Myology of the gliding membranes of some petauristine rodents genera glaucomys pteromys petinomys and petaurista

The musculature associated with the gliding membranes and the styliform cartilage of the rodent genera Glaucomys, Pteromys, Petinomys , and Petaurista is described and compared with the cutaneous maximus of Sciurus . A pseudophyletic sequence from a non-gliding sciurid form through a primitive gliding form like Glaucomys to the well-developed gliding musculature of Petaurista is presented. The probable function of the gliding musculature is discussed.