Know the World's Smallest Primate in Indonesia

A unique again in Indonesia. This is the world's smallest primate tarsier, a genus of the family Tarsiidae monotipe, the only family that survives of the order Tarsiiformes. Although this group of yore has a wide spread, all the species living today are found in the islands of Southeast Asia, especially Sulawesi Manado.

Indicated that the tarsiers, which are all included in the genus Tarsius, actually should be classified in two (group-western Sulawesi and the Philippines) or three different genera (groups of Sulawesi, the Philippines and West). Taxonomy at the species level is complex, with morphology often used limited compared vocalizations. Some of the "various forms of vocal" may represent taxa that have not been described, which are taxonomically separated from Tarsius tarsier (= spectrum) (such as tarsiers from Minahasa), and many other tarsiers from Sulawesi and surrounding islands.

Tarsius smallish with very big eyes; each eyeball diameter of about 16 mm and the size of the overall otaknya.Kaki behind is also very long. Tarsus bone in his leg is very long and this is the tarsier of tarsus bones get a name. Head and body length of 10 to 15 cm, but the hind legs nearly twice the length of this, they also have a slender tail as long as 20 to 25 cm.

Their fingers are also elongated, with the third finger length approximately equal debngan upper arm. In many fingertips no nails, but the second and third toes of the hind legs in the form of claws that they use to treat the body. Tarsier fur is very soft and velvet like brown usually gray, brown or yellow-orange light.

Unlike other prosimia, tarsiers have no tooth comb, and with teeth they are also unique.

All types of tarsiers are nocturnal, but like other nocturnal organisms some individuals may be more or less active during the day. Unlike most other nocturnal animals, tarsiers have no reflective area (tapetum lucidum) in his eyes. They also have a fovea, an unusual thing in nocturnal animals.

Berebda tarsier primate brain from another in terms of connecting the two eyes and the lateral geniculate nucleus, which is the main area of ​​the thalamus that receives visual information. Series of cellular layers receiving information from the eye ipsilateral (same side of the head) and contralateral (different sides of the head) in the lateral geniculate nucleus distinguishes tarsiers from lemurs, lemurs, and monkeys, which are all the same in this case.

A species Tarsius insectivores, and catch insects by jumping on the insect. They are also known to prey on small vertebrates such as birds, snakes, lizards and bats. When jumping from tree to tree, tarsiers can catch even birds in motion.

Pregnancy lasts six months, and tarsiers give birth to a child. Tarsius young are born hairless and with eyes open and be able to climb within a day after birth. They reach adulthood after one year. Tarsius adults live in pairs with a range of approximately one acre residential.

One type of tarsiers, tarsier Dian T. dentatus; registered segabai junior synonym T. dianae by IUCN), listed on the IUCN Red List status of Conservation Dependent. Two species / subspecies other western tarsier (T. bancanus) and nomination subspecies (T. bancanus bancanus, listed as Low Risk. Sulawesi tarsier (T. tarsier; listed as a junior synonym T. spectrum) is classified as Near Threatened. Types tarsiers others are listed by the IUCN as Data Less. Meanwhile in Indonesia, all kinds of tarsiers who lived in Indonesia listed as a protected species.

Tarsiers have never formed successful breeding colonies in captivity, and when caged, tarsiers known to injure and even kill themselves because of stress.