Tree shrew
Tupaia
Anathana
Urogale
Dendrogale
Lyonogale
Ptilocercus
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The
tree shrews are small, squirrel-like
mammals native to the tropical forests of
South-east Asia. They make up the
family Tupaiidae and the entire
order Scandentia. There are 18 species in 6 genera.
Although called
tree shrews, they are not
shrews (although they were previously classified in the
Insectivora), and are not all arboreal. They are most notable for their mothering practices: the mother runs around all over for two days, then visits her children for only two minutes. They are also paranoid, never taking the same route to their home or their children's. Among other things, they eat
Rafflesia fruit.
Tree shrews are considered by some to be a primitive form of
Primate, Suborder Prosimii, because of certain internal similarities to the latter.
Classification
- ORDER SCANDENTIA
- Family Tupaiidae
- Subfamily Tupaiinae
- Genus Tupaia
- Genus Anathana
- Genus Urogale
- Genus Dendrogale
- Genus Lyonogale
- Subfamily Ptilocercinae
|-
|align=center| Xenarthra |
Dermoptera |
Desmostylia |
Scandentia |
Primates |
Rodentia |
Lagomorpha |
Insectivora |
Chiroptera |
Pholidota |
Carnivora |
Perissodactyla |
Artiodactyla |
Cetacea |
Afrosoricida |
Macroscelidea |
Tubulidentata |
Hyracoidea |
Proboscidea |
Sirenia
|-
|align=center| Monotremata
|-
|align=center| Didelphimorphia |
Paucituberculata |
Microbiotheria |
Dasyuromorphia |
Peramelemorphia |
Notoryctemorphia |
Diprotodontia
|}