landing on a new tree could be detrimental to a squirrel’s health. Yet the gliding mechanism of flying squirrels involves structures and techniques during flight that allow for great stability and control. If a leap is miscalculated, a flying squirrel may easily steer back onto the original course by using its gliding ability. A flying squirrel also creates a large glide angle when approaching its target tree, decreasing its velocity due to an increase in air resistance and allowing all four limbs to absorb the impact of the target.
Fluorescence
In 2019 it was observed, by chance, that a flying squirrel fluoresced pink. Subsequent research by biologists at Northland College in Northern Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
found that this is true for all three species of North American flying squirrels. At this time it is unknown what purpose this serves. Non-flying squirrels do not fluoresce under UV light.
Taxonomy
Recent species
The three species of the genus '' Glaucomys'' ('' Glaucomys sabrinus'', '' Glaucomys volans'' and '' Glaucomys oregonensis'') are native to North America and Central America, while the Siberian flying squirrel is native to parts of northern Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
: Russia, Finland and Estonia ('' Pteromys volans'').
Thorington and Hoffman (2005) recognize 15 genera of flying squirrels in two subtribes.
Tribe Pteromyini – flying squirrels
*Subtribe Glaucomyina
**Genus ''Eoglaucomys
The Kashmir flying squirrel (''Eoglaucomys fimbriatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Eoglaucomys''. It is found in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or trop ...
''
***Kashmir flying squirrel
The Kashmir flying squirrel (''Eoglaucomys fimbriatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Eoglaucomys''. It is found in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or trop ...
, ''Eoglaucomys fimbriatus''
****Afghan flying squirrel
The Afghan flying squirrel (''Eoglaucomys fimbriatus baberi'') is a subspecies of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Afghanistan.
Biology
The Afghan flying squirrel is not considered to be threatened to become an endangered specie ...
, ''E. f. baberi''
**Genus '' Glaucomys'' – New World flying squirrels (American flying squirrels), North America
***Southern flying squirrel
The southern flying squirrel or the assapan (''Glaucomys volans'') is one of three species of the genus '' Glaucomys'' and one of three flying squirrel species found in North America. It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half o ...
, ''Glaucomys volans''
***Northern flying squirrel
The northern flying squirrel (''Glaucomys sabrinus'') is one of three species of the genus '' Glaucomys'', the only flying squirrels found in North America.Walker EP, Paradiso JL. 1975. ''Mammals of the World''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Universit ...
, ''Glaucomys sabrinus''
*** Humboldt's flying squirrel, ''Glaucomys oregonensis''
**Genus ''Hylopetes
''Hylopetes'' is a genus of flying squirrels. There are about 10 species.
Species include:
* Particolored flying squirrel - ''H. alboniger'' (Hodgson, 1836)
* Bartel's flying squirrel - ''H. bartelsi'' Chasen, 1939
* Hainan flying squirrel - '' ...
'', Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
***Particolored flying squirrel
The particolored flying squirrel (''Hylopetes alboniger'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical ...
, ''Hylopetes alboniger''
***Bartel's flying squirrel
The Bartel's flying squirrel (''Hylopetes bartelsi'') is a rodent species in the family Sciuridae endemic to West Java, Indonesia. It inhabits subtropical and tropical forest.
Name
The Bartel's flying squirrel was named after Dutch
Dutch com ...
, ''Hylopetes bartelsi''
*** Gray-cheeked flying squirrel, ''Hylopetes lepidus''
***Palawan flying squirrel
The Palawan flying squirrel or ''tapilak'' (''Hylopetes nigripes'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest
A forest is an area of land d ...
, ''Hylopetes nigripes''
***Indochinese flying squirrel
The Indochinese flying squirrel (''Hylopetes phayrei''), also known as Phayre's flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việ ...
, ''Hylopetes phayrei''
*** Jentink's flying squirrel, ''Hylopetes platyurus''
*** Sipora flying squirrel, ''Hylopetes sipora''
***Red-cheeked flying squirrel
The red-cheeked flying squirrel (''Hylopetes spadiceus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially t ...
, ''Hylopetes spadiceus''
*** Sumatran flying squirrel, ''Hylopetes winstoni''
**Genus ''Iomys
''Iomys'' is a small genus of rodent in the family Sciuridae
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 chip ...
'', Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
and Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
*** Javanese flying squirrel (Horsfield's flying squirrel), ''Iomys horsfieldi''
*** Mentawi flying squirrel, ''Iomys sipora''
**Genus '' Petaurillus'' – pygmy flying squirrels, Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
and the Malay Peninsula
***Lesser pygmy flying squirrel
The lesser pygmy flying squirrel (''Petaurillus emiliae'') is a species of rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each ...
, ''Petaurillus emiliae''
*** Hose's pygmy flying squirrel, ''Petaurillus hosei''
*** Selangor pygmy flying squirrel, ''Petaurillus kinlochii''
**Genus ''Petinomys
''Petinomys'' is a genus of flying squirrels. They are known commonly as the dwarf flying squirrels.[Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...]
*** Basilan flying squirrel, ''Petinomys crinitus''
***Travancore flying squirrel
Travancore flying squirrel (''Petinomys fuscocapillus''), also known as the small flying squirrel, is a flying squirrel found in South India and Sri Lanka. Travancore flying squirrels were thought to be extinct but were rediscovered in 1989 aft ...
, ''Petinomys fuscocapillus''
***Whiskered flying squirrel
The whiskered flying squirrel (''Petinomys genibarbis'') is a species of flying squirrel. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of St ...
, ''Petinomys genibarbis''
*** Hagen's flying squirrel, ''Petinomys hageni''
***Siberut flying squirrel
The Siberut flying squirrel (''Petinomys lugens'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruction ...
, ''Petinomys lugens''
***Mindanao flying squirrel
The Mindanao flying squirrel (''Petinomys mindanensis'') is a common species of squirrel that is endemic to the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pil ...
, ''Petinomys mindanensis''
*** Arrow flying squirrel, ''Petinomys sagitta''
*** Temminck's flying squirrel, ''Petinomys setosus''
***Vordermann's flying squirrel
Vorderman's flying squirrel (''Petinomys vordermanni'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. It was described in 1890 by the Dutch zoologist Fredericus Anna Jentink, who named it after it ...
, ''Petinomys vordermanni''
**Genus '' Priapomys'', western Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
in China and adjoining regions of Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
*** Himalayan large-eared flying squirrel, ''P. leonardi''
*Subtribe Pteromyina
**Genus ''Aeretes
''Aeretes'' is a genus of squirrels that contains a single extant species, the groove-toothed flying squirrel ''(Aeretes melanopterus)''.
Two fossil species are also known from Late Pliocene
Late may refer to:
* LATE, an acronym which could s ...
'', northeastern China
*** Groove-toothed flying squirrel (North Chinese flying squirrel), ''Aeretes melanopterus''
**Genus '' Aeromys'' – large black flying squirrels, Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
to Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
***Black flying squirrel
The black flying squirrel or large black flying squirrel (''Aeromys tephromelas'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia; its habitat is primary and secondary forests and gardens where it u ...
, ''Aeromys tephromelas''
***Thomas's flying squirrel
Thomas's flying squirrel (''Aeromys thomasi'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is one of two species in the genus ''Aeromys''. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
References
*Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. 200 ...
, ''Aeromys thomasi''
**Genus '' Belomys'', Southeast Asia
*** Hairy-footed flying squirrel, ''Belomys pearsonii''
**Genus '' Biswamoyopterus'', northeastern India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
to southern China and southeast Asia
***Namdapha flying squirrel
The Namdapha flying squirrel (''Biswamoyopterus biswasi'') is an arboreal, nocturnal flying squirrel endemic to Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India, where it is known from a single specimen collected in Namdapha National Park in 1981. No po ...
, ''Biswamoyopterus biswasi''
***Laotian giant flying squirrel
The Laotian giant flying squirrel (''Biswamoyopterus laoensis'') is an arboreal, flying squirrel endemic to Laos. It was the second described member in the genus ''Biswamoyopterus'', after being first collected in September 2012 by scientists res ...
, ''Biswamoyopterus laoensis''
*** Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel ''Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis''
**Genus '' Eupetaurus'', Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
to China; rare
*** Western woolly flying squirrel, ''Eupetaurus cinereus''
*** Yunnan woolly flying squirrel, ''Eupetaurus nivamons''
*** Tibetan woolly flying squirrel, ''Eupetaurus tibetensis''
**Genus ''Petaurista
''Petaurista'' is a genus of rodent in the family Sciuridae. They are large to very large flying squirrels found in forests and other wooded habitats in southern and eastern Asia.
