These are small animals similar to squirrels or rats , with an elongated body and short five-fingered limbs. The length of the body is 10-25 cm, the tail is 14-20 cm; they weigh from 30-60 g ( minor tupaya ) to 350 g ( Philippine tupaya ). Forelegs longer than hind legs. Fingers are armed with sickle claws. Paws are not grasping: thumbs are not opposed to the rest, and their mobility is limited. III finger is the longest. The head is rather large, with an elongated muzzle, pointed to the nose. Auricles large, rounded. Upper lip bare. The eyes are large, directed to the sides. The tail is long and fluffy. The hair is of moderate length, thick and soft; the color is usually dark brown and tan, less often light. Some species have longitudinal stripes on their shoulders or marks on their faces.
The brain is primitive, smooth, without furrows and convolutions, but they have the greatest ratio of brain mass to body mass, exceeding even the human. Teeth 38. The upper incisors are long, fang-shaped. Upper canines small and similar to pre-molded teeth. Molar teeth with a wide chewing surface are similar to the teeth of insectivores .
They live in the tropical rain and mountain forests of Southeast Asia : from Hindustan and Indochina to the Malay archipelago , Hainan and the west of the Philippines . Daily activity. They lead mainly a tree-like lifestyle, climbing trees and bushes, but are often found on the ground. Of the sensory organs, hearing and vision are most strongly developed. Omnivores, feed mainly on insects and fruits. Live in pairs or singly. Seasonality in reproduction is not marked. Pregnancy lasts from 41-50 to 54-56 days. In a litter usually from 1-2 to 4 naked and blind cubs. Lactation in the female lasts up to 28 days; at the age of 30 days, young animals leave their native nest. They reach puberty by 6 months.
The family includes 4 genera and 19 species [2] [1] :
- Genus Indian Tupai ( Anathana )
- Indian Tupaya ( Anathana ellioti )
- Genus Smooth-tailed Tupai ( Dendrogale ), or Mountain Tupai [3]
- Southern Tailed Tupaya ( Dendrogale melanura ), or Southern Tupaya [3]
- Northern Shorthaired Tupaya ( Dendrogale murina ), or Northern Tupaya [3]
- The genus Tupaia ( Tupaia ), or ordinary tupai [3]
- Malay Tupaya ( Tupaia belangeri )
- Tupaia chrysogaster
- Striped Tupaia ( Tupaia dorsalis )
- Common Tupaia ( Tupaia glis )
- Slender Tupaia ( Tupaia gracilis )
- Indonesian Tupaya ( Tupaia javanica ), or Javanese Tupaya [4]
- Long-Toed Tupaia ( Tupaia longipes )
- Lesser Tupaya ( Tupaia minor )
- Tupaia moellendorffi
- Mountain Tupaya ( Tupaia montana )
- Nicobar Tupaya ( Tupaia nicobarica )
- Palawan Tupaya ( Tupaia palawanensis )
- Decorated Tupaya ( Tupaia picta ) [1] , or Bornean Tupaya [5]
- Red Tailed Tupaia ( Tupaia splendidula )
- Great Tupaia ( Tupaia tana )
- Rod Philippine Tupayi ( Urogale ) [3]
- Philippine Tupaya ( Urogale everetti )
