Japanese giant flying squirrel
Japanese giant flying squirrel | |
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Conservation status | |
![]() Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Sciuridae |
Genus: | Petaurista |
Species: | P. leucogenys |
Binomial name | |
Petaurista leucogenys Temminck, 1827 | |
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Range in red |
The Japanese giant flying squirrel (ムササビ, musasabi, Petaurista leucogenys) is a species of flying squirrel, one of the giant flying squirrels in the genus Petaurista.
Description
Like other flying squirrels, it has a web of skin between its legs which it uses to glide between trees. Glides of 160 metres have been recorded. The tail is used for stability during flight. The body is about 25–50 cm long, and the tail a further 30–40 cm. It weighs between 700 and 1500g. It is much larger than the related Japanese dwarf flying squirrel which does not exceed 220g. It eats fruit and nuts and lives in holes in large trees. The female has a home range of about a hectare and the male about two hectares.
Distribution and habitat
It is native to Japan, where it inhabits sub-alpine forests and boreal evergreen forests on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu.
Reproduction
Sexual maturity is reached after about two years.[2] From winter to early summer the males compete for females. During mating, after ejaculation, the male produces a sticky protein called a coitus plug from his penis which becomes firm and blocks the female's vagina. This may stop semen from leaking out and heighten the chances of fertilization. It also prevents other males from mating with the same female. However males can use their penis to remove the coitus plug. Gestation lasts about 74 days and one or two young are born in early autumn.[3]
References
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- ^ Ishii, N. & Kaneko, Y. (2008). "Petaurista leucogenys". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.{{cite iucn}}: old-form url (help)
- ^ Kawamichi, Takeo. "The age of sexual maturity in Japanese giant flying squirrels, Petaurista leucogenys." Mammal Study 22.1+ 2 (1997): 81-87.
- ^ Kawamichi, Takeo. "Biannual reproductive cycles in the Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys)." Journal of Mammalogy 91.4 (2010): 905-913.
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- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Suborder: Sciuromorpha
- Groove-toothed flying squirrel (Aeretes melanopterus)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Callosciurus_prevosti.jpg/200px-Callosciurus_prevosti.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/OtospermophilusVariegatusGrandCanyon.jpg/200px-OtospermophilusVariegatusGrandCanyon.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Sciurus_niger_%28on_fence%29.jpg/200px-Sciurus_niger_%28on_fence%29.jpg)
(Large black flying squirrels)
- Black flying squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas)
- Thomas's flying squirrel (Aeromys thomasi)
- Hairy-footed flying squirrel (Belomys pearsonii)
- Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
- Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis)
- Laotian giant flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus laoensis)
- Kashmir flying squirrel (Eoglaucomys fimbriatus)
- Western woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus)
- Yunnan woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus nivamons)
- Tibetan woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus tibetensis)
(New World flying squirrels)
- Humboldt's flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis)
- Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)
- Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans)
- Particolored flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger)
- Bartel's flying squirrel (Hylopetes bartelsi)
- Hainan flying squirrel (Hylopetes electilis)
- Palawan flying squirrel (Hylopetes nigripes)
- Indochinese flying squirrel (Hylopetes phayrei)
- Jentink's flying squirrel (Hylopetes platyurus)
- Arrow flying squirrel (Hylopetes sagitta)
- Sipora flying squirrel (Hylopetes sipora)
- Red-cheeked flying squirrel (Hylopetes spadiceus)
- Sumatran flying squirrel (Hylopetes winstoni)
- Javanese flying squirrel (Iomys horsfieldi)
- Mentawi flying squirrel (Iomys sipora)
(Pygmy flying squirrels)
- Lesser pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus emiliae)
- Hose's pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus hosei)
- Selangor pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus kinlochii)
- Red and white giant flying squirrel (Petaurista alborufus)
- Spotted giant flying squirrel (Petaurista elegans)
- Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys)
- Hodgson's giant flying squirrel (Petaurista magnificus)
- Mechuka giant flying squirrel (Petaurista mechukaensis)
- Mishmi giant flying squirrel (Petaurista mishmiensis)
- Bhutan giant flying squirrel (Petaurista nobilis)
- Red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista)
- Indian giant flying squirrel (Petaurista philippensis)
- Mebo giant flying squirrel (Petaurista siangensis)
- Chinese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista xanthotis)
- 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)
(Old World flying squirrels)
- Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (Pteromys momonga)
- Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans)
- Smoky flying squirrel (Pteromyscus pulverulentus)
- Complex-toothed flying squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes)