[1] The family name derives from tupai, the Malay word for treeshrew and also for squirrel which tupaiids superficially resemble.

The former genus Urogale was disbanded in 2011 when the Mindanao treeshrew was moved to Tupaia based on a molecular phylogeny.

[4] Unlike shrews, they possess a fairly large brain for their size.

While some research has found treeshrews as the closest living relative to primates, most molecular studies currently find the flying lemurs (colugos) as the sister group to primates despite their gliding specializations.

[5] A majority of the species, 71.4%, in this family are of least concern, according to the IUCN red list.