Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

Dactylonax

Dactylonax is a genus of petaurid marsupials. In 2026, a species that was thought to be extinct for 6000 years was discovered in New Guinea. Research on this discovery, along with comparisons with other members of genus Dactylopsila, led to a proposal to split Dactylopsila into two genera as follows: Dactylopsila would retain D. megalura, D. tatei, and D. trivirgata. Genus Dactylonax would be resurrected with D. palpator as its type, but sensu stricto. Dactylonax ernstmayri, formerly a subspecies of D. palpator, would be elevated to species level, and the rediscovered Dactylonax kambuayai placed in the resurrected genus. In addition, these two genera are combined in subfamily Dactylopsilinae.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
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Citations
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Dactylonax
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Petauridae
Subfamily: Dactylopsilinae
Genus: Dactylonax
Thomas, 1910
Type species
Dactylopsila palpator

Dactylonax is a genus of petaurid marsupials. In 2026, a species that was thought to be extinct for 6000 years was discovered in New Guinea. Research on this discovery, along with comparisons with other members of genus Dactylopsila, led to a proposal to split Dactylopsila into two genera as follows: Dactylopsila would retain D. megalura, D. tatei, and D. trivirgata. Genus Dactylonax would be resurrected with D. palpator as its type, but sensu stricto. Dactylonax ernstmayri, formerly a subspecies of D. palpator, would be elevated to species level, and the rediscovered Dactylonax kambuayai placed in the resurrected genus. In addition, these two genera are combined in subfamily Dactylopsilinae.1

References

References

  1. Flannery, Tim F.; Aplin, Kenneth P.; Bocos, Carlos; Koungoulos, Loukas G.; Helgen, Kristofer M. (2026). "Found alive after 6,000 years: modern records of an 'extinct' Papuan marsupial, Dactylonax kambuayai (Marsupialia: Petauridae), with a revision of the systematics and zoogeography of the genus Dactylonax". Records of the Australian Museum. 78 (1): 17–34. doi:10.3853/j.2201-4349.78.2026.3003. Retrieved 6 March 2026.