Bentfin devil ray vs Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

Mobula thurstoni compared with Trogopterus xanthipes

Key Differences

• Bentfin devil ray is Endangered while Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bentfin devil ray	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Kingdom same	Animalia (động vật)	Animalia (động vật)
Phylum same	Chordata (động vật có dây sống)	Chordata (động vật có dây sống)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (lớp Thú)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Bộ Cá đuối ó)	Rodentia (Bộ Gặm nhấm)
Family	Myliobatidae	Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Genus	Mobula	Trogopterus
Species	Mobula thurstoni	Trogopterus xanthipes

Evolutionary Relationship

Bentfin devil ray and Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (động vật có dây sống)

Conservation Status

Bentfin devil ray

EN — Endangered

Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bentfin devil ray	Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bentfin devil ray

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate grasslands and steppes, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 5 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Chile and Taiwan. Currently classified as 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.

Bentfin devil ray

The Bentfin devil ray (Mobula thurstoni) is a species in the genus Mobula. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate grasslands and steppes, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 5 distinct biome types within the Neotropic 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.