The Anomaluridae are a family of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

s 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 Boreal, northern, of the north. Derived from the name of the god of the north wind from Ancient Greek civilisation, Boreas (god), Boreas. It may also refer to: Climatology and geography *Boreal (age), the first climatic phase of the Blytt-Sernand ...

flying squirrel Flying squirrels (scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini) are a tribe (biology), tribe of 50 species of squirrels in the family (biology), family Squirrel, Sciuridae. Despite their name, they are not in fact capable of full flight i ...

s, but they are not closely related to the flying squirrels that form the separate tribe Petauristini of the family

Sciuridae Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae (), a family that includes small or medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrel ...

. 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

s. 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 Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. Semi-transparent and non-porous, it is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints ...

rod that aids them in maintaining the extension of the

patagium The patagium (: patagia) is a membranous body part that assists an animal in obtaining lift when gliding or flying. The structure is found in extant and extinct groups of flying and gliding animals including bats, theropod dinosaurs (inclu ...

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 A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat n ...

, and may travel up to 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

mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

s, having evolved from climbing animals. The others include the "true" or sciurid

s of

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

and North America, the

colugo Colugos (), flying lemurs, or cobegos (), are arboreal gliding euarchontogliran mammals that are native to Southeast Asia. Their closest evolutionary relatives are primates. There are just two living species of colugos: the Sunda flying lemur ...

s or "flying lemurs" of Southeast Asia, and

marsupial Marsupials are a diverse group of mammals belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia. They are natively found in Australasia, Wallacea, and the Americas. One of marsupials' unique features is their reproductive strategy: the young are born in a r ...

gliding possum There are many different types of gliding possum, sometimes referred to as :wikt:volplane, volplane possum, flying phalangers, or simply as gliders, endemic to Australia and New Guinea. Taxonomically, gliding possums occupy three genera. ''Acrobate ...

s of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Taxonomy

Taxonomy follows . *Family Anomaluridae **Genus ''

Anomalurus ''Anomalurus'' is the largest genus in the rodent family Anomaluridae, with four species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fert ...

'' *** Beecroft's flying squirrel, ''Anomalurus beecrofti'' ***

Lord Derby's scaly-tailed flying squirrel Lord Derby's scaly-tailed squirrel (''Anomalurus derbianus'') is an anomalurid rodent native to Africa. It was named after Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby. Range and habitat Lord Derby's scaly-tailed squirrel lives in tropical and sub ...

, ''Anomalurus derbianus'' ***

Pel's flying squirrel Pel's flying squirrel or Pel's scaly-tailed squirrel (''Anomalurus pelii'') is a species of rodent in the family Anomaluridae. It is found in Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, where it lives in lowland tropical rainforests. It is named after He ...

, ''Anomalurus pelii'' ***

Dwarf scaly-tailed squirrel The dwarf scaly-tailed squirrel (''Anomalurus pusillus'') is a species of rodent in the family Anomaluridae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and ...

, ''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

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q135251 Extant Eocene first appearances Taxa named by Paul Gervais