Philippine Tarsier (Carlito syrichta) Profile & Description

(Last Updated On: May 27, 2023)

The Philippine tarsier, scientific name Carlito syrichta in the Philippines, locally known as Cebuano and other Visayan languages, Maomag, Warre Magi, and Mammag of Tagalog, a small native of the Philippines.

Philippine tarsier or Carlito syrichta is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, especially in the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. It is a member of the Tarsaiid, a family of about 45 million years old, whose name derives from its protracted “tarsus” or ankle bone.

Formerly a member of the Tarsarius tribe, Philippine tarsier or Carlito syrichta is now listed as the only member of the new genus Carlito Genus under the protectionist Carlito Pizarres.

Geographical boundaries of the Philippine tarsier include Maricopa Island, Siargao Island, Basilan Island, and Dinagat Island. Tarsiers have also been published in Surgani, though they may be different subspecies.

Philippine tarsier or Carlito syrichta was introduced to Western biologists during the twentieth century.

Philippine Tarsier (Carlito syrichta) Profile

The Tarsier in the Philippines measures approximately 85 to 160 mm (3.35 to 6.30 inches) in height, making it the smallest primate.

The small size of the Philippine tarsier makes it difficult to spot. For men, the masses are between 5-660 grams (2.5-5.6 oz), which is generally lighter for women, and a bit heavier than other tarsiers such as pygmy tarsiers.

The average adult Philippine tarsier or Carlito syrichta is about the size of an adult human fist.

There are multiple sets of female tarsier breasts, but the only functional set is pectoralis. Other breasts are used as anchor points for neonatal tarsiers.

The gestation period of a Philippine tarsier or Carlito syrichta lasts 180 days or up to 6 months after which only one torsion is born. The newborn is born with many wings and eyes open in Tarsia.

Its body and head are about 70 mm in length and its tail is about 115 mm long. Like all tarsiers, Tarsia’s eyes in the Philippines remain fixed on her skull; They cannot run in their sockets. Instead, a special orientation of the neck can be rotated 180 at around its head.

Their eyes are relatively large, with the largest body-to-body ratio of all mammals. These huge eyes give these nocturnal animals a wonderful night’s vision.

In bright light, the eyes of a hunter can only be compressed until they appear as a thin spot. In low light or dark, the pupil can tear and fill almost the entire eye large membrane ears are mobile, appear almost constantly moving, tarsier to hear any movement.

The Philippine tarsier of the Philippines has thin, rough wool that is gray to dark brown. The narrow tail, commonly used for balancing, is cut off at the end with tufted hair and doubles in body length.

Philippine Tarsier Dental formula

Its longitudinal “tarsus” or ankle bone, which Carlito syrichta calls it, allows it to jump at least 3 meters from tree to tree. Its long drawings are provided with round pads that allow the C syrup to easily grip almost any surface on the plants.

The thumb of the Carlito syrichta is not really anti, but the first toe is. All nails except the second and third toes are flat, with sharp nails for grooming.

The dental formula of the Philippine tarsier is 2: 1: 3: 31: 1: 3: 3, with the relatively small upper canine.

Range and distribution

One of the four species of the Tarsius genus, which is only found in Indonesia and the Philippines, is the Philippine Tarsier. The southern Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysian islands are home to tarsiers. Up to 20 years are lived by Philippine Tarsiers. The magnificent Philippine tarsier is distinguished by its large, round eyes, bat-like ears, and almost 360-degree head movement.

Unfortunately, the Philippine tarsier is in danger of going extinct due to habitat damage caused by mining and forestry. These little primates can also be found in Borneo and Indonesia’s jungles and protected regions in addition to the Philippines. The Philippine tarsier, as the name implies, is endemic to the islands of the Philippines. The C syrich population is generally found in the southeastern part of the archipelago.

Established populations are mainly present in the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. It has also been found on several islands separated by its known range, such as Maricopa Island, Siargao Island, Basilan Island, and Dinagat Islands.

Habitat

The Tarshiyya habitat of the Philippines is a second-growth, secondary forest, and primary forest up to 5 meters (2,5 feet) above sea level. Its habitat includes summer rainfall and dense vegetation and shrubs that protect it like tall grass, bush, and bamboo shoots.

Preliminary studies have shown that the range of Philippine tarsier is 1 to 2 hectares, but recent studies have shown that the average rate of home for males is 6.45 ha and 2.45 ha for wives, which gives a density of 16 males and 41 female tarsiers per 100 hectares.

Although both males and females are lonely animals, they cross each other’s paths by hiding at night while hunting. They travel up to 1.5 km in the forest and the optimal area is over 6 hectares.

Hunting animals

In addition to human predators, cats that are banned from nearby communities are the main predators of the species, although some larger birds are also known to hunt them.

Due to nocturnal and ferocious habits, the Philippine tarsier is likely to be an owl or encounter a very small muscle that can be seen in its canopy house.

