Gliding Mammals: Taxonomy of Living and Extinct Species

comments. Synonymized within Petaurus by
Thomas (1888a:150), Iredale and Troughton (1934:23),
Marshall (1981:28), McKay (1988a:91), and Marshall et
al. (1990:495).
homonyms. Ptilotis Swainson, 1837:326,
honeyeaters of the class Aves (order Passeriformes, family
Meliphagidae). Genus is a junior synonym of Meliphaga
(Lewin, 1808:4).
Belidea Waterhouse, 1838:880a
type species. Petaurista (Belidea) breviceps
Waterhouse, 1838a:880.
comments. Recognised at generic rank by
Gould (1842a:11; 1842b:404). Placed within Belideus by
Palmer (1904:135).
Belideus Waterhouse, 1839a:149.
type species. Didelphis sciurea Shaw, 1794:29.
comments. Described as a subgenus of Petaurus.
Generic rank recognized by various authors, including
De Vis (1883:619). Recognized as a subgenus of Petaurus
by Waterhouse (1846:325) and Gervais (1869:574), but
synonymized within Petaurus by Gray (1843:xxii, 83),
Thomas (1888a:150), Iredale and Troughton (1934:23),
Marshall (1981:28), McKay (1988a:91), and Marshall et
al. (1990:495).
Belidens Wiegmann, 1839:418
type species. Misspelling of Belideus Waterhouse,
1839.
comments. Misspelling of Belideus Waterhouse,
1839a. Synonymized within Belideus by Palmer
(1904:135).
Xenochirus Gloger, 1841:xxx, 85.
type species. Didelphis sciurea Shaw, 1794:29.
comments. Publication date established from
Thomas (1895b:189). Synonymized within Petaurus by
Thomas (1888a:150, 1895b:190), Iredale and Troughton
(1934:23), Marshall (1981:28), McKay (1988a:91), and
Marshall et al. (1990:495).
homonyms. Xenochirus Gilbert, 1890:90,
poacher fish or poachers of the superclass Pisces (order
Scorpaeniformes, family Agonidae). Preoccupied by Xenochirus
Gloger, 1841. Junior synonym of Xeneretmus
Gilbert (Jordan, 1903:360).
Petaurula Matschie, 1916:261.
type species. Petaurus breviceps Waterhouse,
1839a:152.
NUMBER 638 • 11
comments. Proposed as a subgenus of Petaurus
Shaw, 1791. Synonymized within Petaurus by Iredale
and Troughton (1934:23), Marshall (1981:28), McKay
(1988a:91), and Marshall et al. (1990:495).
Petaurella Matschie, 1916:261.
type species. Petaurus breviceps var. papuanus
Thomas, 1888a:158.
comments. Not considered by Iredale and
Troughton (1934:23) and synonymized within Petaurus
by Marshall (1981:28), McKay (1988a:91), and Marshall
et al. (1990:495).
Petaurus abidi Ziegler, 1981
(northern glider)
Petaurus abidi Ziegler, 1981:81.
type Locality. West Sepik Province, Mount
Soporo, Torricelli Mountains, Papua New Guinea. 3°25′S,
142°5′E.
comments. Species rank accepted since its
description.
distribution. Papua New Guinea North
Coast Ranges, comprising a section of mountain range
approximately 100 km (62 mi) long and a few tens of
kilometers wide, from at least 2Fas Village (to the east
of Mount Menawa) in the west to Mount Sapua in the
east, at elevations above 300 m (984 ft), although they
are thought to be rare below 800 m (2,624 ft), with most
animals thought to occur between 800 and 1200 m (2,626
and 3,936 ft) (Flannery, 1994:70).
Petaurus australis Shaw, 1791
(yellow- bellied glider)
Petaurus australis Shaw, 1791: pl. 60.
type Locality. Sydney, New South Wales,
Australia.
comments. Type based on “Hepoona Roo”
of J. Hunter in White (1790:288). Publication date established
from Sherborn (1895:376). Taxonomic history
reviewed by Thomas (1888a:151). Iredale and Troughton
(1934:24) refer to the author as Shaw and Nodder;
however, Nodder was the publisher. The taxonomy of the
isolated population in north Queensland needs to be resolved.
Fossils most similar to Petaurus australis from the
Pliocene Hamilton Local Fauna, western Victoria, Australia,
was described by Turnbull et al. (1987a:629) and
with others found in subfossil deposits within the Pyramid
Caves in eastern Victoria, Australia (Wakefield, 1972:8).