Flying mouse
| Flying mice Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Anomaluridae |
| Genus: | Idiurus Matschie, 1894 |
| Type species | |
Idiurus zenkeri | |
| Species | |
|
| |
The flying mice, also known as the pygmy scaly-tails, pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrels, or pygmy anomalures are not true
gliding mammal
.
Characteristics
These animals resemble mice with gliding membranes and long, sparsely-haired tails. Their appearance is similar to some
marsupial gliders. They are less than 10 cm (4 inches) in head and body length and weigh 14-35 grams (1/2 - 1.2 oz). They have a morphologically specialized tongue.[2]
Flying mice are
tree-hollow
colonies.
Species
- Long-eared flying mouse (Idiurus macrotis)
- Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel (Idiurus zenkeri)
See also
- Gliding mammal
References
- .
- .
Further reading
- Dieterlen, F. 2005. Family Anomaluridae. pp. 1532–1534 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
- Kingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. Academic Press Limited, London.
- Nowak, Ronald M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1936 pp. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
- Durrell, Gerald 1974. "The Bafut Beagles", 4th impression. Hart-Davis, MacGibbon pp 204–254( ISBN 0 246 63513 4)