Common Treeshrew
Tupaia glis
Summary 3
The common treeshrew (Tupaia glis) is a small mammal in the treeshrew family Tupaiidae, and is native to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. It has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it remains common and displays some adaptability to ongoing habitat loss.
Habitat 4
The primary habitat of T. glis is deciduous tropical forests. Common tree shrews have also been reportedly seen in fruit plantations and local gardens.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
Physical description 5
Tupaia came from the Malay word “tupai,” meaning squirrel. This is fitting since common tree shrews, with their pointy snouts and bushy tails, bear a resemblance to squirrels. However, T. glis can be distinguished from squirrels by the absence of long whiskers. The genus Tupaia is known to encompass species with the least specialized characteristics of all tree shrews. This is in part due to the semi-terrestrial lifestyles of species in this genus. Although arboreal tree shrews tend to have a relatively small body size with a short snout, a long tail, eyes facing forward, and poorly developed claws, terrestrial tree shrews have a larger body size with a long snout, short tail, eyes oriented laterally and well-developed claws. Tupaia glis has characteristics that are intermediate to these extremes.
Tupaia glis has an average body weight of 142 grams, a head and body length of 19.5 cm and tail length of 16.5 cm. Its pelage is dense and dark brown on the dorsal region of the body and orange-rufous ventrally. A pale shoulder stripe is present. Multiple subspecies and races are designated at decreasing latitude in the Malaysia Peninsula; these are based on progressive lightening of the dorsal color. There is no sexual dimorphism present in common tree shrews.
All digits have long, sharp claws, which are used for climbing. Tupaia glis has small ears and moderately sized eyes compared to most small mammals such as rodents and shrews; the eyes are positioned laterally.
Average mass: 142 g.
Average length: 19.5 cm.
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
Average mass: 200 g.
Average basal metabolic rate: 0.522 W.
Fuentes y créditos
- (c) Wikimedia Commons, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Stavenn_Tupaia_glis_00.jpg/460px-Stavenn_Tupaia_glis_00.jpg
- (c) Arjan Haverkamp, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tupaia_glis_-Artis_Zoo,_Amsterdam,_Netherlands-8a.jpg
- Adaptado por Brian Martin del trabajo de (c) Wikipedia, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupaia_glis
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/18677841
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/18677842
