Spectral Tarsier
Tarsius tarsier
Conservation Status
Near ThreatenedMammalia · Primates · Tarsiidae
About
Spectral tarsier or Selayar tarsier is a species of tarsier found on the island of Selayar in Indonesia. It is apparently less specialized than the Philippine tarsier or Horsfield's tarsier; for example, it lacks adhesive toes. It is the type species for the genus Tarsius. While its range used to also include the population on nearby southwestern Sulawesi, this population has been reclassified as a separate species, Tarsius fuscus. Some of the earlier research published on Tarsius spectrum refers to the taxon that was recently reclassified and elevated to a separate species, the Gursky's spectral tarsier.
Fun Fact
Spectral tarsiers have the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal — each eye is as large as the animal's brain — and they can rotate their heads nearly 360 degrees like an owl.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Tropical forests
Diet
Insectivore
Lifespan
12-20 years
Threats
- Habitat Fragmentation
- Wildfire
- Poaching