The woolly flying squirrel and gliding: does size matter?

• Autorzy: Zahler P.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The woolly flying squirrel Eupetaurus cinereus Thomas, 1888 is the longest sciurid and most massive mammalian glider in the world. Because of this, there has been some question about the squirrel's gliding ability. I document three glide events performed by this species. These glide events, coupled with comparisons of glide ratios, ponderal ratios, and a log-log plot of head + body length versus body mass with other flying squirrels, demonstrates that the woolly flying squirrel, despite its size, is a capable glider and is no more robust than other flying squirrels. Predation attempts that were observed during glide events are discussed within an evolutionary context.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 2001
• Tom: 46
• Numer: 4
• Opis fizyczny: p.429-435,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Zahler P.

• University of Massechusetts Amherst, Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA

Bibliografia

• Anderson J. 1878. Anatomical and zoological researches: Comprising an account of the zoological results of the two expeditions to Western Yunan in 1868 and 1875. Bernard Quaritch, London: xxv + 1-973.
• Ando M. and Shiraishi S. 1993. Gliding flight in the Japanese giant flying squirrel Petaurista leucogenys. Journal of the Mammalogical Society of Japan 18: 19-32.
• Emmons L. H. and Gentry A. H. 1983. Tropical forest structure and the distribution of gliding and prehensile-tailed vertebrates. The American Naturalist 121: 513-524.
• Forsman E. D., Meslow E. C. and Wight H. M. 1984. Distribution and biology of the spotted owl in Oregon. Wildlife Monographs 87: 1-64.
• Grassé P. P. and Dekeyser P. L. 1955. Ordre des rongeurs (Rodentes Vicq d'Azyr, 1792, Rodentia Bowdich, 1821). Traité de Zoologie, Paris, Masson 17: 1321-1525.
• Holmes D. J. and Austad S. N. 1994. Fly now, die later: life-history correlates of gliding and flying in mammals. Journal of Mammalogy 75: 224-226.
• How R. A. 1978. Population strategies of four species of Australian possums. [In: The ecology of arboreal folivores. G. G. Montgomery, ed]. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.: 305-313.
• Kingdon J. 1974. East African mammals. An atlas of evolution in Africa. II(B). Hares and rodents. Academic Press, London: ix + 343-704.
• McKenna M. C. 1962. Eupetaurus and the living petauristine sciurids. American Museum of Natural History Novitates 2104: 1-38.
• Norberg U. M. 1990. Vertebrate flight: mechanics, physiology, morphology, ecology and evolution. Springer-Verlag, New York: xiv + 1-291.
• Nowak R. M. (ed) 1999. Walker's mammals of the world. (6th ed). The Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland: 1-1936.
• Rayner J. M. V. 1981. Flight adaptations in vertebrates. [In: Vertebrate locomotion. M. H. Day, ed]. Symposium 48, Zoological Society of London, Academic Press, New York: 137-172.
• Roberts T. J. 1997. The mammals of Pakistan. 2nd Edition. Ernest Benn Ltd., London: xxxvi + 1-525.
• Savile D. B. O. 1962. Gliding and flight in the vertebrates. American Zoologist 2: 161-162.Schaub S. 1958. Simplicidentata (Rodentia). Traité de paléontologie, Paris, Masson 6: 659-818.
• Scheibe J. S. and Robins J. H. 1998. Morphological and performance attributes of gliding mammals. [In: Ecology and evolutionary biology of tree squirrels. M. A. Steele, J. F. Merritt and D. A. Zegers, eds]. Special Publication 6, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville: 131-144.
• Stapp P. 1994. Can predation explain life-history strategies in mammalian gliders? Journal of Mammalogy 75: 227-228.
• Strahan R. (ed) 1983. The complete book of Australian mammals. Angus and Robertson Publishers, London: xx + 1-530.
• Thomas O. 1888. Eupetaurus - a new form of flying squirrel from Kashmir. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 57: 2: 256-260.
• Thorington R. W. and Heaney L. R. 1981. Body proportions and gliding adaptations of flying squirrels (Petauristinae). Journal of Mammalogy 62: 101-114.
• Voous K. H. 1988. Owls of the northern hemisphere. The MIT Press, Cambridge: 1-320.
• Zahler P. and Dietemann C. 1999. A note on food habits of the eagle owl (Bubo bubo) in Northern Pakistan. Forktail 15: 98-99.
• Zahler P. and Karim A. 1999. New distribution, elevation, habitat, and diurnal refuge for the Kashmir flying squirrel (Eoglaucomys fimbriatus). Mammalia 62: 588-591.
• Zahler P. and Woods C. A. 1997. The status of the woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus) in Northern Pakistan. [In: Biodiversity of Pakistan. S. A. Mufti, C. A. Woods and S. A. Hasan, eds]. Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville: 485-514.
• Zahler P. 1996. Rediscovery of the woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus). Journal of Mammalogy 77: 54-57.