Bear-clawed Nomad Bee vs Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Nomada baccata compared with Trogopterus xanthipes

Key Differences

• Bear-clawed Nomad Bee is Critically Endangered while Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bear-clawed Nomad Bee	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Apidae (Bees)	Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Genus	Nomada	Trogopterus
Species	Nomada baccata	Trogopterus xanthipes

Evolutionary Relationship

Bear-clawed Nomad Bee and Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Bear-clawed Nomad Bee

CR — Critically Endangered

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bear-clawed Nomad Bee	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bear-clawed Nomad Bee

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Bear-clawed Nomad Bee

The Bear-clawed Nomad Bee (Nomada baccata) is a species in the genus Nomada. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

<em>Trogopterus xanthipes</em>, the complex-toothed flying squirrel, is a medium-sized gliding rodent in the family Pteromyidae endemic to China, where it inhabits montane broadleaf and mixed forests at elevations typically between 1,000 and 2,700 metres in provinces including Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, and neighbouring regions. This species is the sole member of the genus Trogopterus and is distinguished by complex tooth morphology compared to other flying squirrels. Like all flying squirrels, it possesses a patagium — a gliding membrane stretching between fore and hind limbs — that enables it to glide between trees rather than undertake powered flight. The complex-toothed flying squirrel is nocturnal and arboreal, spending its days sheltering in tree hollows and foraging at night for leaves, bark, seeds, and fungi. Its faeces, known as Wuflingzhi, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, leading to trapping pressure in parts of its range. The IUCN classifies this species as Near Threatened, reflecting population decline driven by overhunting for medicinal use and ongoing habitat loss from logging and agricultural encroachment in montane forests. Biological traits including average body mass, lifespan, litter size, and home range are partially documented but detailed population estimates are limited. Conservation measures include legal protections under Chinese wildlife law.