The flying squirrels (Pteromyini, Rodentia) are the most diverse and widely distributed group of gliding mammals. Taxonomic boundaries and relationships within flying squirrels remain an area of active research in mammalogy. The discovery of new specimens of Pteromys ( Hylopetes) leonardi Thomas, 1921 previously considered a synonym of Hylopetes alboniger, in Yunnan Province, China allowed a morphological and genetic reassessment of the status of this taxon. Phylogenetic reconstruction was implemented using sequences of two mitochondrial (12S ribosomal DNA and 16S ribosomal DNA) and one nuclear (interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein) gene fragments. Morphological assessments involved examinations of features preserved on skins, skulls, and penises of museum specimens, supplemented with principal component analysis of craniometric data. Together these assessments revealed that this taxon should be recognized not only as a distinct species, and should also be placed within a new genus, described here as Priapomys.
鼯鼠（啮齿目松鼠科鼯鼠族）是分化最高、分布最广的滑翔性哺乳动物，其物种间界限区分及其相互关系一直是兽类学研究的活跃方向。李氏小飞鼠 Pteromys ( Hylopetes) leonardi Thomas, 1921一度被大多数学者认为是黑白飞鼠 Hylopetes alboniger的亚种或同物异名。该研究基于在云南省西北部新采集到的李氏小飞鼠标本对该分类单元进行了形态学和遗传学的分析。系统发育重建使用了两个线粒体（12S rDNA和16S rDNA）和一个核（interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein）基因片段。形态学分析包括检视、比较博物馆标本皮张、头骨和阴茎特征，并对颅骨的测量数据进行主成分分析（PCA）。综合形态学和遗传学的证据，该研究认为李氏小飞鼠不仅是一个独立的物种，还应该作为一个新属，该文描记为喜山大耳飞鼠属（ Priapomys）。.
Keywords: Eastern Himalayas; Flying squirrel; New genus; Priapomys; Pteromyini; Systematics; Taxonomy.