Phylogenetic and morphological significance of an overlooked flying squirrel (Pteromyini, Rodentia) from the eastern Himalayas with the description of a new genus

• Published in: Dōngwùxué yánjiū 2021-07, Vol.42 (4), p.389-400
• Main Authors: Li, Quan, Cheng, Feng, Jackson, Stephen M, Helgen, Kristofer M, Song, Wen-Yu, Liu, Shao-Ying, Sanamxay, Daosavanh, Li, Song, Li, Fei, Xiong, Yun, Sun, Jun, Wang, Hong-Jiao, Jiang, Xue-Long
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assessments; Datasets; Flight; Gene sequencing; Gliding; Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein; Mammalogy; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial DNA; Morphology; Museums; Natural history; New genera; New genus; Penis; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Principal components analysis; Pteromyinae; Retinoid-binding protein; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; Rodentia; rRNA 12S; rRNA 16S; Squirrels; Taxa; Taxonomy; Zoology
• ISSN: 0254-5853
• DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.039

The flying squirrels (Pteromyini, Rodentia) are the most diverse and widely distributed group of gliding mammals. Taxonomic boundaries and relationships within flying squirrels remain an area of active research in mammalogy. The discovery of new specimens of Pteromys (Hylopetes) leonardi Thomas, 1921, previously considered a synonym of Hylopetes alboniger, in Yunnan Province, China allowed a morphological and genetic reassessment of the status of this taxon. Phylogenetic reconstruction was implemented using sequences of two mitochondrial (12S ribosomal RNA and 16S ribosomal RNA) and one nuclear (interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein) gene fragments. Morphological assessments involved examinations of features preserved on skins, skulls, and penises of museum specimens, supplemented with principal component analysis of craniometric data. Together these assessments revealed that this taxon should be recognized not only as a distinct species, but should also be placed within a new genus, described here as Priapomys gen. nov.