Biology:Dactylonax
Dactylonax is a genus of petaurid marsupials, with an elongated fourth finger and highly specialized incisor teeth; being comparable to the aye-aye of Madagascar,[1] these adaptations are the product of convergent evolution.
In 2026, a species that was thought to be extinct for 6000 years was discovered in New Guinea.[which?] 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.[2]
References
- ↑ "The Seventh Archbold Expedition". BioScience 16 (7): 453. July 1966. doi:10.2307/1293757.
- ↑ 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. https://journals.australian.museum/flannery-2026-rec-aust-mus-781-1734. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
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