Flying lemur

A general term for animals belonging to the family Cynocephalidae. They have flying membranes on the sides of their bodies and glide with their young on their chests, which resembles a bat, so they are also called bat monkeys. Members of this family, Cynocephalidae, are endemic to the Oriental region, and include one genus and two species: the Philippine flying lemur, Cynocephalus volans , found in the Philippine Islands, and the Malay flying lemur, C. variegatus , found in the southern part of the Indochina Peninsula through the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. The head and body length is 33 to 43 cm, the tail length is 24 to 27 cm, and the weight is 1 to 1.8 kg. The front and back legs are long and slender, and the upper and lower surfaces of the flying membrane, which is covered with hair and is like a skin, is developed from the neck and sides of the body to the tip of the tail and the base of the claws of the front and back feet. In addition, a membrane extends like a web between the five fingers. Both front and back feet have five toes, and the claws are sharp and curved, adapted for climbing trees. Body color is variable, with males being brown and females being gray. The upper surface of the body has irregular markings, while the underside is slightly lighter and lacks markings. The snout is wide, and the orbital rings seen in primate skulls are prominent. There are only two pairs of papillae on the chest. The lower incisors are divided at the tips like the teeth of a comb, with 8 to 12 protrusions. Adapted to feeding on tree leaves, the cecum is large and the large intestine is long. It lives in tropical rainforests and is skilled at climbing trees. It does not build nests or resting places, but hangs from tree branches by its front and back feet during the day and sleeps upside down. It is nocturnal. It prefers fruit, leaves, buds, flowers, etc., and moves slowly. The gestation period is about 60 days, and they give birth to one or two babies around March.

[Yoshiyuki Mizuko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱皮翼目ヒヨケザル科に属する動物の総称。体側に飛膜があり、子を胸に抱いて、滑空することなどがコウモリに似るのでコウモリザルともよばれる。この科Cynocephalidaeの仲間は東洋区の特産で、フィリピン諸島に分布するフィリピンヒヨケザルCynocephalus volans、およびテナセリム（タニンタリー）、インドシナ半島南部からマレー半島を経てスマトラ島、ジャワ島、ボルネオ島に分布するマレーヒヨケザルC. variegatusの1属2種がある。頭胴長33～43センチメートル、尾長24～27センチメートル、体重1～1.8キログラム。前後肢は細長く、頸(けい)部と体の側方から尾の先端までと前後足のつめの基部まで、上下面とも毛で覆われた皮膚状の飛膜が発達する。さらに五指の間にも、膜が水かき状に伸びている。前後足とも五指で、つめは鋭くて曲がり、木登りに適応する。体色は変化に富み、雄では褐色、雌では灰色を帯びる。体上面には不規則な斑紋(はんもん)があり、体下面はやや淡く、斑紋を欠く。吻(ふん)が幅広く、霊長類の頭骨にみられるような眼窩(がんか)輪が顕著である。乳頭は胸に2対しかない。下の門歯は先端が櫛(くし)の歯のように分かれ、突起の数は8～12個に及ぶ。樹葉食に適応して、盲腸が大きく、大腸が長い。熱帯多雨林にすみ、木登りが巧みである。巣や休息場をつくらず、日中は前後足で木の枝にぶら下がり、逆さまになって眠る。夜行性。果実、樹葉、樹の芽、花などを好み、動作は緩慢である。妊娠期間は60日ぐらいで、3月ごろ1産1子または2子を産む。

［吉行瑞子］

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