Eoglaucomys fimbriatus (Gray, 1837)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818818 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFFE-ED03-FFF1-FE0FFC71FDF5 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Eoglaucomys fimbriatus |
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Kashmir Flying Squirrel
Eoglaucomys fimbriatus View in CoL
French: Polatouche du Cachemire / German: Kaschmir-Gleithornchen / Spanish: Ardilla voladora de Cachemira
Other common names: Small Kashmir Flying Squirrel
Taxonomy. Sciuropterus fimbriatus Gray, 1837 ,
“India.”
Restricted by H. C. Rob-
inson and C. B. Kloss in 1918 to Western
Himalayas and by J. R. Ellerman and T. C. S. Morrison-Scott in 1955 to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Two subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
E.f.fimbriatusGray,1837—NPunjabProvince,Pakistan,andJammu&KashmirEtoAlmorainCUttarakhandinNIndia.
E. f. baberi Blyth, 1847 — NE Afghanistan from Paktika to Kabul and Nangarhar provinces, E to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in N Pakistan.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 235-297 mm,tail 252-330 mm; weight 300-733-6 g. The Kashmir Flying Squirrel has gray or buff-brown fur, suffused with black. Underparts are creamy white to dull grayish buff. Tail is flattened on underside but rounded on top and reddish at base and blends to black at tapered tip, with at least distal onehalf or one-third oftail being black. Feet are usually black, and outer edges of hindfeet have thick brushes of hairs extending from tarsal joints to bases offifth toes. Melanistic individuals have been observed. Subspecies baberi is distinguished from nominate fimbriatus based on dental characteristics and is larger.
Habitat. Moist temperate mixed evergreen-oak and coniferous forests of blue pine (Pi nus wallichiana) and Morinda spruce (Picea smithiana), both Pinaceae, and drier forests of deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara, Pinaceae) and evergreen oak (Quercus ilex, Fagaceae) at elevations of 1600-4000 m. The Kashmir Flying Squirrel may descend to tropical pine forests in winter at elevations of ¢.900 m. It nests in tree holes or cliff caves in barren higher altitudes or in coniferous and deciduous trees where available in other parts of its distribution. It also nests in roofs of human dwellings.
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Kashmir Flying Squirrel includes seeds of at least 22 coniferous and deciduous tree species, staminate cones,fruits, flowers, buds, and shoots. Leaves, lichens, moss, and bark are also eaten but at lower frequencies. Diet shifts seasonally and is composed predominantly of buds and flowers in spring, fruits in summer and autumn, and buds and shoots in winter. The Kashmir Flying Squirrel is more granivorous and relies far less on leaves than the Red Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista), which is sometimes sympatric and feeds in the same tree species.
Breeding. Kashmir Flying Squirrels have two breeding seasons per year, and females produce summer litters of 2—4 young that reach full size by November.
Activity patterns. Kashmir Flying Squirrels are nocturnal and spend their days roosting in tree holes.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Kashmir Flying Squirrel lives in pairs. When young are in the nest, the male emerges from the nest to feed first, and the female leaves to forage after the male returns. Glides of more than 50 m have been reported, but longer distances could be reached on downhill glides.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Kashmir Flying Squirrel is included in the Schedule II (Part II) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Its population is believed to be declining. No conservation actions are in place, and it is not known to occur in any protected areas. Threats include hunting for fur and pet trades, logging, and land-use change for agriculture, civil unrest, and infrastructure development. More surveys and basic research on its distribution, population status, and natural history are needed to better understand threats and useful conservation action.
Bibliography. Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1955), Jackson (2012), Jackson & Thorington (2012), Koli (2016), Molur (2008b), Niethammer (1990), Nowak (1999a), Oshida et al. (2004), Robinson & Kloss (1918a), Shafique et al. (2006), Thorington, Koprowski et al. (2012), Thorington, Musante et al. (1996).
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.
