Canadian beaver vs Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Castor canadensis compared with Trogopterus xanthipes

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum same	Chordata (척삭동물)	Chordata (척삭동물)
Class same	Mammalia (포유류)	Mammalia (포유류)
Order same	Rodentia (설치류)	Rodentia (설치류)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Trogopterus
Species	Castor canadensis	Trogopterus xanthipes

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel share a common ancestor at the Order level: Rodentia. (설치류)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	25.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Canadian beaver

북아메리카에서 가장 큰 설치류인 캐나다비버는 체중이 최대 32kg에 달하며 캐나다 및 미국 북부의 강, 호수, 습지에 서식하는 생태계 공학자의 대가입니다. 나무를 베고 수백 미터에 달하는 댐을 건설하여 수백 종에게 서식지를 제공하는 연못을 만들어냅니다. 이들의 보금자리와 수로는 유역 전체를 변화시킵니다. 한때 모피를 위한 남획으로 거의 멸종 위기에 처했으나, 비버 개체군은 강하게 회복되었습니다.

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.