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 very small flying squirrel distinguished from all others on the Malay Peninsula by a 15 millimetre white tip to its tail. The blackish upper parts have a reddish buff, with dull orange tips to the hairs. There is a pure white spot behind each ear. Its underparts are white, washed with buff.
The outer portion of its gliding membrane is pure black to the base of the hairs, and the extreme edges above and below are fringed with blackened hairs with buff tips.
This species differs from Hose’s Pygmy Flying Squirrel in having markedly shorter ears and its colour being more reddish above. Its facial area is darker and the sides of its neck have a pure buff patch below the base of the ear. The hairs on its chest and abdomen are greyish at the base and the upper median line of its tail is black.
Distribution: Known from Selangor, Malay Peninsula. It has been recorded near fruit and rubber plantations.
Reproduction: Nothing is known.
Diet: Nothing is known.
Ecology: Nothing is known.
Status: Data Deficient.
HB | 80–95 mm |
TL | 80–98 mm |
HF | 19–20 mm |
M | 17–31 g |
Petaurillus emiliae
Petaurillus hosei
Petaurista albiventer
Petaurista alborufus
Feathertail Glider
Acrobates pygmaeus
Northern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys sabrinus
White-bellied Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista albiventer
Hagen’s Flying Squirrel
Petinomys hageni