Old World flying squirrel explained

Commonly referred to as the Old World flying squirrels, the genus Pteromys is distributed across temperate Eurasia, the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Although there are a host of flying squirrel genera in Asia (particularly southern Asia), Pteromys is the only one present in Europe.

Characteristics

These large-eyed animals are nocturnal and use a membrane stretching from their wrists to ankles in order to glide from tree to tree. They can glide up to 443feet and have a long flat tail. They feed on nuts, seeds, fruit, buds, bark, and insects.

Species

There are two species in this genus:

• Pteromys momonga – Japanese dwarf flying squirrel – Found in Japan (Honshu and Kyushu).
• Pteromys volans – Siberian flying squirrel – Found in northern Europe (mainly Russia and Finland, some isolated populations in the Baltics) and northern Asia from Siberia to Hokkaido

References

• Nowak, Ronald M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1936 pp.