Namdapha flying squirrel

Species of rodent

Namdapha flying squirrel

Holotype of the Namdapha flying squirrel, viewed from above and below

Conservation status

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Rodentia
Family:  | Sciuridae
Genus:  | Biswamoyopterus
Species:  |

B. biswasi

Binomial name
Biswamoyopterus biswasi

Saha, 1981[2]

The Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi) is a flying squirrel endemic to Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India, where it is known from a single zoological specimen collected in Namdapha National Park in 1981.

## Description

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The Namdapha flying squirrel has reddish, grizzled fur with white above and a pale grey crown; its patagium is orangish and its underparts are white. Its cheek teeth are simple, and its incisors are unpigmented. Septae are multiple in auditory bullae and sometimes honeycomb-shaped with 10 to 12 cells in it. It measures 40.5 cm (15.9 in) from head-to-vent and has a 60 cm (24 in) long tail. The hindfoot is 7.8 cm (3.1 in), and the ear is 4.6 cm (1.8 in) long.[3][4]

## Taxonomy

[edit]

The Namdapha flying squirrel first described in 1981, based on a single zoological specimen collected in Namdapha National Park.[2] Its scientific name commemorates Biswamoy Biswas, director of the Zoological Survey of India.[3] It was the first member of the genus Biswamoyopterus; in 2013, the Laotian giant flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus laoensis) was described.[5] In 2018, a new flying squirrel, the Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis) was discovered in China.[6]

## Distribution and habitat

[edit]

The Namdapha flying squirrel is endemic to Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India.[1] It inhabits tall Mesua ferrea jungles, often on hill slopes in the drainage basin area of Dihing River, particularly on the western slope of Patkai range in northeastern India.[3][4]

In April 2022, a putative Namdapha flying squirrel was recorded in Arunachal Pradesh.[7] To prove its validity, the researchers are planning to collect fecal samples for identification of DNA.[8]

## Status

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The Namdapha flying squirrel is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its range may be restricted to a single valley, and it is threatened by poaching of animals for food within the park, and possibly by habitat destruction.[1] It is among the 25 "most wanted lost" species that are the focus of Re:wild's "Search for Lost Species" initiative.[9]

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Biswamoyopterus biswasi.

1. ^ a b c Molur, S. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Biswamoyopterus biswasi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T2816A115063959. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T2816A22271554.en.
2. ^ a b Thorington, R.W. Jr; Hoffman, R.S. (2005). "Family Sciuridae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818\. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
3. ^ a b c Saha, S. S. (1981). "A new genus and a new species of flying squirrel (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) from northeastern India" (PDF). Bulletin of the Zoological Survey of India. 4 (3): 331–336.
4. ^ a b Saha, S. S. (1985). "Mammalia" (PDF). Records of the Zoological Survey of India. 82 (1–4): 321–330\. doi:10.26515/rzsi/v82/i1-4/1984/161306. S2CID 251697069.1–4&rft.pages=321-330&rft.date=1985&rft_id=info:doi/10.26515/rzsi/v82/i1-4/1984/161306&rft_id=https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:251697069#id-name=S2CID&rft.aulast=Saha&rft.aufirst=S.+S.&rft_id=http://faunaofindia.nic.in/PDFVolumes/records/082/01-04/0321-0329.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Namdapha+flying+squirrel" class="Z3988">
5. ^ Sanamxay, D.; Douangboubpha, B.; Bumrungsri, S.; Xayavong, S.; Xayaphet, V.; Satasook, C.; Bates, P. J.J. (2013). "Rediscovery of Biswamoyopterus (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae: Pteromyini) in Asia, with the description of a new species from Lao PDR". Zootaxa. 3686 (4): 471–481\. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3686.4.5. PMID 26473234. S2CID 1381787.
6. ^ Gutoskey, E. (2019). "Humongous, chihuahua-sized species of flying squirrel has been discovered in China". www.mentalfloss.com. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
7. ^ Karmakar, R. (2023). "Missing for 42 years, flying squirrel resurfaces in Arunachal". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
8. ^ Daniel, E. (2023). "This flying squirrel is still lost to science, but maybe not for much longer". Re:wild. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
9. ^ "The Search for Lost Species". Global Wildlife Conservation. Retrieved 10 July 2017.

