Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 7 September 1984:
Vol. 225. no. 4666, pp. 1048 - 1050
DOI: 10.1126/science.225.4666.1048
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Flying Squirrels Are Monophyletic

RICHARD W. THORINGTON JR. 1

1 Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560

Seven genera of flying squirrels share five characters of wrist anatomy, which form a functional complex associated with the support of the patagium. In these characters, they differ from all genera of tree and ground squirrels examined. Among mammals, gliding membranes have evolved independently in several other groups. The manner of attachment of the patagium to the forelimb is different in each and demonstrates five morphologies differing from that of flying squirrels. This complex wrist anatomy of flying squirrels provides evidence that gliding evolved only once among squirrels and that the flying squirrels are a monophyletic group.

Submitted on February 17, 1984
Accepted on March 21, 1984


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Effects of Cenozoic Global Change on Squirrel Phylogeny.
J. M. Mercer and V. L. Roth (2003)
Science 299, 1568-1572
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)