Blackthorn Dotty vs Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Polystigma rubrum compared with Trogopterus xanthipes

Key Differences

• Blackthorn Dotty is Least Concern while Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackthorn Dotty	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Phyllachorales (Phyllachorales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Phyllachoraceae	Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Genus	Polystigma	Trogopterus
Species	Polystigma rubrum	Trogopterus xanthipes

Conservation Status

Blackthorn Dotty

LC — Least Concern

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackthorn Dotty	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackthorn Dotty

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Blackthorn Dotty

The Blackthorn Dotty (Polystigma rubrum) is a species in the genus Polystigma. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.