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Sabrina

Kids Zone		 Taxonomy
tax•on•o•my [takˈsänəmē]
the branch of science concerned with classification, especially of organisms.

==========
Kingdom - Animalia (animal)
Subkingdom - Metazoa (many-celled)
Phylum - Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum - Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class - Mammalia (mammals)
Subclass - Eutheria (placental type)
 Order - Rodentia (rodents)
Suborder - Sciurognathi (jaw design)
Family - Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily - Pteromyinae (flying squirrels)
Genus - Glaucomys
Species - volans (account #78), sabrinus (account #229)

"Glaucomys" is the third, and final, genus notation for North American flying squirrels.

Observed for over a hundred years prior, in the mid-1700's the eastern (now southern) flying squirrel was initially given the scientific name Scuiriopterus scuriopterus. By the late 1800's it was referred to as Pteromys volucella.

Zoologist George Shaw, although not the first to observe the northern flying squirrel (late 1780's), was the first to name it Glaucomys sabrinus, in the year 1801.

It then took almost a hundred years before Glaucomys became universally accepted as the genus for both North American flying squirrels.

Sub-species

Systematic and phenotypic (observable manifestations of a specifc genotype) variations occur within many animal species. There are no clear rules for identifying them as subspecies except that they must be:

a) geographically distinct
b) populations, not just "morphospecies"
c) different to some degree from other geographic populations

Southern flying squirrel (ten sub-species in USA, Mexico, Central America and Canada)
  1. G.v. volans (Canada, USA; most common sub-species across species' range)
  2. G.v. saturatus (USA only)
  3. G.v. texensis (USA only)
  4. G.v. querceti (USA only)
  5. G.v. goldmani (Central America relict from last ice age)
  6. G.v. chontali (Central America relict from last ice age)
  7. G.v. herreranus (Central America relict from last ice age)
  8. G.v. madrensis (Mexico relict from last ice age)
  9. G.v. oaxacensis (Central America relict from last ice age)
  10. G.v. underwoodi (Central America relict from last ice age)

Northern flying squirrel (twenty-five sub-species in USA & Canada)
  1. G.s. sabrinus (Canada, USA; the most common sub-species across species' range)
  2. G.s. yukonensis (Canada, USA)
  3. G.s. alpinus (Canada only)
  4. G.s. reductus (Canada only)
  5. G.s. latipes (Canada, USA)
  6. G.s. zaphaeus (Canada only)
  7. G.s. griseifrons (Canada only)
  8. G.s. oregonensis (Canada, USA)
  9. G.s. fuliginosis (Canada, USA)
  10. G.s. columbiensis (Canada, USA)
  11. G.s. canescens (Canada, USA)
  12. G.s. macrotis (Canada, USA)
  13. G.s. makkovikensis (Canada only)
  14. G.s. goodwini (Canada only)
  15. G.s. gouldi (Canada only)
  16. G.s. stephensi (USA only)
  17. G.s. californicus (USA only)
  18. G.s. lascivus (USA only)
  19. G.s. murinauralis (USA only)
  20. G.s. flaviventris (USA only)
  21. G.s. lucifugus (USA only)
  22. G.s. klamathensis (USA only)
  23. G.s. bangsi (USA only)
  24. G.s. coloratus (USA only; federally endangered relict population)
  25. G.s. fuscus (USA only; federally endangered relict population)


Nomenclature

Glaucomys (Greek)
Glauko = grey
mys = mouse

volans (Latin)
volans = flying

sabrinus (Latin)
sabrinus = river nymph (see below)

The word sabrinus refers to the Severn River in Ontario, Canada, where Shaw made his first observation of the northern flying squirrel. The Severn River in Ontario was named after the Severn River in England, which was originally called the Sabrina River by the Romans, when they occupied that area of the world, from 43 B.C. to the end of the 4th century.

The Legend Of Sabrina

The legend of Sabrina comes from Welsh tales of the twelfth century. It tells of how, on the death of Brutus of Troy, legendary second founder of Britain, his lands were divided into three parts, one part for each of his sons. His eldest son, Locrine, took the part which is now England; the second son, Camber, took the part which is now Wales; and the youngest, Albanact, took what is now Scotland.

There was one part left over, as Cornwall was ruled by Brutus' friend Corineus. Britain was then invaded by the Huns, under their chief, 'Humber'. Locrine led the fight against the invader, and Humber was beaten, and drowned in the river which is now named after him.

The Hunnish princess Estrildis was captured after the battle, and Locrine fell in love with her. However, as Locrine was already engaged to Guendolen, daughter of Corineus, this was scandalous. Corineus threatened Locrine with a battle axe, and forced him to marry his daughter. However, Locrine secretly kept Estrildis in his palace for seven years.

Two children were born to Locrine: Guendolen gave birth to a son, Madan; and Estrildis bore him a daughter, Sabre (also called Sabrina in the Romanised form). When Corineus, ruler of Cornwall, died, Locrine divorced Guendolen and acknowledged Estrildis and her daughter. Guendolen raised a Cornish army against him, and Locrine was killed in battle. She then became ruler of Britain for their son, Madan.

She had both Estrildis and her daughter Sabrina thrown in the river, and ordered that the river be named after Sabrina, so that her husband's infidelity would be remembered forever. Therefore, the river is named the Severn, from 'Sabern', or the river of Sabre.

Map of Roman England showing Sabrina River

Common Names

There are a number of common names for both species:

Southern flying squirrel
Eastern flying squirrel
White-furred flying squirrel
Fairy Diddle
Fairy Glider
Petite polatouche (French Canadian)
Assapanick (First Nations)

Northern flying squirrel
Canadian flying squirrel
Big flying squirrel
Fairy Diddle
Fairy Glider
Grand polatouche (French Canadian)
Assapanick (First Nations)