Tupaia nicobarica (Zelebor, 1869)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6779158 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6779190 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E75FB01D-FA54-FFA4-BF72-8395FD166CE4 |
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treatment provided by |
Valdenar |
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scientific name |
Tupaia nicobarica |
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Nicobar Treeshrew
French: Toupaye des Nicobar / German: Nikobaren-Spitzhérnchen / Spanish: Tupaya de Nicobar
Taxonomy. Cladobates nicobaricus Zelebor, 1869 ,
Great Nicobar Island, Union Ter- ritory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. This species is monotypic.
Distribution. Nicobar Is (Great and Little Nicobar). View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 175-195 mm, tail 190-230 mm, hindfoot 46-49 mm. No specific data are available for ear measurements or body weight.
The Nicobar Treeshrew is OY and has distinct color pattern, with anterior one-half of body lighter brown-agouti and posterior one-half nearly solid black. Fur is longer than on many treeshrew species (c.10-20 mm in length), and tail is long and fluffy.
Habitat. Tropical rainforests from sea level to an elevation of 640 m, the highest point on the Nicobar Islands.
Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Nicobar Treeshrew probably eats invertebrates, especially insects.
Breeding. Pairs of Nicobar Treeshrews are often observed together, and they are presumably monogamous. Breeding bouts are short, less than 20 seconds, and sometimes occur multiple times within a short time. Males approach females, which can lead to aggressive reactions from females. Some scent marking was observed, following mating; males rubbed their chins or chests on females, which might may enforce social bonds/monogamy between pairs. Although specific data are not available,it is assumed that Nicobar Treeshrews use absentee parental care system.
Activity patterns. The Nicobar Treeshrew is diurnal and predominantly arboreal, occasionally seen on the forest floor but more commonly observed in lower and mid-canopies of rainforests. It spent ¢.60% of the day foraging and feeding and c.12% resting or sleeping, equating to ¢.10-5 hours foraging during twelve hours of daylight, similar to other treeshrew species. Foraging occurred more frequently early in the morning and prior to returning to the nest at night.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nicobar Treeshrews are mostly observed alone or in breeding pairs. They are easy to observe and follow, probably because the Nicobar Islands lack predators found elsewhere. Scent marking was done by rubbing glands from anogenital and chin/chest regions on substrates.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Nicobar Treeshrew is restricted to ¢.1600 km?* and is threatened by destruction ofits habitat.
Bibliography. Helgen (2005), Oommen & Shanker (2008).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.