Dendrogale murina, Schlegel & Müller, 1843

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Tupaiidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 242-269 : 263

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Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew

Dendrogale murina

French: Dendrogale d’Indochine / German: Nordliches Bergspitzhdrnchen / Spanish: Tupaya de cola lisa septentrional

Other common names: Mainland Slender-tailed Treeshrew, Northern Slender-tailed Treeshrew

Taxonomy. Hylogale murina Schlegel & S. Miuiller, 1843 ,

“Pontianak,” West Kaliman- tan, Indonesia. Type locality was likely in error, and ac- cording to an unpublished paper or letter by C. Smeenk to K. M. Helgen in 2005, the actual type locality is widely accepted as Cochinchina, Vietnam. Monotypic .

Distribution. C & S Vietnam, EC & SE Laos, parts of SE Thailand, and SW & E Cambodia, as well as an isolated population in N Vietnam.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 115-130 mm,tail 110-125 mm, ear c.18 mm, hindfoot 27-30 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Dorsum of the Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew is dark brown, with distinct counter coloration; underparts are pale orange to buff. Face has distinct mask, with buffy stripe that runs horizontally above and below eyes; remainder of face is dark brown. Muzzle is pointed, and tail has thick short brownish black fur.

Habitat. Most commonly evergreen forests but also mixed deciduous forest, secondary forests without bamboo, and rocky savanna, from lowlands up to elevations of ¢.1500 m.

Food and Feeding. Few accounts describe foraging behavior of the Northern Smoothtailed Treeshrew, but R. J. Timmins and colleagues in 2003 noted that it foraged on insects and some fruit. Stomach contents of one specimen contained various species of beetles.

Breeding. Pairs of Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrews were observed together in April in Mondulkiri Province (Cambodia) and in June in Cat Tién National Park (Vietnam); however, these observations might not have been directly related to breeding or parent-offspring sightings.

Activity patterns. The Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew is observed diurnally, but it is unknown if it is restricted to diurnal activity. Unlike the Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew ( D. melanura ), the Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew was historically described as being observed on the ground and in thick understory bushes; however, it now appears that time spent on the ground is primarily when moving between patches of brush patches. Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrews are most frequently found 30-300 cm off the ground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew is shy and elusive, and much more difficult to observe than other sympatric tree squirrels and the Northern Treeshrew ( Tupaia belangeri ).

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List. The Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew appears to be patchily distributed, like the Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew ( D. melanura ). Some sites yield frequent observations, and othersites very few. It is unknown if specific threats impact the Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew because there are very few specimens and observational records across its distribution. Substantial human-caused habitat degradation has occurred and continues to occurin forests where the Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew is found. Additional surveys are needed, particularly in Cambodia, to determine what forests are used by Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrews.

Bibliography. Francis (2008), Helgen (2005), Timmins et al. (2003).

Figures

1. Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew (Dendrogale murina), 2. Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew (Dendrogale melanura), 3. Madras Treeshrew (Anathana ellioti), 4. Northern Treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri), 5. Lesser Treeshrew (Tupaia minor), 6. Common Treeshrew (Tupaia glis), 7. Nicobar Treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica), 8. Sumatran Treeshrew (Tupaia ferruginea), 9. Golden-bellied Treeshrew (Tupaia chrysogaster), 10. Banka Island Treeshrew (Tupaia discolor), 11. Horsfield’s Treeshrew (Tupaia javanica), 12. Javan Treeshrew (Tupaia hypochrysa), 13. Large Treeshrew (Tupaia tana), 14. Long-footed Treeshrew (Tupaia longipes), 15. Slender Treeshrew (Tupaia gracilis), 16. Mountain Treeshrew (Tupaia montana), 17. Striped Treeshrew (Tupaia dorsalis), 18. Painted Treeshrew (Tupaia picta), 19. Kalimantan Treeshrew (Tupaia salatana), 20. Splendid Treeshrew (Tupaia splendidula), 21. Mindanao Treeshrew (Tupaia everetti), 22. Palawan Treeshrew (Tupaia palawanensis)

Distribution. C & S Vietnam, EC & SE Laos, parts of SE Thailand, and SW & E Cambodia, as well as an isolated population in N Vietnam.