Ptilocercus lowii
SUBFAMILY
Ptilocercinae
TAXONOMY
Ptilocercus lowii Gray, 1848, Sarawak, Malaysia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Ptilocerque; German: Federschwanzspitzhörnchen.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Head and body length 5 in (13 cm); tail length 4.5 in (11 cm). Body mass 1.5 oz (43 g). Small-bodied. Fur dark gray dorsally and pale gray or buff ventrally. Dark facial stripe extends from the snout to behind the eye on each side. No shoulder stripe present. Short snout; upper incisors enlarged. Eyes more forward-facing than in other tree shrews but not enlarged. In association with their nocturnal habits, pen-tailed tree shrews have a reflecting layer (tapetum) behind the retina, producing a silvery eyeshine that is unique among mammals. Ear flaps large, membranous and mobile. Tail approximately equal in length to combined head and body length and covered with scales, except for the tip, which bears two rows of long, stiff white hairs on either side. In the foot, the first toe (hallux) is divergent but not opposable.
DISTRIBUTION
Disjunct distribution on the southern end of the Malayan peninsula, northwestern Borneo, northeastern Sumatra, and a few neighboring islands.
HABITAT
Evergreen tropical rainforests.
BEHAVIOR
Nocturnal and essentially arboreal. Reportedly rest in tree holes lines with dried leaves during daytime.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Food is sought exclusively in trees. Typically forage on the surfaces of tree trunks, branches, and lianas rather than in foliage. At least some fruits are included in the diet, but there may be a heavy concentration on arthropods.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Pen-tailed tree shrews have rarely been maintained in captivity and little is known about their reproduction. Females have two pairs of teats, indicating that the typical litter size is two offspring. Usually forms monogamous pairs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Rarely encountered and little studied in the wild, but not currently recognized as endangered. Because of the disjunct distribution, the overall geographical range is quite large, but this species may be locally quite rare.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
| Common name / Scientific name / Other common names | Physical charecteristics | Habitat and behaviour | Distribution | Diet | Conservation status |
| Northern smooth-tailed tree shrew Dendrogale murina | Small-bodied species. Fur light brown dorsally and pale buff ventrally. Black streak, highlighted by pale fur above and below, extends at eye level from the snout to the ear on either side of the face. Tail is thin and darkens distally. Claws small and blunt. Females have one pair of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Predominantly arboreal. | Eastern Thailand, southern Vietnam, and Cambodia. | Little studied in the wild. Probably feeds predominantly on arthropods. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Belanger's tree shrew Tupaia belangeri French: Toupaie de Belanger; German: Belangerspitzhörnchen | Medium-sized species. Fur varies from olivaceous to dark brown dorsally and from creamy white to orange-buff ventrally. Females have three pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Northeastern India, Myanmar, China, and Thailand. | Feeds primarily on the ground. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Golden-bellied tree shrew Tupaia dorsalis French: Toupaie à raies; German: Streifenspitzhörnchen | Relatively large-bodied species, with an elongated snout. Fur dull brown dorsally and pale buff ventrally. Pale shoulder stripe present. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Terrestrial. | Northwestern Borneo. | Feeds on the ground and on surfaces of logs, rooting in and beneath leaf litter with the snout. Eats both fallen fruit and arthropods, especially ants, cockroaches, spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. Also eats earthworms. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Slender tree shrew Tupaia gracilis French: Toupaie grèle German: Schlankspitzhörnchen | Small-bodied species. Fur olivaceous dorsally and off-white ventrally. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semi-arboreal. | Northern Borneo and neighboring islands. | Forages in the forest understory, on shrub foliage, and on the ground for fruits and arthropods. concentrating on caterpillars, crickets, and ants. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Javanese tree shrew Tupaia javanica French: Toupaie de Java; German: Javaspitzhörnchen | Small-bodied species. Fur olivaceous dorsally and off-white ventrally. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Essentially arboreal. | Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Nias. | Forages for fruits and arthropods in trees, on lianas, and in foliage. Concentrates on crickets, spiders, beetles, and caterpillars. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Bornean tree shrew Tupaia longipes English: Long-footed tree shrew; French: Toupaie à pieds longs; German: Langfuss-Spitzhörnchen; Spanish: Tupaya de pies largos | Medium-sized species. Fur dark brown and sometimes almost black dorsally and orange-rufous ventrally. An oblique pale shoulder stripe is usually recognizable. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Northwestern and southern Borneo. | Feeds primarily on the ground and on log surfaces. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods, particularly ants and termites. | Endangered |
| Pygmy tree shrew Tupaia minor English: Lesser tree shrew; French: Toupaie nain; German: Zwergspitzhörnchen | Small-bodied species. Fur olivaceous dorsally and off-white ventrally. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Essentially arboreal. | Borneo, Sumatra, southern Malay Peninsula, and neighboring islands. | Forages for fruits and arthropods in trees, on lianas and in foliage. Concentrates on crickets, spiders, beetles, and caterpillars. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Montane tree shrew Tupaia montana French: Toupaie des montagnes | Medium-sized species. Fur varies from olivaceous to dark brown dorsally and from creamy white to orange-buff below. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Mountains of northern Borneo. | Feeds primarily on the ground, foraging beneath logs and in leaf litter. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods, notably ants, beetles, crickets, spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Nicobar tree shrew Tupaia nicobarica French: Toupaie des îles Nicobar; German: Nicobarspitzhörnchen; Spanish: Tupaya de Nicobar | Medium-sized species. Fur varies from olivaceous to dark brown dorsally and from creamy white to orange-buff below. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Nicobar Islands. | Feeds primarily on the ground. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods. | Endangered |
| Common name / Scientific name / Other common names | Physical Charecteristics | Habitat and behavior | Distribution | Diet | Conservation status |
| Palawan tree shrew Tupaia palawanensis French: Toupaie de l'île Palawan; German: Palawanspitzhörnchen; Spanish: Tupaya de Palawan | Medium-sized species. Fur varies from olivaceous to dark brown dorsally and from creamy white to orange-buff below. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Palawan, Busuanga, Cuyo, and Culion Islands in the Philippines. | Feeds primarily on the ground. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods. | Vulnerable |
| Painted tree shrew Tupaia picta English: Ornate tree shrew | Medium-sized species. Fur varies from olivaceous to dark brown dorsally and from creamy white to orange-buff below. Conspicuous dark stripe runs along the back. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Lowlands of northern Borneo. | Feeds primarily on the ground. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods. | Not listed by IUCN |
| Rufous-tailed tree shrew Tupaia splendidula | Medium-sized species. Fur varies from olivaceous to dark brown dorsally and from creamy white to orange-buff below. Females have two pairs of teats. | Inhabits evergreen tropical rainforests. Semiterrestrial. | Southwestern Borneo and northeastern Sumatra. | Feeds primarily on the ground. Diet consists mainly of fruit and arthropods. | Not listed by IUCN |
