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GALEOPITHECUS
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GALEOPITHECUS , the scientific designation of the See also:Colugo (q.v.) or Cobego, commonly known as the flying-See also:lemur, and alone representing the See also:family Galeopithecidae. Much uncertainty has prevailed among naturalists as to the systematic position of this See also:animal, or rather these animals (for there are two See also:species); and while some have referred it to the lemurs, others have placed it with the bats, and others again among the Insectivora, as the representative of a See also:special subordinal See also:group, the Dermoptera. Dr H. C. See also:Chapman, who has made a special study of the creature, writes, however, as follows: " It appears, at least in the See also:judgment of the author, that Galeopithecus cannot be regarded as being either a lemur, or insectivore, or See also:bat, but that it stands alone, the See also:sole representative of an See also:ancient group, Galeopithecidae, as Hyrax does of See also:Hyracoidea. While -Galeopithecus is but remotely related to the Lemuroidea and Insectivora, it is so closely related to See also:Chiroptera, more particularly in regard to the structure of its patagium, See also:brain, alimentary See also:canal, genito-urinal apparatus, &c., that there.can be but little doubt that the Chiroptera are the descendants of Galeopithecus, or, more probably; that both are the descendants of a Galeopithecus-like ancestor." Without going quite so far as this, it may be definitely admitted that the colugo is entitled to represent an See also:order by itself, the characters of which will be as follows: Herbivorous, climbing, unguiculate mammals, provided with a very extensive flying-membrane, and having the dental See also:formula i. -i-, c. f-, p. ft, m. i, See also:total 34. The See also:lower incisors are directed forwards and have a See also:comb-like structure of their crowns, while the outermost of these See also:teeth and the canines are See also:double-rooted, being in these respects, taken together, quite unlike those of all other mammals; the cheek-teeth have numerous See also:sharp cusps; and there is the normal replacement of See also:milk-molars by premolars. In the See also:skull the See also:orbit is surrounded by See also:bone, and the tympanic has a bulla and an ossified See also:external meatus. The ulna and fibula are to some extent inclined back-wards; the carpus has a scapho-lunar; and the feet are five-toed. The hemispheres of the brain are See also:short and but slightly convoluted; the See also:stomach is See also:simple; there is a large caecum; the testes are received into inguinal pouches; the uterus is two-horned; the See also:placenta is discoidal; and there are two pairs of See also:pectoral teats. A single offspring is produced at a See also:birth. It will be obvious that if other representatives of theDermoptera were discovered, some of these features might apply only to the family Galeopithecidae. There are two species, Galeopithecus volans, ranging from See also:Burma, See also:Siam and the See also:Malay See also:Peninsula to See also:Borneo, See also:Sumatra and See also:Java, and G. philippinensis of the Philippine group. The former, which is nearly 2 ft. in total length, is distinguished by,its larger upper incisors, shorter ears and smaller skull. In both species not only are the See also:long and slender limbs connected by abroad integumentary expansion extending outwards from the sides of the See also:neck and See also:body, but there is also a See also:web between the fingers and toes as far as the See also:base of the claws (fig.); and the See also:hind-limbs are further connected by a similar expansion passing outwards along the back of the feet to the base of the claws, and, inwardly, involving the long tail to the tip, forming a true interfemoral membrane, as in bats. Besides differing from bats altogether in the See also:form of the anterior limbs and of the double-rooted See also:outer incisors and canines, Galeopithecus contrasts strongly with that order in the presence of a large sacculated caecum, and in the See also:great length of the See also:colon, which is so remarkably short in Chiroptera. From the lemurs, on the other See also:hand, the form of the brain, the See also:character of the teeth, the structure of the skull, and the deciduate discoidal placenta at once See also:separate the group. (R. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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