Dactylonax kambuayai
| Dactylonax kambuayai | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Petauridae |
| Genus: | Dactylonax |
| Species: | D. kambuayai
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dactylonax kambuayai (Aplin, 1999)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Dactylopsila kambuayai Aplin, 1999 | |
Dactylonax kambuayai, the Arfak striped possum[2] or pygmy long-fingered possum,[1] is a member of the marsupial family Petauridae. Fossils of the species were discovered in the 1990s, but the species was believed to be extinct until it was discovered still living in the wild by a collaboration of scientists, indigenous communities, and citizen scientists in 2026.[3]
It has been described as being a Lazarus taxon.[4]
Description
The animal grows to about 17.6 cm (6.9 in) in length (not including an 18 cm (7.1 in) tail). It is striped in black and white and has a very long fourth digit on its hand that is used to hunt wood-boring beetle larvae out of wood.[5]
In 2026, the animal was found by researchers led by the Australian scientist Tim Flannery on the Bird's Head Peninsula (also known as Vogelkop Peninsula) of Western New Guinea, in Indonesia.[1][4]
References
- ^ a b c 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). Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Dactylopsila kambuayai Aplin, 1999". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ Yip, Isabel (6 March 2026). "2 Lazarus animals thought to be extinct for over 7000 years found alive in New Guinea". NBC News. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ a b Morton, Adam (6 March 2026). "Marsupials previously thought extinct for millennia discovered in New Guinea". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Pygmy long-fingered possum and glider leap from fossil record to life in New Guinea forest". ABC.net.au. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.