
Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3
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Order : RODENTIA
Family : Sciuridae
Species : Petaurista elegans
Head-Body Length : Up to
36 cm
Tail Length : Up to 36 cm
Weight : Up to 1.0 kg
The Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel,
sometimes confusingly called the 'Lesser
Giant Flying Squirrel', inhabits a variety of forest types in its broad
range including coniferous forest and tropical rainforest.
It is generally confined to hilly and montane areas at elevations
of up to 3000 to 4000 metres, and is only occasional found in the lowlands.
The species appears to be strictly nocturnal, only appearing after dusk, and
is known to nest in treeholes and on rock ledges.
Its fur colour varies between different populations from a rich, rufous, orange-brown
to grey or yellowish grey. Its underside may be buff, orange or
brown, and its tail colour may vary.
Thorington et al (2012) recognise 8 subspecies, 7 of which occur in
Southeast Asia (however, 2 of these subspecies, which occur in western Myanmar
and parts of the Indian subcontinent, may be distinct species).
Pictured here are three specimens of the subspecies P. e. punctatus,
which inhabits southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. This subspecies
bears a black tail and is normally heavily flecked with white (though
the specimen in figure 2 has very few white spots). These squirrels were
heard to call each other with a soft whistle.
The Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel has an extensive range which stretches from Nepal
and Bhutan to Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Indochina (Laos, Vietnam),
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and parts of northern Borneo. The species
has not been recorded in Singapore.
Figs 1 to 3 : Three different specimens from Peninsular Malaysia, at an elevation
of 1100 metres. The squirrels were attracted
to the abundant acorns of a localised stand of oak trees (Quercus
gemelliflora),
which can be seen in Figure 3.
The specimens in Figures 1 and 3 are strongly flecked with white, but the
specimen in Figure 2 bears very few white flecks.
References :
Thorington Jr., R. W., Koprowski, J. L., Steele, M. A., Whatton, J. F. 2012.
Squirrels of the World. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
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