Like other flying squirrels, they are mostly nocturnal and abl ...
'' - giant flying squirrels, Southeast and East Asia
*** Red and white giant flying squirrel, ''Petaurista alborufus''
***Spotted giant flying squirrel
The spotted giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista elegans''), also known as the lesser giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in hill and mountain forests at altitudes of in Southeast Asia north to centr ...
, ''Petaurista elegans''
***Hodgson's giant flying squirrel
Hodgson's giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista magnificus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. This large flying squirrel lives in Himalayan forests in Asia. Like other flying squirrels, it is nocturnal and able to glide (not act ...
, ''Petaurista magnificus''
***Bhutan giant flying squirrel
The Bhutan giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista nobilis''), also known as the Gray's giant flying squirrel or noble giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. This species lives in Himalayan forests and it is one of th ...
, ''Petaurista nobilis''
***Indian giant flying squirrel
The Indian giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista philippensis''), also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane ...
, ''Petaurista philippensis''
***Chinese giant flying squirrel
The Chinese giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista xanthotis'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nat ...
, ''Petaurista xanthotis''
***Japanese giant flying squirrel
The is a species of flying squirrel, one of the giant flying squirrels in the genus '' Petaurista''. Description
Like other flying squirrels, it has a web of skin between its legs which it uses to glide between trees. Glides of 160 metres ha ...
, ''Petaurista leucogenys''
***Red giant flying squirrel
The red giant flying squirrel or common giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista petaurista'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae (squirrels). It is found in a wide variety of forest–types, plantations and more open habitats with scatter ...
, ''Petaurista petaurista''
***Mechuka giant flying squirrel
The Mechuka giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista mechukaensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. First described in 2007 from East Himalayan forests at altitudes of in the region of Mechuka of north-central Arunachal Pradesh in I ...
, ''Petaurista mechukaensis''
***Mishmi Hills giant flying squirrel
The Mishmi giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista mishmiensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. First described in 2009 from East Himalayan forests at altitudes of in the Mishmi Hills of northeastern Arunachal Pradesh in India ( ...
, ''Petaurista mishmiensis''
*** Mebo giant flying squirrel, ''Petaurista siangensis''
**Genus '' Pteromys'' – Old World flying squirrels, Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
to Japan
***Siberian flying squirrel
The Siberian flying squirrel (''Pteromys volans'') is an Old World flying squirrel ranging from the Baltic Sea in the west, throughout Northern Asia to the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the east. It is the only species of flying squirrel in Euro ...
, ''Pteromys volans''
***Japanese dwarf flying squirrel
The Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (''Pteromys momonga''; Japanese: ニホンモモンガ, Hepburn: ''Nihon momonga'') is one of two species of Old World flying squirrels in the genus ''Pteromys''. During the day this squirrel hides in a hole, ...
, ''Pteromys momonga''
**Genus '' Pteromyscus'', southern Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
to Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
***Smoky flying squirrel
The smoky flying squirrel (''Pteromyscus pulverulentus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Pteromyscus''. It is found in parts of Brunei, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, and southern Thailand, bu ...
, ''Pteromyscus pulverulentus''
**Genus ''Trogopterus
The complex-toothed flying squirrel (''Trogopterus xanthipes'') occurs in the southern Chinese provinces Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan. The common name refers to the teeth, which differ from those of other species of flying squirre ...
'', China
***Complex-toothed flying squirrel
The complex-toothed flying squirrel (''Trogopterus xanthipes'') occurs in the southern Chinese provinces Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan. The common name refers to the teeth, which differ from those of other species of flying squirrel ...
, ''Trogopterus xanthipes''
The Mechuka, Mishmi Hills, and Mebo giant flying squirrels were discovered in the northeastern state of India of Arunachal Pradesh in the late 2000s. Their holotypes are preserved in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India.
Fossil species
Flying squirrels have a well-documented fossil record from the Oligocene onwards. Some fossil genera go far back as the Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...
, and given that the flying squirrels are thought to have diverged later, these are likely misidentifications.
