Pygmy tarsier

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Pygmy tarsier [1]
Pygmy Tarsier 2008.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Family: Tarsiidae
Genus: Tarsius
Species:
T. pumilus
Binomial name
Tarsius pumilus
Miller & Hollister, 1921
Pygmy Tarsier area.png
Pygmy tarsier range

The pygmy tarsier (Tarsius pumilus), also known as the mountain tarsier or the lesser spectral tarsier, is a nocturnal primate found in central Sulawesi, Indonesia, in an area with lower vegetative species diversity than the lowland tropical forests. The pygmy tarsier was believed to have become extinct in the early 20th century. Then, in 2000, Indonesian scientists accidentally killed one while trapping rats. The first pygmy tarsiers seen alive since the 1920s were found by a research team led by Dr. Sharon Gursky and Ph.D. student Nanda Grow from Texas A&M University on Mount Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in August 2008. [3] [4] The two males and single female (a fourth escaped) were captured using nets, and were radio collared to track their movements. As the first live pygmy tarsiers seen in 80-plus years, these captures dispelled the belief among some primatologists that the species was extinct. [5]

Contents

Description

The pygmy tarsier has a head-body length of 95 to 105 mm (3.7 to 4.1 in), and weighs less than 57 g (2.0 oz), [6] which makes it smaller and lighter than other tarsier species. Likewise, its ears are also smaller than those of the rest of genus Tarsius . Its fur is tan or buff with predominant grey or brownish red coloring. [7] Its tail is heavily haired and ranges from 135 to 275 mm (5.3 to 10.8 in), and functions in balance when leaping. The pygmy tarsier has nails on all five digits of each hand and on two digits of each foot. The claw-like nails aid in its grasping strength and are also used as an aid in its need for vertical support for feeding and movement. [7] Pygmy tarsiers exhibit low sexual dimorphism, so both sexes are similar in size and appearance. [8]

The most noticeable feature of the pygmy tarsier are its large eyes, which are about 16 mm (0.63 in) in diameter. Unlike other nocturnal species, tarsiers lack a tapetum lucidum due to the diurnal evolutionary history of primates. [9] To make up for this, tarsiers have evolved their large eyes to maximize available light. [9] Tarsiers eyes cannot move in their sockets, but their necks have the ability to turn their heads almost 360 degrees. [10]

Habitat

The pygmy tarsier is endemic to the mossy cloud forests of central Sulawesi, Indonesia and found at altitudes of 1,800–2,200 m (5,900–7,200 ft). [7] The canopy of the mountain forests are low in height and undergrowth is much denser than the lowland forests. [11] The plant diversity is low and covered in thick mosses, resulting in decreased habitat productivity. [8] The canopy cover in the forest Pygmy Tarsiers handle this challenging habitat by living at the edge of forests where prey is more abundant. [12]

Diet

Pygmy tarsiers are insectivorous, feeding primarily on arthropods. [2] Due to their arboreal lifestyle, their diet consists of airborne insects found in the forest canopy such as moths, grasshoppers, and katydids. [12]

Behavior and ecology

The pygmy tarsier is found in stable bonded pairs, remaining together for up to 15 months. This stable pair bond is usually monogamous. The species has two breeding seasons, one at the beginning of the rainy season and the other at the end, separated by about 6 months. Gestation lasts 178 days on average, and births occur in May and from November to December. Infants are quite precocial, and develop quickly, similar to other juveniles in the genus. The offspring begin capturing their own prey around 42 days of age, and travel in groups after only 23 days. Young females remain with parents until adulthood, while young males leave the natal group as juveniles.

The pygmy tarsier is nocturnal or crepuscular, and is mainly arboreal. It spends most of the daylight hours sleeping on vertical branches in the canopy. T. pumilus is not a nest builder. Unlike other tarsier species, it does not use scent glands to mark territorial boundaries. [5] Also tactile communication and interaction is important with the pygmy tarsier, as in other tarsier species.

