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
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini
Description: A large glider but with a smaller head—body length than is typically found in the giant flying squirrels. Its upper parts are a dull sandy-buff or dusky colour while the underside is off-white with a slight buff wash.
The edges of its gliding membrane are black above, with the face and throat being grey. Its rounded, bushy tail is brown.
Distribution: Restricted to China where it is limited to two isolated populations in central China. One is in the province of Hebei and the other in Sichuan and southern Gansu. Within this region it occurs in subalpine coniferous forest at
Reproduction: Nothing is known.
Diet: Nothing is known.
Ecology: Nothing is known.
Status: Near Threatened.
| HB | 275–355 mm |
| TL | 275–362 mm |
| HF | 47–65 mm |
| M | Not known |
Aeretes melanopterus melanopterus — Hebei Province, China.
Aeretes melanopterus szechuanensis — Southern Gansu and central and north-eastern Sichuan Provinces, China.
Cynocephalus volans
Galeopterus variegatus
Aeromys tephromelas
Aeromys thomasi
Sugar Glider
Petaurus breviceps
Flying Squirrel
Iomys sipora Mentawai
Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista leucogenys
Long-eared Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel
Idiurus macrotis