Jump to content

Pygmy tarsier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jakrueg (talk | contribs) at 00:44, 4 December 2022 (Added citations, added a heading for habitat and diet). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Pygmy tarsier[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Family: Tarsiidae
Genus: Tarsius
Species:
T. pumilus
Binomial name
Tarsius pumilus
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]

Description

The pygmy tarsier has a head-body length of 95 to 105 mm (about 4 inches), and weighs less than 57 grams (2 ounces).[6] It has very distinct morphological features, a body length which is smaller than other tarsier species, and a small body weight. The ears are smaller than the rest of the genus, and the fur is tan or buff with predominant grey or brownish red coloring.[7] The tail is heavily haired and ranges from 135 to 275 mm, and functions in balance when leaping. The most noticeable feature of the pygmy tarsier are its large eyes, about 16 mm in diameter. Unlike other nocturnal species, tarsiers lack a tapetum lucidum due to the diurnal evolutionary history of primates.[8] To make up for this, tarsiers have evolved their large eyes to maximize available light.[8] Tarsiers eyes cannot move in their sockets, but their necks have the ability to turn their heads almost 360 degrees.[9] 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.[10]

Habitat

The pygmy tarsier is endemic to the mossy cloud forests of central Sulawesi, Indonesia and found at altitudes of 1800-2200 meters.[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.[12] The canopy cover in the forest Pygmy Tarsiers handle this challenging habitat by living at the edge of forests where prey is more abundant.[13]

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.[14]

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.[15] 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.

References[8]

Wikispecies has information related to Pygmy tarsier.
  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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c 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.
  9. ^ ed., Wright, Patricia C. (1944- ...)., ed. Simons, Elwyn L. (1930- ...)., ed. Gursky, Sharon L. (1967- ...)., (cop. 2003). Tarsiers past, present, and future. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0-8135-3236-1. OCLC 493932517. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ 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
  11. ^ Pernetta, J. C.; Whitten, A. J.; Mustafa, M.; Henderson, G. S. (1988-03). "The Ecology of Sulawesi". The Journal of Ecology. 76 (1): 297. doi:10.2307/2260477. ISSN 0022-0477. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ 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
  13. ^ Grow, Nanda; Gursky, Sharon; Duma, Yulius (2013-05). "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. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Muhd Sahimi, Hani Nabilia; Chubo, John Keen; Mohd. Top @ Mohd. Tah, Marina; Saripuddin, Noor Bahiah; Ab Rahim, Siti Sarah (2018). "The Distribution and Population Density of Bornean Tarsier, "Tarsius Bancanus Borneanus (Elliot)" in Secondary and Rehabilitated Forests of Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Sarawak Malaysia". Tropical Life Sciences Research. 29 (1): 139–154. doi:10.21315/tlsr2018.29.1.10. ISSN 1985-3718.
  15. ^ Dartmouth College (2012). "Tiny primate is ultrasonic communicator". ScienceDaily.

[1]

  1. ^ Grow, Nanda; Gursky-Doyen, Sharon (2010-12-01). "Preliminary Data on the Behavior, Ecology, and Morphology of Pygmy Tarsiers (Tarsius pumilus)". International Journal of Primatology. 31 (6): 1174–1191. doi:10.1007/s10764-010-9456-9. ISSN 1573-8604.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pygmy_tarsier&oldid=1125437556"