Japanese Dormouse

Taxobox
name = Japanese Dormouse


status = EN | status_system = IUCN2.3
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Rodentia
familia = Gliridae
subfamilia = Glirinae
genus = "Glirulus"
genus_authority = Thomas, 1906
species = "G. japonicus"
binomial = "Glirulus japonicus"
binomial_authority = (Schinz, 1845)
synonyms = The Japanese Dormouse ("Glirulus japonicus") is a species of rodent in the Gliridae family. It is monotypic within the genus "Glirulus". It is endemic to Japan. Its natural habitat is temperate forests. In Japanese it is called "yamane" (ヤマネ), possibly from "yama" (mountain) and "ne"(sleep). Among dormice, it has the special abilty of running at great speed upside down, suspended from branches. Its main food is nectar or pollen, although nursing females will eat small insects.

References

* Baillie, J. 1996. [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/9246/all Glirulus japonicus] . [http://www.iucnredlist.org 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ] Downloaded on 29 July 2007.
*Holden, M. E.. 2005. Family Gliridae. Pp. 819-841 "in" Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.