---
title: "Flying and gliding animals"
chunk: 7/8
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:46:37.316378+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Flying squirrels (tribe pteromyini). There are more than 50 living species divided between 16 genera of flying squirrel. Flying squirrels are found in Asia (most species), North America (genus Glaucomys) and Europe (Siberian flying squirrel). They inhabit tropical, temperate, and Subarctic environments, with the Glaucomys preferring boreal and montane coniferous forests, specifically landing on red spruce (Picea rubens) trees as landing sites; they are known to rapidly climb trees, but take some time to locate a good landing spot. They tend to be nocturnal and are highly sensitive to light and noise. When a flying squirrel wishes to cross to a tree that is further away than the distance possible by jumping, it extends the cartilage spur on its elbow or wrist. This opens out the flap of furry skin (the patagium) that stretches from its wrist to its ankle. It glides spread-eagle and with its tail fluffed out like a parachute, and grips the tree with its claws when it lands. Flying squirrels have been reported to glide over 200 metres (660 ft).
Anomalures or scaly-tailed flying squirrels (family Anomaluridae). These brightly coloured African rodents are not squirrels but have evolved to a resemble flying squirrels by convergent evolution. There are seven species, divided in three genera. All but one species have gliding membranes between their front and hind legs. The genus Idiurus contains two particularly small species known as flying mice, but similarly they are not true mice.
Colugos or "flying lemurs" (order Dermoptera). There are two species of colugo. Despite their common name, colugos are not lemurs; true lemurs are primates. Molecular evidence suggests that colugos are a sister group to primates; however, some mammalogists suggest they are a sister group to bats. Found in Southeast Asia, the colugo is probably the mammal most adapted for gliding, with a patagium that is as large as geometrically possible. They can glide as far as 70 metres (230 ft) with minimal loss of height. They have the most developed propatagium out of any gliding mammal with a mean launch velocity of approximately 3.7 m/s; the Mayan Colugo has been known to initiate glides without jumping.
Sifaka (Genus Propithecus) a type of lemur, and possibly some other primates (possible limited gliding or parachuting). A number of primates have been suggested to have adaptations that allow limited gliding or parachuting: sifakas, indris, galagos and saki monkeys. Most notably, the sifaka, a type of lemur, has thick hairs on its forearms that have been argued to provide drag, and a small membrane under its arms that has been suggested to provide lift by having aerofoil properties.
Flying phalangers or wrist-winged gliders (genus Petaurus). Possums found in Australia, and New Guinea. The gliding membranes are hardly noticeable until they jump. On jumping, the animal extends all four legs and stretches the loose folds of skin. The subfamily contains seven species. Of the six species in the genus Petaurus, the sugar glider and the Biak glider are the most common species.
Greater gliders (genus Petauroides). Are three species of the genus Petauroides of the subfamily hemibelideinae. These marsupials are found in Australia, and was originally classed with the flying phalangers, but is now recognised as separate. Its flying membrane only extends to the elbow, rather than to the wrist as in Petaurinae. It has elongated limbs compared to its non-gliding relatives.
Ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis). A specie of gliding possum of the subfamily Hemibelideinae, having unique combination of both a strongly prehensile tail and a well-developed patagium. It is further distinguished from its closest relatives by its very small size, naked ears, ear rings, and non-bushy tapering tail.
Feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus). A possum found in Australia the size of a very small mouse and the smallest mammalian glider.

=== Extinct ===

==== Reptiles ====
Extinct reptiles similar to Draco. There are a number of unrelated extinct lizard-like reptiles with similar "wings" to the Draco lizards. These include the Late Permian Weigeltisauridae, the Triassic Kuehneosauridae and Mecistotrachelos, and the Cretaceous lizard Xianglong. The largest, Kuehneosuchus, had a wingspan of 40 centimetres (16 in).
Sharovipterygidae. These strange reptiles from the Upper Triassic of Kyrgyzstan and Poland had a membrane on their elongated hind limbs, extending their otherwise normal, flying-squirrel-like patagia significantly. In contrast, their forelimbs were much smaller.
Hypuronector. This bizarre drepanosaur displayed limb proportions, particularly the elongated forelimbs, consistent with a flying or gliding animal with patagia.

==== Non-avian dinosaurs ====
 Scansoriopterygidae is unique among theropods as it developed membranous wings instead of feathered airfoils. Much like modern anomalures, it developed a bony rod to help support the wing, albeit on the wrist and not the elbow.

==== Fish ====
Thoracopteridae is a lineage of Triassic flying fish-like Perleidiformes, having converted their pectoral and pelvic fins into broad wings very similar to those of their modern counterparts. The Ladinian genus Potanichthys is the oldest member of this clade, suggesting that these fish began exploring aerial niches soon after the Permian-Triassic extinction event.

==== Mammals ====
Volaticotherium antiquum, a gliding eutriconodont long considered the earliest gliding mammal until the discovery of the contemporary gliding haramiyidans. It lived around 164 million years ago during the Middle-Late Jurassic of what is now China, and used a fur-covered skin membrane to glide through the air.  The closely related Argentoconodon is also thought to have been able to glide based on postcranial similarities.
The haramiyidans Vilevolodon, Xianshou, Maiopatagium, and Arboroharamiya, known from the Middle-Late Jurassic of China, had extensive patagia, highly convergent with those of colugos.
A gliding metatherian, possibly a marsupial, known from the Paleocene of Itaboraí, Brazil.
A gliding rodent belonging to the extinct family Eomyidae, Eomys quercyi, known from the late Oligocene of Germany.

== See also ==
Animal locomotion
Flying mythological creatures
Insect thermoregulation
Organisms at high altitude
Aerial locomotion in marine animals

== References ==