Complex-toothed flying squirrel

The complex tooth flying squirrel ( Trogopterus xanthipes ) is a common in China flying squirrel. His strange name has it of the dentition, which differs from the other flying squirrel. Externally, however, it is the appearance of other flying squirrel little different; the most striking feature are the black tufts of hair at the base of ear. The coat is gray-brown on the upper side and lower side white. The face and tail have a reddish tinge. The body length is about 30 cm, added an almost equally long tail.

The native complex tooth flying squirrel in the Chinese provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan. Here they build their nests in cliffs and rock crevices that are located on average 30 m above the ground. Its habitat is mountainous terrain at altitudes of 1300-1500 m, according to other sources up to 2750 m. Daytime sleep the flying squirrel in the nests; at night they leave and look for nuts, fruits and twigs.

The IUCN lists the complex tooth flying squirrel as a low -risk type ( near threatened ). In addition to the destruction of forests, especially the hunting for the stock decline of nearly 30 percent per decade plays a role. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the feces of this squirrel is considered beneficial against duodenal ulcers. Medical studies have actually found a pain and the blood circulation -promoting effect, but the reasons for this are not yet understood. The flying squirrels are caught and kept in cages to make it easier to get to their feces.

A total of five species of the genus Trogopterus have been described, however, are all based on current knowledge about the same way the complex tooth flying squirrel. Very closely related is the Haarfuß flying squirrel, which is sometimes also counted to the genus Trogopterus.