List of tarsiiformes

Tarsiiformes is an infraorder of small primates. It contains a single extant family, Tarsiidae, and members of this infraorder are called tarsiiformes, with members of the family named tarsiers. Tarsiiformes is one of the six major groups in the order Primates. They are found in Maritime Southeast Asia, primarily in forests, though some species can also be found in caves or wetlands. They range in size from the pygmy tarsier, at 8 cm (3 in) plus a 20 cm (8 in) tail, to the Philippine tarsier, at 16 cm (6 in) plus a 25 cm (10 in) tail. Tarsiers are carnivorous and primarily eat insects, though they also consume small vertebrates such as lizards, birds, or bats. The only tarsier with a population estimate is Niemitz's tarsier, estimated at 10,000 to 20,000 mature individuals, but it, along with the Peleng tarsier, pygmy tarsier, and Sangihe tarsier, is categorized as endangered species, while the Siau Island tarsier is classified as critically endangered.

Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta)

The fourteen extant species of Tarsiiformes are divided into three genera: Carlito and Cephalopachus, each with a single species, and Tarsius, containing the other twelve. A few extinct prehistoric Tarsiiformes species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.^[1]

Conventions

IUCN Red List categories

Conservation status
EX	Extinct (0 species)
EW	Extinct in the wild (0 species)
CR	Critically Endangered (1 species)
EN	Endangered (4 species)
VU	Vulnerable (7 species)
NT	Near threatened (1 species)
LC	Least concern (0 species)
Other categories
DD	Data deficient (1 species)
NE	Not evaluated (0 species)

Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the tarsier's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.

Classification

The infraorder Tarsiiformes consists of one extant family: Tarsiidae, containing fourteen species divided between three genera. Carlito and Cephalopachus each have a single species, and Tarsius contains the other twelve.

Family Tarsiidae

• Genus Carlito (Philippine tarsier): one species
• Genus Cephalopachus (Horsfield's tarsier): one species
• Genus Tarsius (tarsiers): twelve species

Tarsiiformes

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists.^[2]

Family Tarsiidae

Main article: Tarsiidae

Genus Carlito – Groves & Shekelle, 2010 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Philippine tarsier	C. syrichta (Linnaeus, 1758)	Southeastern Philippines	Size: 8–16 cm (3–6 in) long, plus about 25 cm (10 in) tail[3] Habitat: Forest[4] Diet: Insects, spiders, lizards, and other small vertebrates[3]	NT  Unknown [4]

Genus Cephalopachus – Swainson, 1835 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Horsfield's tarsier	T. bancanus (Horsfield, 1821) Three subspecies T. b. bancanus T. b. borneanus T. b. saltator	Western Philippines	Size: 11–15 cm (4–6 in) long, plus 20–24 cm (8–9 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest[6] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates including birds, mammals, and reptiles[7]	VU  Unknown [6]

Genus Tarsius – Storr, 1780 – twelve species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Dian's tarsier	T. dentatus Miller & Hollister, 1921	Central Sulawesi, Indonesia	Size: 11–12 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 13–28 cm (5–11 in) tail[8][9] Habitat: Forest[10] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[8]	VU  Unknown [10]
Gursky's spectral tarsier	T. spectrumgurskyae Shekelle, Groves, Maryanto & Mittermeier, 2017	Northeastern Sulawesi (in purple)	Size: About 14 cm (6 in) long, plus 21–27 cm (8–11 in) tail[11] Habitat: Forest[12] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[12]	VU  Unknown [12]
Jatna's tarsier	T. supriatnai Shekelle, Groves, Maryanto & Mittermeier, 2017	Northern Sulawesi (in gray)	Size: About 14 cm (6 in) long, plus 23–25 cm (9–10 in) tail[11] Habitat: Forest[13] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[13]	VU  Unknown [13]
Lariang tarsier	T. lariang Groves & Merker, 2006	Central Sulawesi	Size: About 12 cm (5 in) long, plus 12–21 cm (5–8 in) tail[14] Habitat: Forest[15] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[15]	DD  Unknown [15]
Makassar tarsier	T. fuscus Fischer von Waldheim, 1804	Southern Sulawesi (in yellow)	Size: 12–13 cm (5 in) long, plus 24–26 cm (9–10 in) tail[16] Habitat: Forest and caves[17] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[16]	VU  Unknown [17]
Niemitz's tarsier	T. niemitzi Shekelle, Groves, Maryanto, Mittermeier, Salim & Springer, 2019	Northern Sulawesi (circled in black)	Size: About 14 cm (6 in) long, plus 24–26 cm (9–10 in) tail[18] Habitat: Forest[19] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[19]	EN  10,000–20,000 [19]
Peleng tarsier	T. pelengensis Sody, 1949	Eastern Sulawesi	Size: 12–14 cm (5–6 in) long, plus 25–27 cm (10–11 in) tail[20] Habitat: Forest[21] Diet: Insects, as well as frogs, lizards, and other small vertebrates[21]	EN  Unknown [21]
Pygmy tarsier	T. pumilus Miller, Hollister, 1921	Central Sulawesi	Size: 8–11 cm (3–4 in) long, plus 20–21 cm (8 in) tail[22][23] Habitat: Forest[24] Diet: Arthropods and insects, as well as small vertebrates[22]	EN  Unknown [24]
Sangihe tarsier	T. sangirensis Meyer, 1897	Sangir Island, southeastern Philippines	Size: 12–13 cm (5 in) long, plus about 30 cm (12 in) tail[25] Habitat: Forest and inland wetlands[26] Diet: Insects, as well as birds, lizards, and other small vertebrates[25]	EN  Unknown [26]
Siau Island tarsier	T. tumpara Shekelle, Groves, Merker & Supriatna, 2008	Siau Island, north of Sulawesi	Size: 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long, plus about 20 cm (8 in) tail[27] Habitat: Forest[28] Diet: Arthropods, as well as small vertebrates[28]	CR  Unknown [28]
Spectral tarsier	T. tarsier (Erxleben, 1777)	Sulawesi	Size: 9–14 cm (4–6 in) long, plus 20–26 cm (8–10 in) tail[29] Habitat: Forest[30] Diet: Insects, as well as lizards, bats, and other small vertebrates[29]	VU  Unknown [30]
Wallace's tarsier	T. wallacei Merker, Driller, Dahruddin, Wirdateti, Sinaga, Perwitasari-Farajallah & Shekelle, 2010	Northern Sulawesi (in orange)	Size: 11–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 23–27 cm (9–11 in) tail[31] Habitat: Forest and inland wetlands[32] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates[31]	VU  Unknown [32]