Some species of tarsier have recently been found to communicate at ultrasonic frequencies of around 70 kHz on the islands of Bohol and Leyte. [13] The ultrasonic range of their communication is well beyond what may be detected by the human ear and is a distinct advantage to keeping their communication species-specific.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarsier</span> Family of dry nosed primates

Tarsiers are haplorhine primates of the family Tarsiidae, which is itself the lone extant family within the infraorder Tarsiiformes. Although the group was once more widespread, all of its species living today are found in Maritime Southeast Asia, specifically the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarsiiformes</span> Group of primates

Tarsiiformes are a group of primates that once ranged across Europe, northern Africa, Asia, and North America, but whose extant species are all found in the islands of Southeast Asia. Tarsiers are the only living members of the infraorder; other members of Tarsiidae include the extinct Tarsius eocaenus from the Eocene, and Tarsius thailandicus from the Miocene. Two extinct genera, Xanthorhysis and Afrotarsius, are considered to be close relatives of the living tarsiers, and are generally classified within Tarsiiformes, with the former grouped within family Tarsiidae, and the latter listed as incertae sedis (undefined). Omomyids are generally considered to be extinct relatives, or even ancestors, of the living tarsiers, and are often classified within Tarsiiformes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine tarsier</span> Species of primate

The Philippine tarsier, known locally as mawumag in Cebuano and other Visayan languages, and magô in Waray, is a species of tarsier endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly on the islands of Bohol, Samar and Leyte. It is a member of the approximately 45-million-year-old family Tarsiidae, whose name is derived from its elongated "tarsus" or ankle bone. Formerly a member of the genus Tarsius, it is now listed as the only member of the genus Carlito, a new genus named after the conservationist Carlito Pizarras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sangihe tarsier</span> Species of primate

The Sangihe tarsier, also known as Sangihe Island tarsier, is a small primate found on Sangir Island, which is located about 200 kilometers north-east of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. In 2008 a population of the Sangihe tarsier was determined to be a distinct species, the Siau Island tarsier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horsfield's tarsier</span> Species of primate

Horsfield's tarsier, also known as the western tarsier, is the only species of tarsier in the genus Cephalopachus. Named for American naturalist Thomas Horsfield, it occurs on Borneo, Sumatra and nearby islands and is, like other members of the group, entirely nocturnal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunda slow loris</span> Species of primate found in South East Asia

The Sunda slow loris or greater slow loris is a strepsirrhine primate and a species of slow loris native to Indonesia, West Malaysia, southern Thailand and Singapore. It measures 27 to 38 cm from head to tail and weighs between 599 and 685 g. Like other slow lorises, it has a wet nose (rhinarium), a round head, small ears hidden in thick fur, a flat face, large eyes and a vestigial tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peleng tarsier</span> Species of primate

The Peleng tarsier, or the Peleng Island tarsier, is a nocturnal primate found on the island of Peleng, just east of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dian's tarsier</span> Species of primate

Dian's tarsier, also known as the Diana tarsier, is a nocturnal primate endemic to central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its head-body length is 11.5–12 centimetres (4.5–4.7 in) and it has a tail of 22 centimetres (8.7 in). Dian's tarsier lives in rainforests. It was formerly called T. dianae, but that has been shown to be a junior synonym.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lore Lindu National Park</span>

Lore Lindu National Park is a protected area of forest on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, in the province of Central Sulawesi. The Indonesian national park is 2,180 km2 covering both lowland and montane forests. It provides habitat to numerous rare species, including 77 bird species endemic to Sulawesi. The national park is designated as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. In addition to its rich wildlife, the park also contains megaliths dating from before 1300 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectral tarsier</span> Species of mammal

The spectral tarsier is a species of tarsier found on the island of Selayar in Indonesia. It is apparently less specialized than the Philippine tarsier or Horsfield's tarsier; for example, it lacks adhesive toes. It is the type species for the genus Tarsius. While its range used to also include the population on nearby southwestern Sulawesi, this population has been reclassified as a separate species, Tarsius fuscus. Some of the earlier research published on Tarsius spectrum refers to the taxon that was recently reclassified and elevated to a separate species, the Gursky's spectral tarsier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lariang tarsier</span> Species of primate

The Lariang tarsier is a recently described tarsier occurring in the western part of the central core of Sulawesi. Six museum specimens of this species are known, two of which have been misidentified as the pygmy tarsier before their correct identity came out. This species has been named after the Lariang River, an important river in the part of Sulawesi where this species occurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siau Island tarsier</span> Species of primate

The Siau Island tarsier is a species of tarsier from the tiny volcanic island of Siau in Indonesia. The T. tumpara species is one of 14 species and 7 subspecies in the tarsier family called "Tarsiidae". They belong to the Haplorrhini suborder, known as the "dry-nosed" primates. The tarsier's eyes are so big that they do not move in its socket and they are almost as big as its brain. The name tumpara, which means tarsier in the local language of Sulawesi, was an attempt to encourage the community in preserving this biological heritage.