* v
* t
* e

Extant species of family Sciuridae (subfamily Sciurinae, Pteromyini (Flying squirrels) tribe)

* Kingdom Animalia
* Phylum Chordata
* Class Mammalia
* Order: Rodentia
* Suborder: Sciuromorpha

Aeretes|

* Groove-toothed flying squirrel (Aeretes melanopterus)

Aeromys
(Large black flying squirrels)|

* Black flying squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas)
* Thomas's flying squirrel (Aeromys thomasi)

Belomys|

* Hairy-footed flying squirrel (Belomys pearsonii)

Biswamoyopterus|

* Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
* Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis)
* Laotian giant flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus laoensis)

Eoglaucomys|

* Kashmir flying squirrel (Eoglaucomys fimbriatus)

Eupetaurus|

* Western woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus)
* Yunnan woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus nivamons)
* Tibetan woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus tibetensis)

Glaucomys
(New World flying squirrels)|

* Humboldt's flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis)
* Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)
* Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans)

Hylopetes|

* Particolored flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger)
* Bartel's flying squirrel (Hylopetes bartelsi)
* Hainan flying squirrel (Hylopetes electilis)
* Palawan flying squirrel (Hylopetes nigripes)
* Indochinese flying squirrel (Hylopetes phayrei)
* Jentink's flying squirrel (Hylopetes platyurus)
* Arrow flying squirrel (Hylopetes sagitta)
* Sipora flying squirrel (Hylopetes sipora)
* Red-cheeked flying squirrel (Hylopetes spadiceus)
* Sumatran flying squirrel (Hylopetes winstoni)

Iomys|

* Javanese flying squirrel (Iomys horsfieldi)
* Mentawi flying squirrel (Iomys sipora)

Petaurillus
(Pygmy flying squirrels)|

* Lesser pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus emiliae)
* Hose's pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus hosei)
* Selangor pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus kinlochii)

Petaurista|

* Red and white giant flying squirrel (Petaurista alborufus)
* Spotted giant flying squirrel (Petaurista elegans)
* Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys)
* Hodgson's giant flying squirrel (Petaurista magnificus)
* Mechuka giant flying squirrel (Petaurista mechukaensis)
* Mishmi giant flying squirrel (Petaurista mishmiensis)
* Bhutan giant flying squirrel (Petaurista nobilis)
* Red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista)
* Indian giant flying squirrel (Petaurista philippensis)
* Mebo giant flying squirrel (Petaurista siangensis)
* Chinese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista xanthotis)

Petinomys|

* Basilan flying squirrel (Petinomys crinitus)
* Travancore flying squirrel (Petinomys fuscocapillus)
* Whiskered flying squirrel (Petinomys genibarbis)
* Hagen's flying squirrel (Petinomys hageni)
* Siberut flying squirrel (Petinomys lugens)
* Mindanao flying squirrel (Petinomys mindanensis)
* Arrow flying squirrel (Petinomys sagitta)
* Temminck's flying squirrel (Petinomys setosus)
* Vordermann's flying squirrel (Petinomys vordermanni)

Pteromys
(Old World flying squirrels)|

* Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (Pteromys momonga)
* Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans)

Pteromyscus|

* Smoky flying squirrel (Pteromyscus pulverulentus)

Trogopterus|

* Complex-toothed flying squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes)

Category

Taxon identifiers

Biswamoyopterus biswasi|

* Wikidata: Q1482523
* Wikispecies: Biswamoyopterus biswasi
* ADW: Biswamoyopterus_biswasi
* ARKive: biswamoyopterus-biswasi
* CoL: LX86
* EoL: 1178602
* GBIF: 2437546
* iNaturalist: 46204
* IRMNG: 10226726
* ITIS: 632491
* IUCN: 2816
* MDD: 1001615
* MSW: 12400294
* NCBI: 2599451
* Observation.org: 82058
* Open Tree of Life: 3609183
* Xeno-canto: Biswamoyopterus-biswasi
* ZooBank: 2978FC4C-EB01-444A-A6ED-82635608D7C5

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