Abstract: The present paper deals with the dennatoglypliics of 42 tree shrews (23cf, 192). The dermatoglyphics of this animal possess a number of primitive features as noted in insectivores. There are six palmar pads on the manus and five plantar pads on the pes. All of them form small hillocks which are disc reted. Interdigital pads I, II, and IV of the manus similar to those of the pes. They possess the form of three-sided (or four-sided) pyramid. On the manus, the hypothenar pad is the largest and shows triradii. Interdigital pad and thenar pad differ from the other pads of the vola in their shape and conformation of ridges. Thenar pad and hypothenar pad on the pes are elongated. The interdigital pad I and the thenar are fused into one. All the apical pads of the manus in T. b. chinensis are covered mainly with transverse epidermal ridges except the pollical pad. On the apical pads of digit 2一5 of the pes are also covered with epidermal ridges, but the epidermal ridges are placed obliquely on the apical pad of digit 1. The epidermal ridges are only distributed on the pads but not on the rest of skin.

Key words: Tree shrew; Dermatoglyphics; Tactile pad; Epidermal ridge