Peleng tarsier

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Peleng 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. pelengensis
Binomial name
Tarsius pelengensis
Sody [fr], 1949
Range of the Peleng tarsier

The Peleng tarsier (Tarsius pelengensis), or the Peleng Island tarsier, is a

nocturnal primate found on the island of Peleng, just east of Sulawesi, Indonesia
.

Description

Tarsiers are small, agile primates, adapted for climbing, leaping and foraging at night. They have long fingers and toes with gripping pads, large eyes, large ears and greyish fur. The body is about 12.5 cm (5 in) long, with a tail double this length. The adult weight is generally between 100 and 140 g (3.5 and 4.9 oz), with males tending to be slightly larger than females.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The Peleng tarsier is

primary forest; however, illegal logging and forest clearance has reduced the primary forest of the island to about 9% of its original extent. Little is known about the habitat requirement for this species, but other tarsier species have been found in secondary forest, or other non-primary habitat, so it seems likely that the Peleng tarsier can occupy similar habitat. Secondary forest occupies about 63% of the island, making 72% of the surface area potentially providing suitable habitat.[2]

Ecology

Tarsiers are social and tend to live in family groups with a home range. They are carnivorous, feeding on insects, spiders and other small arthropods as well as small vertebrates.[4] During the day they sleep in concealed locations in tangled vegetation a few metres off the ground, emerging at dusk to forage during the night.[4]

Like other tarsiers, this species can turn its head through almost 180 degrees in each direction, much like an owl.[4][5] Breeding pairs communicate by making characteristic duetting calls. Due to the great similarity of these calls to those of Dian's tarsier (Tarsius dentatus), the two species are thought to be closely related. Studies of the calls of tarsiers on Sulawesi and the surrounding islands enable cryptic species to be distinguished from one another, and indicate that there may be four as yet undescribed species.[6]

References

Wikispecies has information related to Peleng Tarsier.
  1. OCLC 62265494
    .
  2. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21494A17977515.en
    . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ISBN 978-3-86727-254-4
    .
  4. ^ a b c Gron, K.J. (1 December 2010). "Tarsier". Primate Info Net. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  5. ISBN 978-0-8135-3236-3
    .
  6. S2CID 32358378
    .
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