* '' Miopetaurista''
**'' Miopetaurista crusafonti''
**'' Miopetaurista dehmi''
**'' Miopetaurista diescalidus''
**'' Miopetaurista gaillardi''
**'' Miopetaurista gibberosa''
**'' Miopetaurista lappi''
**'' Miopetaurista neogrivensis''
**'' Miopetaurista thaleri''
**'' Miopetaurista tobieni''
*'' Pliopetaurista''
** '' Pliopetaurista kollmanni'' Daxner-Höck, 2004
* '' Neopetes''[Daxner-Höck G. (2004). "Flying Squirrels (Pteromyinae, Mammalia) from the Upper Miocene of Austria". '']Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien
''Annalen'' may refer to:
* ''Annalen der Physik'', a physics journal
* '' Crell's Annalen'', a chemistry journal
* ''Liebigs Annalen
''Justus Liebigs Annalen der Chemie'' (often cited as just ''Liebigs Annalen'') was one of the oldest and hist ...
'' 106A: 387–423
PDF
** '' Neopetes hoeckarum'' (De Bruijn, 1998)
** '' Neopetes macedoniensis'' (Bouwens and De Bruijn, 1986)
** '' Neopetes debruijni'' (Reumer & Hoek Ostende, 2003)
Life cycles
The life expectancy of flying squirrels in the wild is about six years, and flying squirrels can live up to fifteen years in zoos. The mortality rate in young flying squirrels is high because of predators and diseases. Predators of flying squirrels include tree snakes, raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
s, owl
Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
s, martens, fisher
Fisher is an archaic term for a fisherman, revived as gender-neutral.
Fisher, Fishers or The Fisher may also refer to:
Places
Australia
*Division of Fisher, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives, in Queensland
*Elect ...
s, coyotes, bobcats, and feral cats.[ In the Pacific Northwest of North America, the ]northern spotted owl
The northern spotted owl (''Strix occidentalis caurina'') is one of three spotted owl subspecies. A western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus '' Strix'', it is a medium-sized dark brown owl native to the Pacific Northwest. An ...
(''Strix occidentalis'') is a common predator of flying squirrels.
Flying squirrels are usually nocturnal, since they are not adept at escaping birds of prey that hunt during the daytime.[ They eat according to their environment; they are ]omnivorous
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...
, and will eat whatever food they can find. The North American southern flying squirrel eats seeds, insects, gastropods
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. The ...
(slugs and snails), spiders, shrubs, flowers, fungi, and tree sap.
Reproduction
The mating season for flying squirrels is during February and March. When the infants are born, the female squirrels live with them in maternal nest sites. The mothers nurture and protect them until they leave the nest. The males do not participate in nurturing their offspring.
At birth, flying squirrels are mostly hairless, apart from their whiskers, and most of their senses are not present. Their internal organs are visible through the skin, and their sex can be signified. By week five, they are almost fully developed. At that point, they can respond to their environment and start to develop a mind of their own. Through the upcoming weeks of their lives, they practice leaping and gliding. After two and a half months, their gliding skills are perfected, they are ready to leave the nest, and are capable of independent survival.
Diet
Flying squirrels can easily forage for food in the night, given their highly developed sense of smell. They harvest fruits, nuts, fungi, and birds' eggs.[ Many gliders have specialized diets and there is evidence to believe that gliders may be able to take advantage of scattered protein deficient food.] Additionally, gliding is a fast form of locomotion and by reducing travel time between patches, they can increase the amount of foraging time.
See also
* Anomalure
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 li ...
, aka: scaly-tailed squirrel
* Flying and gliding animals
A number of animals are capable of aerial locomotion, either by powered flight or by gliding. This trait has appeared by evolution many times, without any single common ancestor. Flight has evolved at least four times in separate animals: inse ...
* Gliding possum There are many different types of gliding possum, sometimes referred to as volplane possum, flying phalangers, or simply as gliders:
Australian gliders
* Feathertail glider or pygmy gliding possum, ''Acrobates pygmaeus''
* Greater glider, ''Petau ...
References
Further reading
* Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. 2005. Family Sciuridae. pp. 754–818 in ''Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference''. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
*
External links
Flying Squirrels, National Wildlife Foundation
classification
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flying Squirrel
Gliding animals
Extant Rupelian first appearances
Taxa named by Johann Friedrich von Brandt
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