The two species of New World flying squirrels, genus Glaucomys, are the only species of flying squirrel

Flying squirrel

Flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini, are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels .- Description :...

 found in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

. They are distributed from Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

 to Honduras

Honduras

Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...

. They are similar in many ways to the Eurasia

Eurasia

Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...

n flying squirrels in the genus Pteromys. The two species of New World flying squirrels can be easily distinguished on the basis of size and ventral pelage. Northern flying squirrel

Northern Flying Squirrel

The Northern flying squirrel is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America . Unlike most members of their family, flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal...

s, Glaucomys sabrinus are larger and have belly hair that is dark at the base and white at the tip. Southern flying squirrel

Southern Flying Squirrel

The Southern Flying Squirrel is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America . It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half of North America, from southeastern Canada, to Florida, USA...

s, Glaucomys volans, are smaller and have belly hairs that are completely white. The name Glaucomys means "bluish-gray mouse".

Species

• Genus Glaucomys
  • Glaucomys volans - Southern Flying Squirrel
  • Glaucomys sabrinus - Northern Flying Squirrel