Feeding ecology

The predominantly insects of the Philippine tarsier, its diet includes insects, spiders, small crustaceans and small vertebrates such as small ticks and birds. C. siricha prey on live insects, especially crickets and grasshoppers.

After grabbing the victim, the Philippine tarsier uses her two hands to take it to her mouth.

As a hunter, the Philippine tarsier can help form a poker community. The extent to which it has been hunted by other animals can affect predator populations.

Behavior

The Philippine tarsier is a shy, nocturnal creature that lives mostly in hiding. During the day, it sleeps in the dark, near the ground, near the tree trunks and shrubs, deep in the impenetrable bushes and forests.

Philippine tarsier is only activated at night; It is capable of avoiding people with pragmatic eyesight and the ability to exercise around the tree

Philippine tarsier is arboreal, practically drawn perpendicular to the tree, and is able to jump from branch to branch.

The Philippines is lonely in Tarshiyah. However, it is reported that there is a singular or polygamous mating pattern between the population and individuals.

Communication

Philippine tarsier uses a variety of communication channels. Although less primitive than many primate species, it uses calls that are often associated with regional maintenance and male-female spacing. Three different audible calls were recorded.

One of these is the “loud call” single sprinkles a single note. The second word is a soft, sweet, birdlike twill, a sound of contentment. When several tarsiers come together, the combined effect of this evergreen sound is like locusts.

These mammals can also vocalize in the 70 kHz ultrasound frequency range and pick up frequencies above 90 kHz.

This vocal communication form is used as an annoying call for children when they are separated from their mothers. It was called by men during their mating season to their mates.

Philippine tarsier communicates by climbing from the terrestrial gland around the mouth, which the woman uses to identify her partner.

Men identify their territory with their urine. Tarsiers perform tactile contact through social grunting, removing dead skin and parasites, as it is seen in adult males in females, and in females of their lineage.

Reproduction

The gestation period of the Philippine tarsier lasts about six months, but the cycle of women lasts 25-25 days. The confluence season lasts from April to May.

Men submit a mating plug to the vagina after sex. Women give birth to one child per pregnancy. The baby is born with hair and eyes open.

Women take their children to their mouths. A newborn may already be stuck in the branches, and less than a month after birth, it can begin to jump.

The mother is weaned for 60 days after the birth of the newborn. After two years of age, Tarsier is sexually mature and able to reproduce.

The threat to the species

Philippine tarsier (C. sirichata), one of the least primates

For the past 3 million years, the Tarsiers have lived in the rain forest around the world, but are now in the Philippines, Borneo, and several islands in Indonesia.

In Bohol, the Tarsier in the Philippines was a common sight in the southern part of the island until the 1960s.

Since then, the number has dropped to about 700 on the island, according to the Philippine Tarshia Foundation.

Once protected by moist rainforests and misty hills, these primates fight to survive as their homes are cleared for crop growth.

Due to the rapidly growing human population, which is transforming more and more forests into agricultural land, housing zones, and roads, the Philippine Tarsier is disappearing as a place to live its desolate life.

The degraded forests of the Philippines – the natural forests of the Philippine Tarsia – pose a serious and significant threat to the survival of the Tarsi in the Philippines.

Involuntarily and illegally occupied waterlogging, cutting down trees for firewood, kyngin or slash and burning methods, and urbanization of people in agriculture.

Surviving in captivity

The Philippine tarsier has been sold or traded as pets, despite the fact that they have lower survival rates outside their natural habitat, where they eat live insects.

Lubbock, Bohol’s display of private people diminishes the life of the Tarsiers. Some people think that the display of captive Tarsia may encourage tourists to acquire illegal means such as pets.

Also, the light commonly used in captivity can cause chronic eye damage. Another danger of captivity is the tendency of animals to commit suicide.

Since the Philippine tarsier is often embarrassed and nervous, many activities involved in captivity (such as flashing the camera, and touching and holding an enclosure) stress the animal.

This type of pressure hits the head against invisible substances, thus killing it with its thin skin. The foot and tail of the Philippine tarsier (T. syrichta) are both completely hairless. Its continuing survival is in danger due to human habitation in its environment.

Conservation

Assessed as endangered by the IOCN Conservation Observation Center in Tarsier, the Philippines in 1986, 1988, and 1990 On September 7, 1991, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued the DNR Administrative Order Number 48 (DAO 48), which identified the Philippines as more endangered.

In 1996, it was evaluated by Bailey and Groom-Bridge as low-risk / conservation-dependent.

In 2000, the IUCN evaluated Tarsier in the Philippines as a data deficit, meaning that insufficient data could be available to directly or indirectly assess the risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status.

The most recent IUCN Red List Evaluation in the 21st has classified the Tarsier in the Philippines as a threat.

This classification of Philippine tarsier is based on an estimated significant decrease over the last three generations (about 20 years), but less than 30%, due to habitat loss and the victimization of the pet business.

Philippine Tarsier (Carlito syrichta) Profile & Description