Travancore flying squirrel

Species of rodent

Travancore flying squirrel

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

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

P. fuscocapillus

Binomial name
Petinomys fuscocapillus

(Jerdon, 1847)

Synonyms

Sciuropterus layardi Kelaart, 1850
Sciuropterus fuscocapillus Jerdon, 1847

Travancore flying squirrel (Petinomys fuscocapillus) is a flying squirrel found in Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats of South India. Travancore flying squirrels were thought to be extinct but were rediscovered in 1989 after a gap of 100 years in Kerala. It was rediscovered in Sri Lanka after 78 years. The animals were reported only in wet and intermediate zones of the island, and had a few sightings in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

## Description

[edit]

The head and body length is 32 cm, and the tail is 25–29 cm. Dorsally, this species is reddish brown, with ruddy-tinged grayish underparts. The tail is feather-shaped and reddish brown with a blackish undersurface. Their vibrissae are black. Like other members of this genus, the fur is soft, long and sheen. [citation needed]

## Subspecies

[edit]

There are 2 subspecies:

* Petinomys fuscocapillus fuscocapillus (Jerdon, 1847) \- Western Ghats of Peninsular India
* Petinomys fuscocapillus layardi (Kelaart, 1850) \- Sri Lanka.

## Ecology

[edit]

A rare, nocturnal mammal with a largely frugivorous diet, they are known to eat bark, shoots, and leaves, and sometimes insects.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kennerley, R. (2016). "Petinomys fuscocapillus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T16734A22241374. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16734A22241374.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. ^ Yapa, A.; Ratnavira, G. (2013). Mammals of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. p. 1012\. ISBN 978-955-8576-32-8.

* Ananthakrishnan G. (3/12/2006) Squirrels in focus, the Hindu, retrieved 6/13/2007 Two flying squirrel species
* http://www.researchgate.net/publication/237099131_The_small_flying_squirrel_(Petinomys_fuscocapillus)_observed_after_78_years_in_Sri_Lanka
* http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/mmonline.dll/portal/localContentView.do?tabId=16&programId=1079897624&contentId=13866795&district=Cochin&BV_ID=@@@

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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

Petinomys fuscocapillus|

* Wikidata: Q1766700
* Wikispecies: Petinomys fuscocapillus
* CoL: 76V2C
* EoL: 1178628
* GBIF: 2437256
* iNaturalist: 45973
* IRMNG: 11075240
* ITIS: 632517
* IUCN: 16734
* MDD: 1001658
* MSW: 12400424
* NCBI: 1534979
* Observation.org: 86572
* Open Tree of Life: 3609025
* Xeno-canto: Petinomys-fuscocapillus

Sciuropterus fuscocapillus|

* Wikidata: Q109647467
* GBIF: 5786616

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