Logo: Gliding mammals of the world

Gliding Mammals of the World

The world’s gliding mammals are an extraordinary group of animals that have the ability to glide from tree to tree with seemingly effortless grace. There are more than 60 species of gliding mammals including the flying squirrels from Europe and North America, the scaly-tailed flying squirrels from central Africa and the gliding possums of Australia and New Guinea.

Order: Rodentia

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Clade:Tetrapodomorpha
Class:Mammalia
(unranked):Glires
Order:Rodentia

Rodents are mammals of the order Rodentia, which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents; they are found in vast numbers on all continents except Antarctica. They are the most diversified mammalian order and live in a variety of terrestrial habitats, including human-made environments.

Species:

North Chinese Flying Squirrel / Aeretes melanopterus
North Chinese Flying Squirrel

Aeretes melanopterus

Black Flying Squirrel / Aeromys tephromelas
Black Flying Squirrel

Aeromys tephromelas

Thomas’s Flying Squirrel / Aeromys thomasi
Thomas’s Flying Squirrel

Aeromys thomasi

Hairy-footed Flying Squirrel / Belomys pearsonii
Hairy-footed Flying Squirrel

Belomys pearsonii

Namdapha Flying Squirrel / Biswamoyopterus biswasi
Namdapha Flying Squirrel

Biswamoyopterus biswasi

Kashmir Flying Squirrel / Eoglaucomys fimbriatus
Kashmir Flying Squirrel

Eoglaucomys fimbriatus

Pakistan Woolly Flying Squirrel / Eupetaurus cinereus
Pakistan Woolly Flying Squirrel

Eupetaurus cinereus

Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel / Eupetaurus sp.
Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel

Eupetaurus sp.

Northern Flying Squirrel / Glaucomys sabrinus
Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

Southern Flying Squirrel / Glaucomys volans
Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Particolored Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes alboniger
Particolored Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes alboniger

Bartel’s Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes bartelsi
Bartel’s Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes bartelsi

Palawan Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes nigripes
Palawan Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes nigripes

Indochinese Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes phayrei
Indochinese Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes phayrei

Grey-cheeked Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes platyurus
Grey-cheeked Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes platyurus

Arrow-tailed Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes sagitta
Arrow-tailed Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes sagitta

Sipora Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes sipora
Sipora Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes sipora

Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes spadiceus
Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes spadiceus

Sumatran Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes winstoni
Sumatran Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes winstoni

Javanese Flying Squirrel / Iomys horsfieldi
Javanese Flying Squirrel

Iomys horsfieldi

Flying Squirrel / Iomys sipora Mentawai
Flying Squirrel

Iomys sipora Mentawai

Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel / Petaurillus emiliae
Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel

Petaurillus emiliae

Hose’s Pygmy Flying Squirrel / Petaurillus hosei
Hose’s Pygmy Flying Squirrel

Petaurillus hosei

Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel / Petaurillus kinlochii
Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel

Petaurillus kinlochii

White-bellied Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista albiventer
White-bellied Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista albiventer

Red and White Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista alborufus
Red and White Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista alborufus

Gray-headed Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista caniceps
Gray-headed Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista caniceps

Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista elegans
Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista elegans

Hainan Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista hainana
Hainan Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista hainana

Taiwan Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista lena
Taiwan Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista lena

Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista leucogenys
Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista leucogenys

Hodgson’s Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista magnificus
Hodgson’s Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista magnificus

Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista nobilis
Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista nobilis

Red Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista petaurista
Red Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista petaurista

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista philippensis
Indian Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista philippensis

Chinese Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista xanthotis
Chinese Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista xanthotis

Yunnan Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista yunanensis
Yunnan Giant Flying Squirrel

Petaurista yunanensis

Basilan Flying Squirrel / Petinomys crinitus
Basilan Flying Squirrel

Petinomys crinitus

Travancore Flying Squirrel / Petinomys fuscocapillus
Travancore Flying Squirrel

Petinomys fuscocapillus

Whiskered Flying Squirrel / Petinomys genibarbis
Whiskered Flying Squirrel

Petinomys genibarbis

Hagen’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys hageni
Hagen’s Flying Squirrel

Petinomys hageni

Siberut Flying Squirrel / Petinomys lugens
Siberut Flying Squirrel

Petinomys lugens

Mindanao Flying Squirrel / Petinomys mindanensis
Mindanao Flying Squirrel

Petinomys mindanensis

Temminck’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys setosus
Temminck’s Flying Squirrel

Petinomys setosus

Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys vordermanni
Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel

Petinomys vordermanni

Japanese Flying Squirrel / Pteromys momonga
Japanese Flying Squirrel

Pteromys momonga

Siberian Flying Squirrel / Pteromys volans
Siberian Flying Squirrel

Pteromys volans

Smoky Flying Squirrel / Pteromyscus pulverulentus
Smoky Flying Squirrel

Pteromyscus pulverulentus

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel / Trogopterus xanthipes
Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Trogopterus xanthipes

Beecroft’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel / Anomalurops beecrofti
Beecroft’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel

Anomalurops beecrofti

Lord Derby’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel / Anomalurus derbianus
Lord Derby’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel

Anomalurus derbianus

Pel’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel / Anomalurus pelii
Pel’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel

Anomalurus pelii

Dwarf Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel / Anomalurus pusillus
Dwarf Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel

Anomalurus pusillus

Long-eared Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel / Idiurus macrotis
Long-eared Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel

Idiurus macrotis

Pygmy Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel / Idiurus zenkeri
Pygmy Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel

Idiurus zenkeri

Random species

Mahogany Glider / Petaurus gracilis

Mahogany Glider
Petaurus gracilis

Grey-cheeked Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes platyurus

Grey-cheeked Flying Squirrel
Hylopetes platyurus

White-bellied Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista albiventer

White-bellied Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista albiventer

Mindanao Flying Squirrel / Petinomys mindanensis

Mindanao Flying Squirrel
Petinomys mindanensis

Gliding Mammals of the World provides, for the first time, a synthesis of all that is known about the biology of these intriguing mammals. It includes a brief description of each species, together with a distribution map and a beautiful full-color painting.

An introduction outlines the origins and biogeography of each group of gliding mammals and examines the incredible adaptations that allow them to launch themselves and glide from tree to tree.