The Pentailed tree shrew is found in peninsular Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, northern Borneo and nearby small islands (Corbet 1991; Payne 1985).

Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )

Ptilocercus lowii has a typical body length of 130-140 mm, and a tail length of 160-190 mm. The animal's back is gray to light brown, with a white/yellowish belly (Gould 1978). It is easily identified by the plume like hairs on the latter 2/5ths of the tail. The "pen tail" is proximally black, fading to white distally, making the Pentail Tree Shrew easily recognizable. Individuals also frequently have a black eye mask (Clark 1926).

Range mass: 40 to 62 g.

Average basal metabolic rate: 0.24 W.

• Terrestrial

This species has been found in primary and secondary forests, rubber farms, and in houses near forest edges. They are often associated with the palm tree Eugeissona tristis. Pentail Tree Shrews are usually caught 1.5-2 meters off the ground on vines and branches. Specimens have been collected at altitudes from sea level to 2000 meters (Muul and Lim 1971). Nests have been reported in large branches and tree trunks 12-20 meters above the ground (Lim 1967).

Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest

Like most Tupaiids, Ptilocercus lowii is an omnivore. They have been observed eating bananas, grapes, crickets, and grasshoppers (Gould 1978). One study of stomach contents found black ants, cockroaches, beetles, earwigs, cicadas, leaf insects, and even a young forest gecko (/Gymnodactylus mamaorat/) (Lim 1967). This wide variety in diet suggests that the Pentail Tree Shrew is rather adept at capturing food (Gould 1978).

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 2.7 years.

Very little life history work has been done on Ptilocercus lowii, as it is rare and difficult to capture (compared to other tupaiids). However, they have two pairs of nipples, suggesting litter sizes of 1 to 4 offspring. Typical tupaiid gestation periods are 45-55 days resulting in the birth of babies weighing about 10 grams (Parker 1989).

Three genera of tupaiids (/Tupaia, Urogale, Lyonogale/) have very unusual mother-offspring relationships. After birth the female will nurse the young, who take on about 50% of their initial body weight (5 grams) in milk. The stuffed babies are then left alone, the mother returning only every 48 hours to perform the same mass feeding session. This milk is unusually high in fat content (~26%) which allows the young to maintain high body temperatures (37 C) without the aid of their mother's warmth. The milk is also high in protein (10%) and the babies are ready to leave the nest in only 4 weeks. The mother also leaves a scent at the nest that deters the father or other conspecifics from entering. This avoidance behavior is so strong that food items sprayed with the scent are not touched by other individuals (Parker 1989).

Because captive breeding has not been done with Ptilocercus, whether this strange parenting method characterizes the Pentail Tree Shrew is unknown.

Average birth mass: 10 g.

Average number of offspring: 2.

The Pentail Tree Shrew is currently on Appendix II of CITES.

A 1995 publication by the IUCN called Eurasian Insectivores and Tree Shrews outlines current plans for Southeast Asian conservation involving Tree Shrews. A partially digital version is available at:   http://members.vienna.at/shrew/itsesAP95-cover.html. The section involving Tree Shrews has not yet been digitized.

However the basic problem facing the tree shrew is slash-and-burn clearing of tropical forests for cultivation and human use. As with most threatened species, habitat fragmentation and destruction pose a strong threat to this animal.

CITES: appendix ii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Ptilocercus lowii is of no economic importance to humans.

Ptilocercus lowii is of no economic importance to humans.