Flying squirrels are a tribe of 50 species of squirrels in the family Sciuridae. Despite their name, they are not in fact capable of full flight in the same way as birds or bats, but they are able to glide from one tree to another with the aid of a patagium, a furred skin membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle. Their long tails also provide stability as they glide. Anatomically they are very similar to other squirrels with a number of adaptations to suit their lifestyle; their limb bones are longer and their hand bones, foot bones, and distal vertebrae are shorter. Flying squirrels are able to steer and exert control over their glide path with their limbs and tail.
Sciurinae is a subfamily of squirrels, uniting the flying squirrels with certain related tree squirrels. Older sources place the flying squirrels in a separate subfamily (Pteromyinae) and unite all remaining sciurids into the subfamily Sciurinae, but this has been strongly refuted by genetic studies.
Travancore flying squirrel 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.
The groove-toothed flying squirrel or North Chinese flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is considered monotypic within the genus Aeretes. It is endemic to China, and occurs in Sichuan, Gansu, Hebei, and Beijing. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
The black flying squirrel or large black flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia; its habitat is primary and secondary forests and gardens where it uses tree hollows. It feeds on fruits, nuts and other vegetable matter. It is likely not threatened and is adaptable to habitat loss. Black flying squirrels tend to have smaller populations than other squirrels because female black flying squirrels breed infrequently and have a small litter size of just one young.
Thomas's flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is one of two species in the genus Aeromys. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
The Kashmir flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus Eoglaucomys. It is found in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. The Afghan flying squirrel is usually considered a subspecies.
The Philippine pygmy squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
Petinomys is a genus of flying squirrels. They are known commonly as the dwarf flying squirrels.
The whiskered flying squirrel is a species of flying squirrel. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Hagen's flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Indonesia.
The Siberut flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Temminck's flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Vordermann's flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. It was described in 1890 by the Dutch zoologist Fredericus Anna Jentink, who named it after its discoverer, the Dutch physician Adolphe Vorderman.
The Northern Palawan tree squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.
The Mindanao squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
The Philippine tree squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae which is endemic to the Philippines.
The Southern Palawan tree squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.
The Sanghir squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the volcanic Sangir Islands in Indonesia, located just north of the equator in the Celebes Sea, between the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.
The Mindanao flying squirrel is a common species of squirrel that is endemic to the Philippines.
