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: Similar in colouration to the Arrow-tailed Flying Squirrel, its tail is almost uniformly dull brownish-black, with the base slightly paler, browner in general colour, but not markedly bi-coloured.
Distribution: Restricted to Sipura Island, Mentawai Islands, west of Sumatra.
Reproduction: Nothing is known.
Diet: Nothing is known.
Ecology: Nothing is known.
Status: Endangered.
Note: This species has been the subject of considerable debate because it was described from an immature animal as a subspecies of the Arrow-tailed Flying Squirrel, then included in the Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel by various authors and ultimately as a species in its own right by others. An adult specimen is needed to clarify its status.
| HB | c. 140 mm |
| TL | c. 160 mm |
| HF | c. 80 mm |
| M | c. 89 g |
Hylopetes platyurus
Hylopetes sagitta
Hylopetes spadiceus
Hylopetes winstoni
North Chinese Flying Squirrel
Aeretes melanopterus
Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel
Hylopetes spadiceus
Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista elegans
Dwarf Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel
Anomalurus pusillus