All articles tagged with #lazarus taxa
Two marsupials once known only from fossils — the pygmy long-fingered possum (Dactylonax kambuayai) and the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis) — were rediscovered alive in New Guinea, earning Lazarus taxa status; the glider is placed in a new genus Tous in honor of local Indigenous communities, highlighting collaboration with Traditional Owners and the persistence of life in isolated forests.
Researchers have rediscovered two marsupial species—the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider—in New Guinea, after about 6,000 years of presumed extinction. Documented in studies led by Tim Flannery, the finds label them Lazarus taxa and underscore New Guinea’s role as a haven for ancient biodiversity. The work also spotlights urgent conservation needs amid deforestation and wildlife trade, with Indigenous communities aiding in locating and identifying these species.
Researchers in Australia and Papua New Guinea report the pygmy long-fingered possum (Dactylonax kambuayai) alive after about 6,000 years on New Guinea’s Vogelkop Peninsula, and describe a previously unknown marsupial-glider genus Tous (including Tous ayamaruensis). The findings, linked to Lazarus taxa, rely on rare living specimens and fossil records, and highlight conservation concerns as rainforest habitat faces logging threats.