Glirulus japonicus (Schinz 1845)

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Gliridae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 819-840 : 839

Glirulus japonicus (Schinz 1845)

[Glirulus] japonicus (Schinz 1845) , Syst. Verz. Saugeth., 2: 530.

Type Locality: Japan .

Vernacular Names: Japanese Dormouse.

Synonyms: Glirulus elegans (Temminck 1844) ; Glirulus javanicus (Schinz 1845) ; Glirulus lasiotis (Thomas 1880) .

Distribution: Japan, three main islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and small island of Dogo in the Oki group north of E Honshu ( Iguchi et al., 1996; Kaneko, 1994).

Conservation: IUCN – Endangered.

Discussion: Based on mitochondrial and nuclear genetic data ( Suzuki et al., 1997), there are at least two distinct populations of G. japonicus that may represent separate species. Unpublished morphological and behavioral differences were also cited. External genital morphology and its taxonomic significance were examined by Rossolimo and Pavlinov (1985). Chromosomal study provided by Tsuchiya (1979). Analysis of nest materials as indication of foraging behavior reported by Minato and Doei (1995). Included as part of the endemic Japanese fauna by Dobson (1994) who described distribution patterns of Japanese endemic mammals. Comprehensive review, including color photographs of living animals, by Kaneko (1994). Review of morphology, ecology, distribution, and illustrations of live animals contributed by Rossolimo et al. (2001). Middle and late Pleistocene representatives of G. japonicus on Japan were discussed by Kawamura (1989, 1991, 1994) and Kowalski and Hasegawa (1976).