Particolored flying squirrel

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Particolored flying squirrel

Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Sciuridae
Genus:	Hylopetes
Species:	H. alboniger
Binomial name
*Hylopetes alboniger* (Hodgson, 1836)

The particolored flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The Himalayan large-eared flying squirrel (Priapomys leonardi) was formerly considered a subspecies of H. alboniger, but phylogenetic analysis revealed that it occupies a completely different place in the taxonomy of flying squirrels, and it as thus classified as a distinct species in its own genus.^[2]

Nut Caching

Hylopetes alboniger is one of two squirrels (the other is Hylopetes phayrei electilis) that hang elliptical or oblate nuts securely in vegetation. They carve grooves into the nuts, using them to fix the nuts tightly between small intersecting twigs, reminiscent of the mortise-tenon joint in carpentry. Strategically, these cache sites are 10–25 m away from the nearest nut-producing tree, reducing potential theft. This behavior not only ensures secure storage but may also influence the forest's tree distribution.^[3]

This storing of nuts contrasts with squirrels in temperate zones that typically do this in ground holes or under leaf litter.

References

^ Duckworth, J.W.; Tizard, R.J.; Molur, S. (2016). "Hylopetes alboniger". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T10600A22244563. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T10600A22244563.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ Li, Quan; Cheng, Feng; Jackson, Stephen M.; Helgen, Kristofer M.; Song, Wen-Yu; Liu, Shao-Ying; Sanamxay, Daosavanh; Li, Song; Li, Fei; Xiong, Yun; Sun, Jun (2021-07-18). "Phylogenetic and morphological significance of an overlooked flying squirrel (Pteromyini, Rodentia) from the eastern Himalayas with the description of a new genus". Zoological Research. 42 (4): 389–400. doi:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.039. ISSN 2095-8137. PMC 8317177. PMID 34047079.
^ Xu, Han; Xia, Lian; Spence, John R; Lin, Mingxian; Lu, Chunyang; Li, Yanpeng; Chen, Jie; Luo, Tushou; Li, Yide; Fang, Suqin (2023-06-13). "Flying squirrels use a mortise-tenon structure to fix nuts on understory twigs". eLife. 12: e84967. doi:10.7554/elife.84967. ISSN 2050-084X. PMC 10328505. PMID 37309191.

v t e Extant species of family Sciuridae (subfamily Sciurinae, Pteromyini (Flying squirrels) tribe)
Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order: Rodentia Suborder: Sciuromorpha
Aeretes	Groove-toothed flying squirrel (Aeretes melanopterus)
Aeromys (Large black flying squirrels)	Black flying squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas) Thomas's flying squirrel (Aeromys thomasi)
Belomys	Hairy-footed flying squirrel (Belomys pearsonii)
Biswamoyopterus	Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi) Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis) Laotian giant flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus laoensis)
Eoglaucomys	Kashmir flying squirrel (Eoglaucomys fimbriatus)
Eupetaurus	Western woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus) Yunnan woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus nivamons) Tibetan woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus tibetensis)
Glaucomys (New World flying squirrels)	Humboldt's flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis) Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans)
Hylopetes	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)
Iomys	Javanese flying squirrel (Iomys horsfieldi) Mentawi flying squirrel (Iomys sipora)
Petaurillus (Pygmy flying squirrels)	Lesser pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus emiliae) Hose's pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus hosei) Selangor pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus kinlochii)
Petaurista	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)
Petinomys	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)
Pteromys (Old World flying squirrels)	Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (Pteromys momonga) Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans)
Pteromyscus	Smoky flying squirrel (Pteromyscus pulverulentus)
Trogopterus	Complex-toothed flying squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes)
Category

Taxon identifiers
Hylopetes alboniger	Wikidata: Q785344 Wikispecies: Hylopetes alboniger BOLD: 12280 CoL: 3NGGZ EoL: 1178604 GBIF: 2437530 iNaturalist: 46132 IRMNG: 11095522 ITIS: 632493 IUCN: 10600 MDD: 1001623 MSW: 12400341 NCBI: 254705 Observation.org: 84053 Open Tree of Life: 348565

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