Travancore flying squirrel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Petinomys
Species:
P. fuscocapillus
Binomial name
Petinomys fuscocapillus
(Jerdon, 1847)
Synonyms

Sciuropterus layardi Kelaart, 1850
Sciuropterus fuscocapillus Jerdon, 1847

Travancore flying squirrel (Petinomys fuscocapillus) is a flying squirrel found in Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats of South India. Travancore flying squirrels were thought to be extinct but were rediscovered in 1989 after a gap of 100 years in Kerala. It was rediscovered in Sri Lanka after 78 years. The animals were reported only in wet and intermediate zones of the island, and had a few sightings in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

Description

The head and body length is 32 cm, and the tail is 25–29 cm. Dorsally, this species is reddish brown, with ruddy-tinged grayish underparts. The tail is feather-shaped and reddish brown with a blackish undersurface. Their vibrissae are black. Like other members of this genus, the fur is soft, long and sheen.

Subspecies

There are 2 subspecies:

  • Petinomys fuscocapillus fuscocapillus (Jerdon, 1847) - Western Ghats of Peninsular India
  • Petinomys fuscocapillus layardi (Kelaart, 1850) - Sri Lanka.

Ecology

A rare, nocturnal mammal with a largely frugivorous diet, they are known to eat bark, shoots, and leaves, and sometimes insects.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Kennerley, R. (2016). "Petinomys fuscocapillus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T16734A22241374. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16734A22241374.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Yapa, A.; Ratnavira, G. (2013). Mammals of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. p. 1012. ISBN 978-955-8576-32-8.


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