Old World flying squirrel
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| Old World flying squirrels Fossil range: Late Pliocene - Recent |
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 Japanese dwarf flying squirrel, Pteromys momonga
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Commonly referred to as simply the Old World flying squirrels, the genus Pteromys is distributed across temperate Eurasia and Japan. Although there are a host of flying squirrel genera in Asia (particularly southern Asia), Pteromys is the only one present in Europe.
[edit] Characteristics
These large-eyed animals are nocturnal and use a membrane stretching from their wrists to ankles in order to glide from tree to tree. They feed on nuts, seeds, fruit, buds, bark, and insects.
[edit] Species
There are two species in this genus:
- Pteromys volans - Siberian Flying Squirrel - found across northern Europe and northern Asia
- Pteromys momonga - Japanese Flying Squirrel - found in Japan
[edit] References
- Nowak, Ronald M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1936 pp. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
