Squirrels of the World

Petinomys vordermanni 127

size: Female—HB 116.7 mm; T 106.2 mm; Mass 38.2 g.
Male—HB 113.4 mm; T 94.1 mm; Mass 41.3 g.
Sex not stated—HB 118.9 mm; T 107.1 mm.

distribution: Temminck’s fl ying squirrel has a highly
fragmented distribution in northern Myanmar and north-
ern Thailand, and in southern Thailand and southern pen-
insular Malaysia. Its range also includes Sumatra and the
northern third of the island of Borneo, in Sabah and Sar-
awak (Malaysia), Brunei Darussalam, and extreme north-
eastern Kalimantan (Indonesia). This disjunct distribution,
characterized by a separation of populations to the north
and south at the Isthmus of Kra, is similar to that of 35 other
mammal species and is attributed to repeated rises in sea
level over the past 5 million years.

geographic variation: None.

conservation: IUCN status—vulnerable. Population
trend—decreasing.

habitat: Temminck’s fl ying squirrel has been collected or
reported from both wet tropical primary forests and small
village rubber plantations. In the southern part of its range,
where this species is experiencing greater habitat loss, it is
found in lowland forests, whereas in Thailand and probably
Myanmar it is found in higher-elevation dry deciduous,
tropical, or monsoon forests.

natural history: Little information is available on the

behavior, ecology, and population biology of this species.

general references: Corbet and Hill 1980; Dunn et al.

1968; Francis and Duckworth 2008c; McKenna 1962; Muul

and Liat 1971; Muul and Thonglongya 1971; Oshida and Yo-

shida 1998; R. W. Thorington and Heaney 1981; R. W. Thor-

ington, Musante, et al. 1996; R. W. Thorington, Pitassy, et al.

2002; Woodruff and Turner 2009.

Petinomys vordermanni (Jentink, 1890)

Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel

description: This is one of the smallest fl ying squirrels. It

has anterior-positioned eyes for binocular vision, an elon-

gated coronoid process, and a highly developed condylar

process. One specimen from Trengganu (Malaysia) had white

spots on its back.

size: Female—HB 118.8 mm; T 103.7 mm; Mass 37.8 g.

Male—HB 110.5 mm; T 98.6 mm; Mass 35.0 g.

Sex not stated—HB 105.4 mm; T 103.9 mm.

distribution: Vorderma n n’s fl ying squirrel is found in

southern Myanmar, possibly in Thailand on the Malay Pen-

insula, and on the island of Borneo, including Sabah and

Sarawak (Malaysia), Brunei Darussalam, and Kalimantan

Petinomys setosus. Photo courtesy Jon Hall, http://www.mammal

watching.com.