Squirrels of the World

Petaurillus kinlochii 109

conservation: IUCN status—data defi cient. Population
trend—no information.

habitat: P. hosei is found in lowland forests consisting of
numerous species of the Dipterocarpaceae. It is now consid-
ered extremely threatened by habitat loss, as a result of clear-
ing for agriculture and timber harvests. Nothing is known
about its specifi c habitat requirements.

natural history: Like other fl ying squirrels, this species
is arboreal and nocturnal. Because of their small size, P.
hosei and the other two members of this genus have low
wing loading (30% of that of the largest fl ying squirrels),
which probably allows these diminutive fl ying squirrels to
glide more slowly and with greater maneuverability than
larger fl ying squirrel species.

general references: Duckworth and Francis 2008b; R.
W. Thorington and Heaney 1981.

Petaurillus kinlochii (Robinson and

Kloss, 1911)

Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel

description: The Selangor pygmy fl ying squirrel is brown
on the head and body. It has white patches behind the ears;

wing membranes that are dark with a black edge; and a tail

that is buff y at the base, gradually becoming darker distally,

but with a white tip. It is intermediate in size between P.

emiliae and P. hosei.

size: Female—HB 90.0 mm; T 83.0 mm; Mass 28.0 g.

Male—HB 88.0 mm; Mass 19.8 g.

distribution: P. kinlochii is reported to occur only in

Selangor (peninsular Malaysia). Early observations of this

species in Selangor were in an area that has since been

deforested.

geographic variation: None.

conservation: IUCN status—data defi cient. Population

trend—no information.

habitat: This species has been found in both natural for-

ests and plantations, but it may have a broader distribution

across peninsular Malaysia than current records indicate.

Detailed surveys are needed to determine the distribution

and habitat requirements for this species. This species is

probably at risk because of deforestation, and it may already

have been driven to local extinction in several localities.

natural history: Virtually nothing is known about the

ecology, behavior, population biology, or reproductive biol-

ogy of this species. It has been suggested that P. kinlochii

may communicate by means of tail fl icking, but this is un-

confi rmed. Studies of dwarfi sm in fl ying squirrels suggest

that, in contrast with the smallest tree squirrels, P. kinlochii

Petaurillus kinlochii. Photo courtesy Gareth Jones.