• Source: Anomalure

The Anomaluridae are a family of rodents found in central Africa.
They are known as anomalures or scaly-tailed squirrels or [African] flying squirrels. The six extant species are classified into two genera.
All anomalurids have membranes between their front and hind legs like those of the boreal flying squirrels, but they are not closely related to those, flying squirrels that form the separate tribe Petauristini of the family Sciuridae. They are distinguished by two rows of pointed, raised scales on the undersides of their tails.
The anatomy of their heads is quite different from that of the sciurid flying squirrels.
By extending their limbs, anomalures transform themselves into a gliding platform that they control by manipulating the membranes and tail.
Like North American flying squirrels, these species have a cartilaginous rod that aids them in maintaining the extension of the patagium when in flight; unlike flying squirrels, their cartilage originates at the elbow joint rather than at the wrist.
Most anomalurid species roost during the day in hollow trees, with up to several dozen animals per tree. They are primarily herbivorous, and may travel up to 6 km (3.7 mi) from their roosting tree in search of leaves, flowers, or fruit, although they also eat a small amount of insects. They give birth to litters up to three young, which are born already furred and active.
Anomalurids represent one of several independent evolutions of gliding ability in mammals, having evolved from climbing animals.
The others include the "true" or sciurid flying squirrels of boreal Eurasia and North America, the colugos or "flying lemurs" of Southeast Asia, and marsupial gliding possums of Australia.




Taxonomy


Taxonomy follows Fabre et al. (2018).

Family Anomaluridae
Genus Anomalurus
Beecroft's flying squirrel, Anomalurus beecrofti
Lord Derby's scaly-tailed flying squirrel, Anomalurus derbianus
Pel's flying squirrel, Anomalurus pelii
Dwarf scaly-tailed squirrel, Anomalurus pusillus
Genus Idiurus
Long-eared flying mouse, Idiurus macrotis
Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel, Idiurus zenkeri




= Fossil genera

=
Several fossil genera are also known:

Genus †Argouburus
Genus †Kabirmys
Genus †Oromys
Genus †Paranomalurus
Genus †Pondaungimys
Genus †Prozenkerella
Genus †Shazurus




References






External links


"Meet the scaly-tail glider". Zoology. Scientific American (blog). 4 March 2015. Among the weirdest and most fascinating of rodents are the scalytails / scaly-tails, scaly-tailed squirrels, or anomalures, properly termed 'Anomaluridae'.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Anomalure
• Cameroon scaly-tail
• Flying mouse
• Flying squirrel
• Primate
• Patagium
• Pedetidae
• Lord Derby's scaly-tailed squirrel
• Anomaluromorpha
• Sciuromorpha