Arrow-tailed flying squirrels ( Latin Hylopetes , from other Greek: ὑλο- “forest” and πέτομαι “fly”, “forest flyer”) are a genus of mammals from the squirrel family.
| Arrow-Tailed Flying |
Palawan flying squirrel |
| Scientific classification |
|---|
| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
| Squadron : | Euarchontoglires |
| Gender: | Arrow-Tailed Flying |
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| International scientific name |
|---|
Hylopetes ( Thomas , 1908) |
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Content
The body length of this squirrel genus varies from 11 to 33 cm, the tail length is from 10 to 29 cm. The coat is thick and soft.
The color of the back of the body and tail is gray with shades of brown, yellow or red-brown or black. The belly is white, gray, or yellow.
They lead an exclusively nocturnal lifestyle, and during the day they spend time in the nests that they build in the hollows of trees. They feed on leaves , nuts , fruits , insects and small snakes .
Arrow-tailed flying squirrels live in not very dense jungle. They also live in the mountains at an altitude of 150-3500 m above sea level.
The genus is common in Afghanistan , Nepal , Thailand , Myanmar , the Philippines , in the territories of Kashmir , Punjab , Sikkim , Yunnan , as well as on the islands of Sumatra , Java , Kalimantan and the Malacca Peninsula.
Arrow-tailed flying squirrels in nature live up to 5 years. In captivity, where they are protected from attack by predators, they can live 10-15 years.
Pregnancy in female arrow-tailed squirrels lasts from 22 to 45 days, various species can give birth from 1 to 15 cubs.
The species composition of arrow-tailed squirrels is not fully understood and can be interpreted in different ways. Species are distinguished [1] :
- Afghan flying squirrel ( Hylopetes baberi )
- Flying Bartels ( Hylopetes bartelsi )
- Two-tone (motley) flying squirrel ( Hylopetes alboniger )
- Kashmir flying squirrel ( Hylopetes fimbriatus )
- Myanmar (Burmese) flying squirrel ( Hylopetes spadiceus )
- Palawan flying squirrel ( Hylopetes nigripes )
- Sipor flying squirrel ( Hylopetes sipora )
- Sumatran Flying Squirrel ( Hylopetes winstoni )
- Flying Squirrel ( Hylopetes phayrei )
- Javanese flying squirrel ( Hylopetes lepidus )
- ↑ Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia. "Mammals" Prince. 2 = The New Encyclopedia of Mammals / Ed. D. MacDonald . - M .: Omega, 2007 .-- S. 442. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-465-01346-8 .
