Mammals[edit]

Flying phalangers or wrist-winged gliders (subfamily Petaurinae) (gliding). Poss

ums[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] 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 conta
ins seven species. Of the six species in the genus Petaurus, the Sugar glider an
d the Biak Glider are the most common species. The lone species in the genus Gym
nobelideus, Leadbeater's Possum has only a vestigial gliding membrane.
Greater glider (Petauroides volans) (gliding). The only species of the genus Pet
auroidae of the family Pseudocheiridae. This Marsupial is found in Australia, an
d was originally classed with the flying phalangers, but is now recognised as se
parate. Its flying membrane only extends to the elbow, rather than to the wrist
as in Petaurinae.[33]
Feather-tailed possums (family Acrobatidae) (gliding). This family of Marsupials
contains two genera, each with one species. The Feathertail Glider (Acrobates p
ygmaeus), found in Australia is the size of a very small mouse and is the smalle
st mammalian glider. The Feathertail Possum (Distoechurus pennatus) is found in
New Guinea, but does not glide. Both species have a stiff-haired feather-like ta
il.
Townsends's Big-eared Bat, (Corynorhinus townsendii) displaying the "hand wing"
Bats (flying). There are approximately 1,240 bat species, representing about 20%
of all classified mammal species.[34]
Flying squirrels (subfamily Petauristinae) (gliding). There are 43 species divid
ed between 14 genera of flying squirrel. Flying squirrels are found almost world
wide in tropical (Southeast Asia, India, and Sri Lanka), temperate, and even Arc
tic environments. They tend to be nocturnal. When a flying squirrel wishes to cr
oss to a tree that is further away than the distance possible by jumping, it ext
ends 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 i
ts claws when it lands. Flying squirrels have been reported to glide over 200 m.
Anomalure or scaly-tailed flying squirrels (Anomaluridae family) (gliding). Thes
e brightly coloured African rodents are not squirrels but have evolved to a rese
mble 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 a
s flying mice, but similarly they are not true mice.
Colugos or Flying lemurs (order Dermoptera) (gliding). There are two species of
flying lemur. This is not a lemur, which is a primate, but molecular evidence su
ggests that colugos are a sister group to primates; however, some mammologists s
uggest they are a sister group to bats. Found in Southeast Asia, the colugo is p
robably the mammal most adapted for gliding, with a patagium that is as large as
geometrically possible. They can glide as far as 70 m with minimal loss of heig
ht.
Sifaka and possibly some other primates (possible limited gliding/parachuting).
A number of primates have been suggested to have adaptations that allow limited
gliding and/or parachuting: sifakas, indris, galagos and saki monkeys. Most nota
bly, 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 sugge
sted to provide lift by having aerofoil properties.[35][36]
Cats and maybe others.[15] (very limited parachuting). If they fall cats spread
their bodies to maximize drag, a very limited form of parachuting. Cats have an
innate 'righting reflex' that allows them to rotate their bodies so they fall fe
et first. Some other animals may show similar very limited parachuting. There ar
e also anecdotal accounts of less limited parachuting, or even semi-gliding, in
palm civets.[35]