Anomalurus pelii (Schlegel & S. Miiller, 1845)

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Anomaluridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 270-279 : 278

3.

Pel’s Anomalure

Anomalurus pelii

French: Anomalure de Pel / German: Pel-Dornschwanzhérnchen / Spanish: Anomaluro de Pel

Other common names: Pel’s Flying Squirrel, Pel’s Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel, Pel’s Scaly-tailed Squirrel

Taxonomy. Pteromys pelii Schlegel & S. Miiller, 1845 ,

“Daboerom, aan de Goudkust” (= Dabacrom, Ghana, West Africa).

Three subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

A.p.peliiSchlegel&Muller,1845—EIvoryCoast(EofBandamaRiver)andGhana(WofVoltaRiver).

A.p.auzembergeriMatschie,1914—ELiberiaandextremeWIvoryCoast(WoftheSassandraRiver).

A. p. peralbus Schunke & Hutterer, 2005 — Ivory Coast between Sassandra and Bandama rivers.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 400-460 mm, tail 320-450 mm; weight 1.3-1.8 kg. Pel’s Anomalure is the largest species of anomalures and is immediately identified by its distinctive black color on dorsal surface, with varying degrees of white. The nominate subspecies pelii has a narrow white border on dorsal surface ofits patagium and a narrow border on the interfemoral membrane. Tail and hindfeet are whitish, forefeet are blackish, and there is a white patch at base of each ear. Patagium of the subspecies auzembergeri is black on dorsal surface without a white border, interfemoral membrane is black without a white border, and tail is black; there is no white patch at base of each ear and forefeet and hindfeet are black. Dorsal surface of patagium of the subspecies peralbus has a very wide white border that almost reaches the body; there is a wide white border on the interfemoral membrane;tail is white; there is a large white patch at base of each ear; and forefeet and hindfeet are white.

Habitat. Moist, low-elevation primary forests, with numerous tall emergents and annual rainfall of 1400-3900 mm.

Food and Feeding. Diet of Pel’s Anomalure consists of bark, supplemented by fruits, especially from African oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis, Arecaceae ), leaves, and flowers.

Breeding. Pel’s Anomalures have two breeding seasons in April and September and produce 1-4 young/litter, more often 2-3.

Activity patterns. Pel’s Anomalures are nocturnal and spend the day asleep in tree hollows or hollow branches. Nests include sticks and small branches. Sharing of dens by up to six individuals suggests that abundance might be strongly influenced by local availability oftree holes. One Pel’s Anomalure was found a hollow of Terminalia superba (Combretaceae) . Pel’s Anomalures emerge from their dens well after sunset and return to them before sunrise.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Primary social organization of Pel’s Anomalure consists of a female and her single offspring, but there are records suggesting that up to six individuals can be found together in a sleeping tree hollow. When disturbed in their den, they are known to make several noises including growls and hisses; they snap their teeth, greatly amplified in the tree hollow. Contact calls of Pel’s Anomalures are described as deep hoots. These sounds may deter predators including birds of prey, primates, small carnivores, and hornbills ( Bucerotidae ) that may compete for nest holes. Bold color of Pel’s Anomalure suggests that aggressiveness and large size may make it less vulnerable to predation than smaller species of anomalures. Likely predators include African harrier-hawks (Polyboroides typus), crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus), hornbills, snakes, and African Palm Civets (Nandinia binotata). 2

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. It is likely that most populations of Pel’s Anomalures are threatened by the rapid rate of forest degradation in West Africa; surveys are needed to assess their status. To the Mbuti Pygmies in north-eastern DR Congo, skin of species of Anomalurus is burned and ground into a powder to make the drug “Bau,” which is blown into the face ofvictims at night, who then become unable to defend themselves.

Bibliography. Adams (1894), Cansdale (1946), Carpaneto & Germi (1989), Corbet & Hill (1991), Dieterlen (1993), Dorst & Dandelot (1970), Grubb et al. (1998), Haltenorth & Diller (1977), Honacki et al. (1982), Jackson (2012), Jackson & Thorington (2012), Kingdon (1997), Rosevear (1969), Schunke (2005), Schunke & Hutterer (2004b, 2005).

Figures

1. Beecroft’s Anomalure (Anomalurus beecrofty), 2. Lord Derby’s Anomalure (Anomalurus derbianus), 3. Pel’s Anomalure (Anomalurus pelii), 4. Lesser Anomalure (Anomalurus pusillus), 5. Long-eared Pygmy Anomalure (Idiurus macrotis), 6. Zenker’s Pygmy Anomalure (Idiurus zenker), 7. Cameroon Anomalure (Zenkerella insignis)

Subspecies and Distribution. A.p.peliiSchlegel&Muller,1845—EIvoryCoast(EofBandamaRiver)andGhana(WofVoltaRiver). A.p.auzembergeriMatschie,1914—ELiberiaandextremeWIvoryCoast(WoftheSassandraRiver). A. p. peralbus Schunke & Hutterer, 2005 — Ivory Coast between Sassandra and Bandama rivers.