The complex-toothed flying squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes) is a flying squirrel found in the southern Chinese provinces Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan. Its name originates from the teeth, which differ from the other flying squirrels. The squirrel looks similar to other flying squirrels, most strikingly is a cluster of black hair at the bottom of the ear. The fur is grey-brown on top and white on bottom. Both its face and its tail are slightly red. The length of the body is about 30 cm, plus the tail which is another 30 cm long. The complex-toothed flying squirrel is an endangered species, both due to the destructions of forests as well as due to hunting.

Trogopterus xanthipes builds its nests in cliffs, usually around 30 m above the ground. They live in mountainous terrain in altitudes of 1300 to 1500 m above sealevel, according to some sources up to 2750 m. They are nocturnal, at night they leave their nests and search for nuts, fruits and branches.

Though five species of the genus Trogopterus had been described, they are now believed to be all of the same sole species T. xanthipes. The closely related hairy-footed flying squirrel (Belomys pearsoni) is sometimes also added to the genus Trogopterus.

In Traditional Chinese medicine the feces of the squirrel, known as the Five Spirits Grease (五靈脂, wǔ líng zhī) are believed to help against ulcer in the duodenum.

References

v t e Extant species of family Sciuridae (subfamily Sciurinae, Pteromyini (Flying squirrels) tribe) Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Mammalia · Order: Rodentia · Suborder: Sciuromorpha Eoglaucomys Kashmir Flying Squirrel (Eoglaucomys fimbriatus) Glaucomys (New World flying squirrels) Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) · Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) Hylopetes Particolored Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) · Afghan Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes baberi) · Bartel's Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes bartelsi) · Gray-cheeked Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes lepidus) · Palawan Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes nigripes) · Indochinese Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes phayrei) · Jentink’s Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes platyurus) · Sipora Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes sipora) · Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes spadiceus) · Sumatran Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes winstoni) Iomys Javanese Flying Squirrel (Iomys horsfieldi) · Mentawi Flying Squirrel (Iomys sipora) Petaurillus (Pygmy flying squirrels) Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel (Petaurillus emiliae) · Hose's Pygmy Flying Squirrel (Petaurillus hosei) · Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel (Petaurillus kinlochii) Petinomys Basilan Flying Squirrel (Petinomys crinitus) · Whiskered Flying Squirrel (Petinomys genibarbis) · Hagen's Flying Squirrel (Petinomys hageni) · Siberut Flying Squirrel (Petinomys lugens) · Arrow Flying Squirrel (Petinomys sagitta) · Temminck's Flying Squirrel (Petinomys setosus) · Vordermann's Flying Squirrel (Petinomys vordermanni) · Travancore Flying Squirrel (Petinomys fuscocapillus) Aeretes Groove-toothed Flying Squirrel (Aeretes melanopterus) Aeromys (Large black flying squirrels) Black Flying Squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas) · Thomas's Flying Squirrel (Aeromys thomasi) Belomys Hairy-footed flying squirrel (Belomys pearsonii) Biswamoyopterus Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi) Eupetaurus Woolly Flying Squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus) Petaurista Red And White Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista alborufus) · Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista elegans) · Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista magnificus) · Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista nobilis) · Indian Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis) · Chinese Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista xanthotis) · Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys) · Red Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) Pteromys (Old World flying squirrels) Siberian Flying Squirrel (Pteromys volans) · Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (Pteromys momonga) Pteromyscus Smoky Flying Squirrel (Pteromyscus pulverulentus) Trogopterus Complex-toothed flying squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes) Category