Tous (mammal)
| Tous | |
|---|---|
| Subadult individual of Tous ayamaruensis in South Sorong | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Diprotodontia |
| Family: | Pseudocheiridae |
| Subfamily: | Hemibelideinae |
| Genus: | Tous Flannery & Helgen, 2026[1] |
| Type species | |
| Petauroides ayamaruensis Aplin, 1999[2]
| |
| Species | |
| |
Tous is a genus of marsupial in the family Pseudocheiridae endemic to New Guinea and Australia. It contains two named species, the ring-tailed glider T. ayamaruensis (the type species) and T. stirtoni, both of which were originally described entirely based on fossils and presumed to be extinct. In the years following 2015, multiple sightings of T. ayamaruensis indicated it is still alive, making it a Lazarus species. Tous is characterized by the unique combination of both a strongly prehensile tail (also known in Hemibelideus) and a well-developed patagium (gliding membrane; also known in Petauroides). It is further distinguished from its closest relatives in the subfamily Hemibelideinae by its very small size, naked ears, ear ring, and non-bushy, tapering tail.[1]
The genus Tous was described in 2026 by biologists Tim Flannery and Kristofer M. Helgen in a co-authored, collaborative paper with several other scientists.[1][3][4] The scientists acknowledged the role of traditional landowners and their knowledge of T. ayamaruensis in their work. In the Maybrat language, the vernacular name for T. ayamaruensis is 'tous'.[1]
Little is known of the behaviors and diet of T. ayamaruensis.[5] It is a nocturnal, monogamous species that produces young once a year and eats leaves, tree sap, and maybe also invertebrates or fruit.[5][1]
The species is threatened by habitat loss due to logging of forests in Papua New Guinea and West Papua.[6][5][1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Tim F. Flannery; Loukas G. Koungoulos; Erik Meijaard; et al. (6 March 2026). "A new genus of hemibelideine possum (Marsupialia: Pseudocheiridae) from New Guinea and Australia, including a Lazarus taxon from the Vogelkop Peninsula". Records of the Australian Museum. 78 (1): 35–52. doi:10.3853/J.2201-4349.78.2026.3004. ISSN 0067-1975. Wikidata Q138634876.
- ^ Kenneth P. Aplin; Juliette M. Pasveer; Walter E. Boles (1999). "Late Quaternary vertebrates from the Bird's Head Peninsula, Irian Jaya, Indonesia, including descriptions of two previously unknown marsupial species". Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement. 57: 351–387. ISSN 0313-122X. Wikidata Q125822794.
- ^ Hashimoto, Kryslyn (March 5, 2026). "Bishop Museum and Australian Museum Scientists Describe Two Species Previously Thought to Be Extinct". www.bishopmuseum.org. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
- ^ Morton, Adam (2026-03-05). "Marsupials previously thought extinct for millennia discovered in New Guinea". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
- ^ a b c Kuta, Sarah. "Scientists Thought These Marsupials Went Extinct 6,000 Years Ago. They Just Found the Animals Alive". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
- ^ "Meet 'Tous' - an entirely new genus of mammal we identified. Here's why it's so exciting". RNZ. 2026-03-09. Retrieved 2026-03-08.