Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel vs pin de Corée

Trogopterus xanthipes compared with Pinus koraiensis

Key Differences

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel is Near Threatened while pin de Corée is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel	pin de Corée
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Pinopsida (Conifers)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Pinales (Pines & Allies)
Family	Sciuridae (Squirrels)	Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Genus	Trogopterus	Pinus (Pines)
Species	Trogopterus xanthipes	Pinus koraiensis

Conservation Status

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

NT — Near Threatened

pin de Corée

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel	pin de Corée
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

pin de Corée

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Taiwan.

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.