Flying Squirrel - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

The largest of the species is the woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus). The two species of the genus Glaucomys (Glaucomys sabrinus and Glaucomys volans) are native to North America, and the Siberian flying squirrel is native to parts of northern Europe (Pteromys volans).

• Pliopetaurista
  • Pliopetaurista kollmanni Daxner-Höck, 2004

Thorington and Hoffman (2005) recognize 15 genera of flying squirrels in two subtribes.

Tribe Pteromyini – flying squirrels

• Subtribe Glaucomyina
  • Genus Eoglaucomys
    • Kashmir Flying Squirrel, Eoglaucomys fimbriatus
  • Genus Glaucomys – New World flying squirrels (American flying squirrels), North America
    • Southern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys volans
    • Northern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus
  • Genus Hylopetes, Southeast Asia
    • Particolored Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes alboniger
    • Afghan Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes baberi
    • Bartel's Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes bartelsi
    • Gray-cheeked Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes lepidus
    • Palawan Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes nigripes
    • Indochinese Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes phayrei
    • Jentink’s Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes platyurus
    • Sipora Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes sipora
    • Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes spadiceus
    • Sumatran Flying Squirrel, Hylopetes winstoni
  • Genus Iomys, Malaysia and Indonesia
    • Javanese Flying Squirrel (Horsfield's Flying Squirrel), Iomys horsfieldi
    • Mentawi Flying Squirrel, Iomys sipora
  • Genus Petaurillus – pygmy flying squirrels, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula
    • Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel, Petaurillus emiliae
    • Hose's Pygmy Flying Squirrel, Petaurillus hosei
    • Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel, Petaurillus kinlochii
  • Genus Petinomys, Southeast Asia
    • Basilan Flying Squirrel, Petinomys crinitus
    • Travancore Flying Squirrel, Petinomys fuscocapillus
    • Whiskered Flying Squirrel, Petinomys genibarbis
    • Hagen's Flying Squirrel, Petinomys hageni
    • Siberut Flying Squirrel, Petinomys lugens
    • Mindanao Flying Squirrel, Petinomys mindanensis
    • Arrow Flying Squirrel, Petinomys sagitta
    • Temminck's Flying Squirrel, Petinomys setosus
    • Vordermann's Flying Squirrel, Petinomys vordermanni
• Subtribe Pteromyina
  • Genus Aeretes, northeastern China
    • Groove-toothed Flying Squirrel (North Chinese Flying Squirrel), Aeretes melanopterus
  • Genus Aeromys – large black flying squirrels, Thailand to Borneo
    • Black Flying Squirrel, Aeromys tephromelas
    • Thomas's Flying Squirrel, Aeromys thomasi
  • Genus Belomys, Southeast Asia
    • Hairy-footed Flying Squirrel, Belomys pearsonii
  • Genus Biswamoyopterus, India and Bangladesh
    • Namdapha Flying Squirrel, Biswamoyopterus biswasi
  • Genus Eupetaurus, Kashmir; rare
    • Woolly Flying Squirrel, Eupetaurus cinereus
  • Genus Petaurista, Southeast Asia
    • Red And White Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista alborufus
    • Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista elegans
    • Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista magnificus
    • Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista nobilis
    • Indian Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista philippensis
    • Chinese Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista xanthotis
    • Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista leucogenys
    • Red Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista petaurista
  • Genus Pteromys – Old World flying squirrel, Finland to Japan
    • Siberian Flying Squirrel, Pteromys volans Pacific coast to the Baltic Sea
    • Japanese Dwarf Flying Squirrel, Pteromys momonga
  • Genus Pteromyscus, southern Thailand to Borneo
    • Smoky Flying Squirrel, Pteromyscus pulverulentus
  • Genus Trogopterus, China
    • Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel, Trogopterus xanthipes

Two new species of flying squirrel have been recently been found in the northeastern state of India of Arunachal Pradesh. These are:

• Mechuka Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista mechukaensis)
• Mishmi Hills Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista mishmiensis)