<i>Tarsius</i> Genus of primates

Tarsius is a genus of tarsiers, small primates native to islands of Southeast Asia. Until 2010, all tarsier species were typically assigned to this genus, but a revision of the family Tarsiidae restored the generic status of Cephalopachus and created a new genus Carlito.

Wallace's tarsier, Tarsius wallacei, is a species of Sulawesi tarsier. It is found in the forests of what is referred to geologically as the neck of Sulawesi where there are two separate populations. It is a small brown arboreal primate of the infraorder Tarsiiformes less than 15 cm (6 in) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Makassar tarsier</span> Species of primate

The Makassar tarsier is a species of tarsier. Its range is in Indonesia in the southwestern peninsula of the island of Sulawesi, near Makassar. At one point the taxon was downgraded to a junior synonym of the spectral tarsier. However, when that species' range was restricted to the population on a single island near Sulawesi, this nomen was resurrected to contain the remainder of that species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gursky's spectral tarsier</span> Species of primate

Gursky's spectral tarsier is a species of tarsier found in the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. A recent taxonomic revision split this species off from the spectral tarsier and other tarsier species based on difference in vocalisations and pelage. These tarsiers, like other species of primates, are able to communicate with other individuals of the same species through flexible call patterns, in which they output different note patterns based on their duet partner's calls.

The Jatna’s tarsier, also known locally as the mimito, is a species of tarsier endemic to the northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Previously classified together with the Spectral tarsier, this species was reclassified and elevated as a separate species in 2017 due to their distinct and separate acoustic duet calls between males and females.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulawesi lowland rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Sulawesi, Indonesia

The Sulawesi lowland rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in Indonesia. The ecoregion includes the lowlands of Sulawesi and neighboring islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulawesi montane rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Sulawesi, Indonesia

The Sulawesi montane rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in Indonesia. It includes the highlands of Sulawesi.

References

  1. ↑ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 128. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 Shekelle, M.; Salim, A. (2020). "Tarsius pumilus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T21490A17977980. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21490A17977980.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Dunham, Will (2008-11-18). "Tiny, long-lost primate rediscovered in Indonesia". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  4. ↑ Locke, S. F. (2008-11-19). "Tiny primate rediscovered in Indonesia". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2008-12-10. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  5. 1 2 Boyle, A. (2008-11-18). "Real-life furbys rediscovered". NBC News. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  6. ↑ "Pygmy Tarsier - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio". animalia.bio. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  7. 1 2 3 Musser, Guy G.; Dagosto, Marian (1987). "The identity of Tarsius pumilus, a pygmy species endemic to the montane mossy forests of central Sulawesi". American Museum Novitates (2867): 1–53. hdl:2246/5204.
  8. 1 2 Grow, Nanda B. (2014), Grow, Nanda B.; Gursky-Doyen, Sharon; Krzton, Alicia (eds.), "Altitudinal Distribution and Ranging Patterns of Pygmy Tarsiers (Tarsius pumilus)", High Altitude Primates, New York, NY: Springer New York, pp. 43–59, doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-8175-1_3, ISBN   978-1-4614-8174-4 , retrieved 2022-12-04
  9. 1 2 Rozenbaum, Ilya (2008-04-01). "Small Primate, Big Eyes". Archives of Ophthalmology. 126 (4): 542. doi:10.1001/archopht.126.4.542. ISSN   0003-9950.
  10. ↑ Wright, Patricia C.; Simons, Elwyn L.; Gursky, Sharon L. (2003). Tarsiers past, present, and future. Rutgers University Press. ISBN   0-8135-3236-1. OCLC   493932517.
  11. ↑ Pernetta, J. C.; Whitten, A. J.; Mustafa, M.; Henderson, G. S. (March 1988). "The Ecology of Sulawesi". The Journal of Ecology. 76 (1): 297. doi:10.2307/2260477. ISSN   0022-0477.
  12. 1 2 Grow, Nanda; Gursky, Sharon; Duma, Yulius (May 2013). "Altitude and Forest Edges Influence the Density and Distribution of Pygmy Tarsiers ( Tarsius pumilus ): Effects of Altitude and Forest Edges in Tarsius pumilus". American Journal of Primatology. 75 (5): 464–477. doi:10.1002/ajp.22123.
  13. ↑ Dartmouth College (2012). "Tiny primate is ultrasonic communicator". ScienceDaily.

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