Colugo

Colugo Related Category: Vertebrate Zoology (kl´g): see flying lemur. More on Colugo Flying Lemur - gliding mammal native to the tropical lowland forests of S Asia, Malaya, and the Philippines.

Colugos are fairly large for a tree-dwelling mammal: at about 35 to 40 cm (14 to 16 in) in length and 1 or 2 kilograms (2 or 4 pounds) in weight, they are comparable to a medium-sized possum or a very large squirrel.

Colugo Colugos, or flying LEMURS, Cynocephalus, are primitive gliding mammals belonging to the family Cynocephalidae, order Dermoptera [Total Votes: 329, Hits: 551] Updated On: 10/22/2007Print ...

The Name "Colugo": "Colugo" is the original Malaysian word for the animal. Although it is also called a "Malayan flying lemur," it is not a lemur and it does not fly - but it is found in Malaysia.

Colugos are curious creatures that have the ability to glide from tree to tree, just like flying squirrels. The digestive system of colugos is specialized for ingesting large amounts of low nutrient plant material. (Full text) ...

Colugos are nocturnal forest animals, spending the day curled up in holes, or hanging underneath a branch, wrapped in their patagium.

The placentals include the bulk of mammalian species, usually divided into 17 orders: (1) Insectivora, including small mammals such as moles, shrews, and hedgehogs, and formerly including the following order; (2) Dermoptera, the colugos, ...

Bats are thought to be related most closely to the Dermoptera, a small order of mammals (two species) which includes the colugos or "flying lemurs" of the Phillippines.

The closest relatives of bats among mammals may be tree shrews (tupaiids), primates, colugos/flying lemurs (dermopterans) (together forming the grandorder Archonta).

Dermoptera - flying lemurs or colugos This order has only one family with two species in it. Flying lemurs are about the size of a squirrel. They have skin flaps on their arms and legs that let them glide. Flying lemurs are found in southeast Asia.

Results of study on feeding ecology later revealed, however, that they also prey on other animals such as colugo, civets, large snakes, monitor lizards, and even large birds like hornbills.

See also: Chiroptera, Manatee, Shrew, Marsupial, Opossum