Spectral Tarsier, scientific name Tarsius spectrum, another name Tarsius Tarsier is a species of tarsier found on the island of Slayer, Indonesia, which is clearly less specialized than the tarsier of the Philippines or Horsfield; For example, it lacks glue fingers.
Although the range of the Spectral Tarsier included populations in nearby southwestern Sulawesi, this population has been reclassified as a separate species, Tarsius fuscus.
Some of the earlier studies published on the Tarsius spectrum meant the taxon that had recently been reclassified, and Gorski’s spectrum was elevated to a different species in Tarsius (Tarsius spectrum Grassica).
The physical weight of the Spectral Tarsier is 200 grams, which has a physical length of 240 mm, head-length 80 mm, and a length of 160 mm. Individuals are known to survive for 144 months (9.5 years).
Considering Taresius fuscus is included, the species’ females weigh 102 to 114 g (3.6 and 4.0 oz) and males 118 to 130 g (4.2 to 4.6 oz).
Spectral Tarsier has a head-length of 9.5 to 14 centimeters (3.7 to 5.5 inches) and its tail length is 20 to 26 centimeters (7.9 to 10.2 inches).
The average life expectancy of the wild is assumed to be 10 years; however, in captivity, the closely related Spectral Tarsier can survive up to 17 years and is estimated to last as long as a spectral torsion.
Spectral Tarsier is the smallest of all primates. Tarsiers are nocturnal, forest specialists.
During the day Spectral Tarsier roosts in small social groups in tree holes or in crevices, especially in complex vertebrates and vertical structures of figs.
In the evening Spectral Tarsier rises from their hiding place and will spend an hour or more rest before exploring the surrounding jungle for their food prey – mainly insects, such as beetles and tadpoles, or small vertebrates like ticks. The youngsters will be left near the chicken site as the adults’ search for food.
These are best adapted for night-time hunting, large ears for insect speed detection and large eyes for nocturnal eyes.
The frontal eyes of the spectral tarsier have limited movement in their sockets, but the neck can be rotated 180 degrees in each direction to allow for ambient view.
They have long legs to jump up to 6 meters from the tree with extraordinary agility and come down to the ground when the victim is watching or needing water.
The long, bone, fingers and toes of the Spectral Tarsier have round pads, and the second and third toes also have pointed nails that are used for grooming. The tail is long, with thin hair on the distal end.
Spectral Tarsier occurs only in Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island and several other nearby islands, including Perang and Slayer.
Two other Tarsier species are found in other regions of Southeast Asia – these are Western Tarsier, which occurs in Borneo and Sumatra and the Philippines Tarsier in the southern part of the Philippines.
Why are Tarsiers Suicidal?
In the tarsiers, stereotypy is unfortunately revealed by shaking their head against any hard object, or trees, stones or anything. This is often the result of death due to their relatively small and thin skulls, resulting in an anthropogenic combination of suicides.
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The last paragraph is incomprehensible. Presumably you mean heads not headaches and what on earth does the first sentence mean ……..” stereotypes are unfortunately revealed by shaking their head against the object in them.”
The object within the head of a primate is typically the brain but you don’t mean that do you?
It is in fact, to bang their heads against any hard object.
Thank you for your comment.
These lovely animals must be allowed to thrive and spread in their natural environment! Thank you for sharing your pictures and comments with the public
These are amazing animals and I hope the whole world sees just how wonderful they are and the importance of preserving the forests they live in for the sake of future humans and Tarsier’s!
The term “suicidal” to describe a common cause of the death of Tarsiers is ill-chosen as suicide necessarily involves conscious intent.
The fact that these remarkable creatures have frail skulls which makes the collision of their heads with a hard surface often fatal is purely the result of a genetic design error, not suicidal intent.
Thank you for this wonderful piece.
Yes, in fact, tarsiers exhibit and autistic-like habit of banging their OWN heads against and hard object (tree, rock, etc.) until they cease to move. I have seen this in animals that have screw worm fly larvae or tape worms, or other burrowing insects in their ears or brains, screw worm is a type of blow fly larvae that gets spread in spring and fall storms. Because, unfortunately, screw worms can ONLY be removes by plucking them out of the head, ears, or eyes of an animal or person with tweezers or by eradicating them through HEAVY deworming treatments, many of which make the individual ill. Could this be a reason for this behaviour?