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]