Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, and were introduced by humans to Australia. The earliest known fossilized squirrels date from the Eocene epoch, and among other living rodent families, the squirrels are most closely related to the mountain beaver and to the dormice.
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.
The Malabar Coast moist forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern India.
Large black flying squirrel form a taxon of squirrels under the tribe Pteromyini. They are only found in South-east Asia.
Hylopetes is a genus of flying squirrels. There are about 10 species.
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 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.
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 Afghan flying squirrel is a subspecies of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Afghanistan.
The Indian giant flying squirrel, also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane stretched between front and hind legs. It is found in mainland Southeast and South Asia, and southern and central China.
The Basilan flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is often confused with the mindanao flying squirrel.
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 Mindanao flying squirrel is a common species of squirrel that is endemic to the Philippines.
