Upside down provides a nice hammock!
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THE ORDER DERMOPTERA: Only two living species, in a single genus, compose the entire order of flying lemurs. One species is found in the Philippines; the other from southeast Asia to Java and Borneo. Their scientific name, Dermoptera, means "skin-winged." They do not have true wings, but have the most complete gliding membrane: a furred skin extending from behind the ears outward to the digits, embracing the tail, stretching along the sides and base of the body. This membrane enables flying lemurs to glide up to 150 yards (one and one-half football fields long). They are among the largest of all gliding mammals.
Flying lemurs, or colugos, most probably evolved from ancient insectivores. Indeed, because of their apparent close relationship, colugos were once placed in the order Insectivora. They have also been classified as bats, but could also possibly be an offshoot of the primate family like their lemur namesakes. They are about the size of a domestic cat, and their large eyes and pointed face lend them a certain resemblance to lemurs.
So highly specialized are colugos to their life in the treetops (they have long, curved, sharp claws on hands and feet) that they are clumsy crawlers on the ground. At dusk they emerge from their daytime retreat in a tree hollow to glide from tree to tree until they reach favored foraging areas, where they feed upon leaves, flowers, and fruit.
Newborn flying lemurs are relatively undeveloped and, until weaned, are carried clinging to the belly of the mother, who can also fold the gliding membrane near the tail into a soft, warm pouch for this purpose. (See the picture above of the baby coluga sticking it's head out from the pouch.)
Check out the Colugo.
