Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew

Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew
Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Scandentia
Family: Tupaiidae
Genus: Dendrogale
Species: D. melanura
Binomial name
Dendrogale melanura
(Thomas, 1892)
Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew range

The Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew (Dendrogale melanura) is a species of treeshrew in the Tupaiidae family. It is endemic to Malaysia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.[2]

Contents

Description

Head and body length is 5in (13 cm), with tail length 4.5in (11 cm). The body mass is about 1.5oz (43g). Has small body. Upperparts of body are dark brown, meanwhile the underparts of the body is orange-buff with gray bases, and shiny black with reddish streaking along the sides. Has a short snout, with large ear flaps. Prominent orange-brown ring exist around the eyes, with weakly marked facial streaks present on both side of the face, extending from the snout to ears. No shoulder streaks present. The claws are notably sharp. Has a thin tail covered with fine smooth hair and darkening towards the tip.[3] D. m. melanura has darker colour above and more reddish below than D. m. baluensis.[4]

Habitat

D. melanura is a terrestrial species. They are diurnal and predominantly arboreal. Live in evergreen rainforest, which active in mossy trees and on rocky boulders in submontane and montane pristine forest. This species seems to feed predominantly on insects.[4]

Distribution

The species are endemic to Borneo, restricted in the mountains of the north-west above 900m, including the mountain of north-eastern Sarawak, Gunung Kinabalu and Gunung Trus Madi in Sabah. D. m. melanura are recorded from Gunung Dulit, Gunung Mulu and the Kelabit uplands in northern Sarawak and from the Sabah-Sarawak border. Meanwhile, D. m. baluensis are recorded from Gunung Kinabalu and Gunung Trus Madi in Sabah.[4]

Threats and Conservation

This species is listed under data deficient because it have not have been recorded since the early 1970s. The major threats for these species are loss of habitat due to the agricultural expansion and conversion of land to non-tree plantations at lower elevation. This species may warrant listing in Near Threatened or higher. The conservation actions only occur at Crocker Range National Park, Sabah, Malaysia.[5]

References

  1. ^ Gardner, Alfred (16 November 2005). Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 104-105. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. 
  2. ^ a b Han, K. H. & Stuebing, R. (2008). Dendrogale melanura. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 December 2008.
  3. ^ http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/grze_13/grze_13_00822.html
  4. ^ a b c Francis, C.M. & Payne, J. (2005).A field guide to the mammals of Borneo. Malaysia: Sabah Society
  5. ^ http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/6405/0/full


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