Why the Red Giant Gliding Squirrel Petaurista petaurista is often mistaken for the Namdapha Gliding Squirrel Biswamoyopterus biswasi (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, India

C.m Krishna ,Amar Kumar

doi:10.11609/jott.o3727.6138-41

Abstract

Through multiple interactions with forest personnels, researchers and tourists in Namdapha National Park (NGS), we understood that the Red Gaint Gliding Squirrel (RGGS) is often mistaken to Namdpaha Gliding Squirrel. So, we assessed and found six possible reasons for the mis-identification of the species. So, in-order to differentiate the species, we provide the differentiating characters between the NGS and RGGS using the available literature and by studying the available specimens at ZSI, Kolkata and at Namdapha National park museum, Miao, Arunachal Pradesh.

Highlights

2008) and endemic gliding squirrels found in India
During our survey on gliding squirrel diversity in National Park (NNP), we confirmed the presence of the Red Giant Gliding Squirrel Petaurista petaurista (RGGS) and Parti-colored Gliding Squirrel Hylopetes alboniger through spotlighting and a specimen of the Spotted Giant Gliding Squirrel Petaurista elegans collected from this region is preserved at ZSI, Kolkata
We interacted with many of the tourists (n=21), and researchers (n=9) who have visited NNP and from those interactions, we realised that the majority of them mistake RGGS as NGS

Summary

Namdapha Gliding Squirrel

2008) and endemic gliding squirrels found in India. It is thought to inhabit the Mesua ferrea jungles. During our multiple surveys in NNP we recorded RGGS in those areas which are thought to be occupied by NGS according to the forest personnel. We interacted with many of the tourists (n=21), and researchers (n=9) who have visited NNP and from those interactions, we realised that the majority of them mistake RGGS as NGS Based on those interactions, we concluded many reasons behind the ignorance of people towards the identification of the species, some of which are listed below:. (i) S.S. Saha described the species NGS in the year 1981 and the data regarding the species pelage colour and original photographs of it are documented only in the paper published by the Bulletin of Zoological Survey of India which is not available online because the paper is often not in circulation (Image 1).

The elusive Namdapha Gliding Squirrel

Body above is morocco red grizzled with white

Pure white coat