Species Diversity Of Enigmatic ‘Flying Lemurs’ Doubled By New Study

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Colugos (aka flying lemurs)—the closest living relatives of primates most notable for their ability to glide from tree to tree over considerable distances—are more diverse than had previously been believed, according to a new report published in the November 11th issue of Current Biology.

Primates are most familiarly represented by monkeys and apes, the group including humans.

Scientists had recognized just two species of these enigmatic mammals, the Sunda colugo and the Philippine colugo. However, the new findings show that the Sunda colugo, found only in Indochina and Sundaland, including the large islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, actually represents at least three separate species.

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Tagged as: Apes, Borneo, Colugos, Flying Lemur, Flying Lemurs, Indochina, Indonesia, Java, Lemurs, Monkeys, Primates, Sumatra, Sunda colugo, Sundaland

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