The Family Anomaluridae, commonly known as scaly-tailed flying squirrels, consists of small to medium-sized rodents native to sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike true flying squirrels, members of this family have gliding membranes (patagia) and specialized scales on the underside of their tails that help them grip tree bark while climbing. They are nocturnal and arboreal, feeding primarily on fruits, leaves, and bark. Anomalurids are adapted for a life in the forest canopy, using gliding to travel efficiently between trees while avoiding predators, and they play an important ecological role in seed dispersal and forest dynamics.