Petaurista alborufus (Milne-Edwards, 1870)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6867731 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFF3-ED0F-FA63-F827FEF7F025 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Petaurista alborufus |
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Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista alborufus View in CoL
French: Pétauriste blanc et roux / German: Rotweif 3es Riesengleithdrnchen / Spanish: Ardilla voladora gigante roja y blanca
Taxonomy. Pteromys alborufus Milne-Edwards, 1870 ,
“Baoxing, Sichuan, China.”
Widely used subspecific names alborufus, castaneus, and leucocephalus have been changed for gender agreement. Five subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
P.a.alborufaMilne-Edwards,1870—CChina,inSGansu,SShaanxi,andNSichuan.
P.a.candidulaWroughton,1911—MyanmarandNThailand.
P.a.castaneaThomas,1923—SCChina,inESichuan,Shaanxi,Chongqing,NEYunnan,NGuizhou,Hubei,andHunan.
P. a. ochraspis Thomas, 1923 — S China, in C & S Sichuan, Yunnan and W Guangxi.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 350-580 mm, tail 400-615 mm; weight 1.2-1.9 kg. The Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel is among the longest species of Petaurista. Dorsum is red, grizzled with white. On the mainland, rear one-half of dorsum can be pale straw colored, and front one-half is red. Reddish bufftail has whitish or pinkish brown ring at base and black tip. Feet are black, and underparts are pale buff and white at throat. Well-defined reddish or black eye rings occur on white face, and ears are covered in short hairs, with dark tufts at base. Feet of nominate alborufa have reddish hairs. No separate description is available for candidula. Subspecies castanea has black hair on feet and distinct rings at base oftail. Subspecies leucocephala is visually distinct from other subspecies; whole head, starting from posterior margins of ears, is white; it has white line down nape of neck; and the back, chin, throat, shoulders, and outer sides of upper arms to wrist joints, extending onto patagium, are also white. Subspecies ochraspis has reddish hair on feet, white rings at base oftail, and black on much of the rest oftail.
Habitat. Typically, dense hillside forests of hardwoods and conifers at elevations of 2000-3000 m in Tibet, Myanmar, and Thailand. In China, the Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel inhabits deep valleys of rainforest and tropical deciduous or mixed forests
at elevations of 800-3500 m. Hardwood forests are preferred over those of conifers. It nests in hollow trees and cliff crevices.
Food and Feeding. The Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel is highly omnivorous and eats seeds, acorns, nuts, bark, and fruits; leaves and other vegetation; and insects, larvae, and other animal material such as bird eggs.
Breeding. Mating of the Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel was observed only in June, and reproductive rate is likely low, less than two young perlitter.
Activity patterns. Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrels are nocturnal and are reported to glide more than 400 m.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Based on spotlight counts, Redand-white Giant Flying Squirrels are more abundant in hardwood forests than conifer forests. There is significant seasonal variation in abundance in hardwood forests: highest densities occur in autumn (0-44 ind/ha) and lowest in winter (0-22 ind/ha). In forests with Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrels and Red Giant Flying Squirrel, they use the same tree species, but Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrels appear to reside higher in the canopy. The Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel is reportedly sympatric with the Particolored Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger), the Indian Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis), and the Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes). In Taiwan, where two of these species are often found in the same forests, it is suggested that differences in body size (Red Giant Flying Squirrels 989-1597 g; Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrels 1223-1930 g), along with abundant food resources, allow them to coexist, partitioning nest cavities and resting sites and thus avoiding competitive interactions. In most sightings in trees, these squirrels were found at heights of more than 10 m, and none were sighted at less than 3 m above the ground. Vocalizations of the Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel, described as high-pitched whistles, were produced less frequently and were qualitatively different from those made by the Red Giant Flying Squirrel (FP. petaurista), described as low-pitched sounds.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Current population trend of the Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel is unknown. More surveys and basic research on its distribution, population status, and natural history are needed to better understand threats and useful conservation action. The Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel is a major game species in Taiwan. It has been regionally Red Listed in China as least concern. Habitat fragmentation might be especially problematic due to lack of dispersal across open ground. Populations confined to small habitat fragments can potentially lead to decreased numbers and increased inbreeding and inbreeding depression.
Bibliography. Jackson (2012), Jackson & Thorington (2012), Lee Peifen (1998), Lee Peifen, Progulske & Lin Yaosung (1986, 1993), Oshida, Lin Liangkong et al. (2000), Smith & Johnston (2008w), Smith & Yan Xie (2008), Thorington et al. (2012).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
