[1] The first specimen was described by Oldfield Thomas and was part of a zoological collection from northern Borneo obtained by the British Museum of Natural History.

Most of its body is a rather dull color compared to other related species, consisting of mostly grayish olive, with a few yellow spots.

However, its chin and chest are brighter colored, consisting of mostly orange and yellow.

[3] The painted treeshrew is endemic to Borneo and inhabits the forests of Brunei, Kalimantan, and Sarawak.

Although the painted treeshrew is not a threatened species, it still suffers from loss of habitat.