Two Marsupials Missing for 6,000 Years Reappear in New Guinea, Reviving a Genus Last Seen in 1937
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 23
Two Marsupials Missing for 6,000 Years Reappear in New Guinea, Reviving a Genus Last Seen in 1937
1 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 23
Summary
Two marsupials known only from fossils—the ring-tailed glider and pygmy long-fingered possum—have been confirmed alive in Indonesian Papua’s Vogelkop forests after more than 6,000 years off the scientific record.
A 1992 museum specimen misfiled under the wrong name, matched with cave fossils and rare local photographs, gave researchers the evidence to identify both as living Lazarus taxa.
Tambrauw and Maybrat elders had long recognized the glider, called Tous, and described its nesting habits; co-authors said Indigenous knowledge was essential to the identification.
The ring-tailed glider, Tous ayamaruensis, is the first new genus of New Guinean marsupial described since 1937, while the possum, Dactylonax kambuayai, appears to be a relic of fauna lost from mainland Australia after the last Ice Age.
Vogelkop’s isolated forests may preserve other ancient lineages, but logging threatens the old tall trees the glider needs, making habitat protection a central outcome of the discovery.
What other 'extinct' creatures are hiding in the world's last unexplored forests?
Can ancient traditions and new laws save these rediscovered marsupials from modern threats?
By revealing their existence, have scientists actually doomed these Lazarus animals?
Lazarus Taxa Return: Rediscovery of the Pygmy Long-Fingered Possum and Ring-Tailed Glider in Indonesia’s Vogelkop Peninsula
Overview
The rediscovery of the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider in the remote, ecologically rich Vogelkop Peninsula of West Papua, Indonesia, has excited the scientific community. Once thought lost to time, these species are now recognized as Lazarus taxa—organisms believed extinct that have reappeared. Their return offers invaluable insights into biodiversity and the resilience of life, highlighting the importance of protecting vulnerable ecosystems. This significant moment underscores how such rediscoveries can inform conservation efforts and inspire renewed focus on safeguarding hidden wildlife treasures in remote habitats.