Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew

Dendrogale melanura

French: Dendrogale de Bornéo / German: Borneo-Bergspitzhdrnchen / Spanish: Tupaya de cola lisa de Borneo

Taxonomy. Tupaia melanura Thom- as, 1892,

“Mount Dulit, 5000 feet [= 1524 km],” Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia . Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

D.m.melanuraThomas,1892—MtDulitandMtMulu,Sarawak,NWBorneo.

D. m. baluensis Lyon, 1913 — Mt Kinabalu, Crocker Range, and Trus Madi, Sabah, N Borneo. Also recorded on Mt Murud, N Sarawak,

NW Borneo, but EN involved not known.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 120-125 mm, tail 135-140 mm, ear 12-14 mm, hindfoot 28-31 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Bornean Smoothtailed Treeshrew is small, has very slendertail hairs, and lacks diagnostic pale mark on shoulder as seen on almost all Bornean species of Tupaia . It was previously placed in Tupaia due to similarity in facial markings. It has long claws on forefeet and hindfeet, presumably used for its arboreal lifestyle.

Habitat. Rare mountain endemic at elevations of 900-3350 m. The Bornean Smoothtailed Treeshrew was first described from highlands in Sarawak;it is also known from mountains in Sabah, Malaysia.

Food and Feeding. The Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew does not appear to be trappable with fruit bait, and based on these observations,it might be a strict insectivore. Stomach analysis revealed many beetles of various types.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrew has been described as arboreal, based on observations in the wild and skeletal morphology, and spends little time on the forest floor. Treeshrews are generally diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Data Deficient on The [UCN Red List. A lack of reputable sightings of Bornean Smooth-tailed Treeshrews has led to the conclusion that the overall population is decreasing; a recent trapping effort provided very few sightings.

Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Phillipps & Phillipps (2016), Thomas (1892).