Pteromys volans ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

Jo, Yeong-Seok, Baccus, John T. & Koprowski, John L., 2018, Mammals of Korea: a review of their taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zootaxa 4522 (1), pp. 1-216 : 165

Pteromys volans ( Linnaeus, 1758) —Siberian Flying Squirrel

Sciurus volans Linnaeus, 1758 p.64 ; Type locality- Finland.

Sciuropterus aluco Thomas, 1907b p.464 ; Type locality- Kaloguai, 55 miles northeast of Seoul (Kaloguai is ‘Galugae’ in Wonju and 55 miles southeast Seoul); Kishida & Mori, 1931 p.378.

Sciuropterus russicus aluco: Kuroda, 1938 p.51 .

Pteromys volans aluco: Ellerman, 1940 p.294 ; Tate, 1947 p.248; Jones & Johnson, 1965 p.369; Won, 1967 p.180; Won, 1968 p.151.

P. volans arsenjevi Ognev, 1934 p.314 ; Type locality- Source of River Kulume, Ussuri, Siberia; Jones & Johnson, 1965 p.369.

P. russicus aluco: Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.466 ; Won, 1958 p.445.

P. volans: Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.466 ; Won, 1968 p.151; Corbet, 1978 p.86; Han, 1994 p.47; Won & Smith, 1999 p.24; Han, 2004c p.112.

P. volans volans: Corbet, 1978 p.86 ; Yoon, 1992 p.70.

P. volans buechneri: Thorington et al., 2012 p.129 .

Range: The Siberian flying squirrel occurs throughout Korea except on remote islands ( Fig. 112 ).

Remarks: Three lineages (Hokkaido, Russian Far East, and northern Eurasia) were identified based on cytochrome b gene analysis ( Oshida et al. 2005). However, whether populations in Korea coincide with the Russian Far East lineage or northern Eurasian lineage remains unassessed. Lee et al. (2008) showed a clear maternal DNA differentiation among three regions, including Korea (i.e., South Korea, northeastern China and Russian Far East). Although two subspecies have been proposed for Korea ( P. v. aluco in central Korea and P. v. arsenjevi in the northeastern peninsula), Siberian flying squirrels are generally reported as P. v. buechneri ( Thorington et al. 2012) .

Conservation Status: Populations of P. volans in South Korea are regarded as ‘Vulnerable’ in South Korean red lists (NIBR 2012) and ‘Rare’ in North Korea in North Korean redlists (MAB National Committee of DPR Korea 2002). In 1980, North Korea designated P. volans on Mt. Myohyang as a Natural Monument. Also, in South Korea, the Cultural Heritage Administration made P. volans a Natural Monument in 1982 and the Ministry of Environment listed P. volans an Endangered Species in 1998.

Figures

FIGURE 112. Range map of Pteromys volans in Korea.