This species has been recorded throughout West Africa and Central Africa. It ranges from Sierra Leone in the west to Nigeria, and from here into Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is a historical record from south of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. It is suspected that the species is more continuously distributed throughout its range than is currently known.

Idiurus macrotis is native to southern Cameroon and Eastern Zaire, and the Bwamba forests in Uganda.

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

Idiurus macrotis is named for one of its remarkable characteristics, idios being Greek for ‘peculiar’ and oura meaning ‘tail’. The tail is longer than the head and body and is made feather-like in appearance by both long, widely spaced hairs and short, dense hairs that project laterally, almost perpendicular to the length of the tail. The hairless areas on the dorsal and ventral sides of the tail are scaly, and there are large horny scales present near the body. The tail may assist in gripping trees as well as balancing the animal.

The total length of I. macrotis is 208 to 220 mm and it weighs 25 to 35g. The pelage is short and dense and has a soft texture. The individual hairs are dark grey at the base and pale at the tips, with no patterns or color variation. The gliding membrane is also hairy. It extends between the hind- and forelimbs, with a small section connecting the wrist and neck and another enclosing a short portion of the tail and neck. The feet are covered with dark grey bristles and the claws are not very developed. The whiskers are long and black.

Range mass: 25 to 35 g.

Range length: 208 to 220 mm.

Average length: 208 mm.

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger

Type for Idiurus macrotis Miller, 1898
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Mammals
Sex/Stage: Male;
Preparation: Skin; Skull
Collector(s): G. Bates
Year Collected: 1895
Locality: Efulen, Cameroon, Africa

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

Idiurus macrotis inhabits dense tropical forests. This species is almost completely arboreal. Individuals spend days sleeping in the hollows of large trees and nights gliding from one tree to the next.

Habitat Regions: tropical

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest

Stomach contents of specimens indicate that they are mostly frugivorous. Also, some bark peeling and ingestion of phloem sap has been observed, but little else is known about their feeding habits.

Plant Foods: wood, bark, or stems; fruit; sap or other plant fluids

Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore , Lignivore, Eats sap or other plant foods)

Little information is available on the impact this species has on its ecosystem. Idiurus macrotis may disperse the seeds of the fruit it eats, and may damage trees by eating bark.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

Idiurus macrotis produce a mouse-like squeak. Its primary function is not known.

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

The lifespan is not known. They cannot survive for any significant time in captivity.

Almost nothing is known about the reproduction of Idiurus macrotis.

Almost nothing is known about their breeding habits. They have been captured and found to be pregnant in June and August.

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

There is almost nothing known about the parental investment of Idiurus mactotis. It can be inferred that like all mammals, females nurse their young and therefore provide at least some care.

Parental Investment: pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female)

Idiurus macrotis is considered a lower risk, but near threatened species on the IUCN redlist. Habitat loss due to deforestation is considered the largest threat to this species.

CITES: appendix iii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

Conservation Actions