Petaurista | |
---|---|
Bhutan giant flying squirrel (Petaurista nobilis) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Sciuridae |
Tribe: | Pteromyini |
Genus: |
Petaurista Link, 1795 |
Type species | |
Sciurus petaurista |
Petaurista is a genus of rodent in the family Sciuridae. [1] They are large to very large flying squirrels found in forests and other wooded habitats in southern and eastern Asia. [2]
Like other flying squirrels, they are mostly nocturnal and able to glide (not actually fly like a bat) long distances between trees by spreading out their patagium, skin between their limbs. They feed primarily on plant material, but will also take small animals such as insects. [2]
The species level taxonomy is very complex and not fully resolved. [3] In 2005, Mammal Species of the World recognised eight species, [4] but later studies have found that some of these were highly polyphyletic, [5] [6] [7] [8] and recent authorities have often recognised some of the most divergent " subspecies" as valid species. [2] [3] [9] Additionally, three new species were described from northeastern India in 2007–2013, although their validity needs to be confirmed. [10]
Eight species were recognised in Mammal Species of the World in 2005: [4]
Seven additional species now often recognised, but traditionally considered subspecies: [3] [8]
Three new species that were described by Anwaruddin Choudhury from Arunachal Pradesh in 2007–2013: [11] [12] [13]
In addition to the living species, there are a few extinct species that only are known from fossil remains from the Mid and Late Pleistocene in China, the Russian Far East and Germany: [3] [14]
Petaurista | |
---|---|
Bhutan giant flying squirrel (Petaurista nobilis) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Sciuridae |
Tribe: | Pteromyini |
Genus: |
Petaurista Link, 1795 |
Type species | |
Sciurus petaurista |
Petaurista is a genus of rodent in the family Sciuridae. [1] They are large to very large flying squirrels found in forests and other wooded habitats in southern and eastern Asia. [2]
Like other flying squirrels, they are mostly nocturnal and able to glide (not actually fly like a bat) long distances between trees by spreading out their patagium, skin between their limbs. They feed primarily on plant material, but will also take small animals such as insects. [2]
The species level taxonomy is very complex and not fully resolved. [3] In 2005, Mammal Species of the World recognised eight species, [4] but later studies have found that some of these were highly polyphyletic, [5] [6] [7] [8] and recent authorities have often recognised some of the most divergent " subspecies" as valid species. [2] [3] [9] Additionally, three new species were described from northeastern India in 2007–2013, although their validity needs to be confirmed. [10]
Eight species were recognised in Mammal Species of the World in 2005: [4]
Seven additional species now often recognised, but traditionally considered subspecies: [3] [8]
Three new species that were described by Anwaruddin Choudhury from Arunachal Pradesh in 2007–2013: [11] [12] [13]
In addition to the living species, there are a few extinct species that only are known from fossil remains from the Mid and Late Pleistocene in China, the Russian Far East and Germany: [3] [14]