Painted treeshrew


The painted treeshrew is a treeshrew species of the family Tupaiidae.
The first specimen was described by Oldfield Thomas and was part of a zoological collection from northern Borneo obtained by the British Museum of Natural History.

Range and habitat

The painted treeshrew is endemic to Borneo and inhabits the forests of Brunei, Kalimantan, and Sarawak. It usually lives at lower elevations, below 300 meters, but some specimens have been found at elevations hundreds of meters higher. Although the painted treeshrew is not a threatened species, it still suffers from loss of habitat.

Description

The painted treeshrew's diet consists mainly of fruits and insects.

Appearance

The painted treeshrew has a body length of a little bit over 7 inches and a slightly shorter tail length, making it one of the smaller treeshrews in its genus. Most of its body is a rather dull color compared to other related species, consisting of mostly grayish olive, with a few yellow spots. However, its chin and chest are brighter colored, consisting of mostly orange and yellow. It also has a black stripe on its back.