129.

Sipora Flying Squirrel

Hylopetes sipora

French: Polatouche de Sipora / German: Sipora-Gleithérnchen / Spanish: Ardilla voladora de Sipora

Taxonomy. Hylopetes sagitta sipora Chasen, 1940,

“Sipora Island, Mentawi Islands, West Sumatra,”

Indonesia.

Hylopetes siporawas described from an imma- ture specimen and was originally included in H. sagitta; an adult specimen is needed to clarify its taxonomic status. Monotypic. Dimi Sipora I, Mentawi Is (off W umatra).

Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 140 mm, tail mean 160 mm; weight mean 89 g. The Sipora Flying Squirrel has dark brown forefeet and hindfeet. Ventral surface is buff to orange-buff, and there is white patch on chest. Tail is almost completely dull brownish black, paler at base, white at tip, and not markedly bicolored.

Habitat. Primary lowland tropical and subtropical forests.

Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Sipora Flying Squirrel is nocturnal and arboreal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Habitat destruction on Sipora Island (845 km?) negatively affects the endemic Sipora Flying

Squirrel. Current population trend is decreasing. Habitat changes that limit connectivity are likely detrimental because the Sipora Flying Squirrel has limited glide distance. No conservation actions are in place. More surveys and basic research on its distribution, population status, and natural history are needed to better understand threats and useful conservation action.

Bibliography. Baillie & Groombridge (1996), Heaney (2008), Jackson (2012), Jackson & Thorington (2012), Meijaard (2003), Ruedas et al. (2008b), Thorington & Hoffmann (2005), Thorington et al. (2012).