The Asiatic tree shrews (Tupaiidae, Scandentia) are not true shrews but according to all indications they are the most recent living relatives of Primates, the order to which humans belong. The family is represented by up to 16 living species which pursue distinctive and highly specific lifestyles. Their feeding habits range from omnivory to insectivory. This study is the first modern undertaking that will attempt to find causal relationships between species specific postcranial traits and the ecology of these animals. It will serve as a foundation for an extensive comparative study of skeletal variation in these earliest primates. The project will aim for a detailed explanation for the specific adaptive origins and multiplication of the various primate stem lineages that lead to the modern families. The project focuses on a number of rare species such as Ptilocercus lowei (pen-tailed tree shrew) and Tupaia minor, two species that are completely arboreal. These are very poorly known species compared to the terrestrial tree shrews. The two species will be trapped and closely observed under captive conditions. A potentially significant aspect of this study is the planned establishment of a captive colony of Ptilocercus in the Department of Zoology at the Smithsonian Institute. These animals then would become available for a continued study by a variety of specialists in animal biology. Using tupaiids as models for the early primate radiation will allow a more complete understanding of the order Primates, a paramount concern of this undertaking.
