Squirrel Glider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Squirrel Glider[1] | |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Petauridae |
| Genus: | Petaurus |
| Species: | P. norfolcensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Petaurus norfolcensis (Kerr, 1792) |
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The Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) is a gliding mammal of the marsupial family Petauridae. It is one of the wrist-winged gliders of the Petaurus genus.
Like most of the wrist-winged gliders, the Squirrel Glider is endemic to Australia. It is about twice the size of the related Sugar Glider (P. breviceps). The Squirrel Glider eats mostly fruit and insects. They can glide up to 15 metres from tree to tree. They tend not to glide in captivity.
Similar species are the Sugar Glider and the Mahogany Glider. [3] [4]
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[edit] Phylogeny
The closest relatives of the Squirrel Glider are the five other species in the genus Petaurus. These include the Sugar Glider, Mahogany Glider (P.Gracilis), Northern Glider (P. Abidi), Biak Glider (P. Biacensis) and the Yellow-bellied Glider (P.Australis). It is not certain which species these gliders diverged from. The Squirrel Glider is likely to have evolved from a possum-like marsupial which evolved gliding membranes. It shares this ancestor with the Dactylopsila and Gymnobelideus genera, which include the Striped Possum and Leadbeater’s Possum respectively.
[edit] Analogous Structures
Although the Squirrel Glider is very similar to the Flying Squirrel (Pteromyini) of North America, these two species aren’t closely related, as the Flying Squirrel is a placental mammal and the Squirrel Glider is a marsupial with closer relatives in kangaroos and koalas. Since they are only very distantly related, their similar characteristics are examples of analogous structures. Both species have independently evolved patagia; skin that extends between their front and hind legs to enable them to glide. This is an adaptation for tree living, allowing them to travel from tree to tree to avoid predators they would encounter on the ground. Their distant common ancestor would not have had this structure
[edit] Homologous Structures
Another feature of the Squirrel Glider is its ability to curl its tail to grasp onto branches, although it is predominantly used as a rudder for gliding. The prehensility of this tail is homologous to the tail of the related ringtail possum, Pseudochierus peregrinus, which is another member of the order Diprodontia. This species uses its tail as an extra grasping limb to climb through trees. It is also hairless and longer than the squirrel glider’s bushy tail.
[edit] References
- ^ Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M.. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 55. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.
- ^ Winter, J., Lunney, D., Denny, M., Burnett, S. & Menkhorst, P. (2008). Petaurus norfolcensis. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- ^ Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press (pp. 94-95). ISBN 0-19-550870-X
- ^ Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland (First printed in 2000). Queensland Museum Publication (p. 337). ISBN 0-7242-9349-3
[edit] External links
- Gliders in the Spotlight — Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
- Keeping squirrel gliders in captivity (Marsupial Society)
- Elizabeth Ann Flaherty: Locomotor performance and cost of transport in the squirrel glider, Petaurus Norfolcensis (Petauridae) (pdf)
