Abstract: Giant squirrels (Ratufa bicolor) are an endemic group in the Indomalayan Region. Only one species of the giant squirrel occurs in China, and is distributed in Hainan Province, southwestern Guangxi Province, southern, southwestern, western, and northwestern Yunnan Province. Subspecies differentiation of the species used to be determined by their pelage characteristics. In this study, we obtained data on 23 cranial variables from 75 specimens. Principal component analyses, discriminant analysis, and cluster analysis were performed to discuss the validity of each subspecies and their geographic variation. Our results indicated that R. b. gigantea and R. b. hainana are all valid subspecies, the former ranging from southwestern Guangxi Province to southern,southwestern,western,and northwestern Yunnan Province,and the latter occurring in Hainan Province. However, our results did not support R. b. stigmosa as a valid subspecies of R. bicolor.

Key words: China, Differentiation of subspecies, Ratufa bicolor, Taxonomy

摘要： :巨松鼠(Ratufa bicolor)是东洋界的特有类群。中国仅有一种,分布于海南、广西西南部、云南南部、西南部、西部和西北部,关于其亚的分化结过去主要据其皮毛颜色特征。本研究共测75 个松鼠头骨,每号头骨标本测取23 个变量,运用统计分析软件SPSS 11. 0 对巨松鼠的可测量变量进行主成分分析、判别分析及聚类分析,以探讨巨松鼠各亚种地位的有效性及其头骨形态的地理学变异。研究结果显示阿萨姆亚种R. b. gigantea 和海南亚种R. b. hainana 均为有效亚种,前者分布自广西西南部向西经云南南部、西南部、西部达西北部,后者分布于海南。同时,本研究结果不支持滇南亚种R. b. stigmosa 作为一个有效的亚种。

关键词: 巨松鼠, 亚种分化, 中国, 分类