Dactylonax
| Dactylonax | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Petauridae |
| Subfamily: | Dactylopsilinae |
| Genus: | Dactylonax Thomas, 1910 |
| Type species | |
| Dactylopsila palpator Milne-Edwards, 1888
| |
Dactylonax is a genus of petaurid marsupials. In 2026, a species that was thought to be extinct for 6000 years was discovered in New Guinea. Research on this discovery, along with comparisons with other members of genus Dactylopsila, led to a proposal to split Dactylopsila into two genera as follows: Dactylopsila would retain D. megalura, D. tatei, and D. trivirgata. Genus Dactylonax would be resurrected with D. palpator as its type, but sensu stricto. Dactylonax ernstmayri, formerly a subspecies of D. palpator, would be elevated to species level, and the rediscovered Dactylonax kambuayai placed in the resurrected genus. In addition, these two genera are combined in subfamily Dactylopsilinae.[1]
References
- ^ Flannery, Tim F.; Aplin, Kenneth P.; Bocos, Carlos; Koungoulos, Loukas G.; Helgen, Kristofer M. (2026). "Found alive after 6,000 years: modern records of an 'extinct' Papuan marsupial, Dactylonax kambuayai (Marsupialia: Petauridae), with a revision of the systematics and zoogeography of the genus Dactylonax". Records of the Australian Museum. 78 (1): 17–34. doi:10.3853/j.2201-4349.78.2026.3003. Retrieved 6 March 2026.