References

1. "Fossilworks: Tarsiiformes". Paleobiology Database. University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
2. Wilson, Reeder, pp. 127-128
3. Kubicek, Carissa (2023). "Tarsius syrichta". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
4. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Carlito syrichta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T21492A17978520. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21492A17978520.en.
5. Downey, Kathleen (June 2017). "Horsfield's Tarsier, Cephalopachus bancanus". New England Primate Conservancy. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
6. Shekelle, M.; Yustian, I. (2020). "Cephalopachus bancanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T21488A17976989. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21488A17976989.en.
7. McKeighan, Paul (2011). "Tarsius bancanus". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
8. Yang, Liubin (2007). "Tarsius dentatus". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
9. Supriatna, p. 49
10. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius dentatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T21489A17977790. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21489A17977790.en.
11. Shekelle, M.; Groves, C. P.; Maryanto, I.; Mittermeier, R. A. (2017). "Two new tarsier species (Tarsiidae, Primates) and the biogeography of Sulawesi, Indonesia". Primate Conservation. 31: 61–69.
12. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius spectrumgurskyae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T162336422A162336580. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T162336422A162336580.en.
13. Shekelle, M. (2022) [errata version of 2020 assessment]. "Tarsius supriatnai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T162336881A220971513. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T162336881A220971513.en.
14. Supriatna, p. 45
15. Shekelle, M; Salim, M.; Merker, S. (2020). "Tarsius lariang". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T136319A17978130. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T136319A17978130.en.
16. Supriatna, pp. 40–41
17. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius fuscus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T162369593A162369616. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T162369593A162369616.en.
18. Shekelle, M.; Groves, C. P.; Maryanto, I/; Mittermeier, R. A.; Salim, A/; Springer, M/ S. (2019). "A new tarsier species from the Togean Islands of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, with references to Wallacea and conservation on Sulawesi". Primate Conservation. 33: 1–9. S2CID 204801433.
19. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius niemitzi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T162337005A171341769. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T162337005A171341769.en.
20. Supriatna, p. 53
21. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius pelengensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T21494A17977515. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21494A17977515.en.
22. Ford, Trevor (2011). "Tarsius pumilus". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
23. Supriatna, pp. 42–43
24. Shekelle, M; Salim, A. (2020). "Tarsius pumilus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T21490A17977980. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21490A17977980.en.
25. Minich, Miriam (2017). "Tarsius sangirensis". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
26. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius sangirensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T21493A17977351. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T21493A17977351.en.
27. Downey, Kathleen (March 2019). "Siau Island Tarsier, Tarsius tumpara". New England Primate Conservancy. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
28. Shekelle, M; Salim, A. (2020). "Tarsius tumpara". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T179234A17977202. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T179234A17977202.en.
29. Mogk, Kenzie (2012). "Tarsius tarsier". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
30. Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius tarsier". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T162369551A17978304. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T162369551A17978304.en.
31. Supriatna, pp. 47–48
32. Merker, S.; Shekelle, M. (2020). "Tarsius wallacei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T195277A17977659. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T195277A17977659.en.

Sources

• Groves, Colin P. (2005). Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World. Vol. 1 (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.
• Supriatna, Jatna (2022). Field Guide to the Primates of Indonesia. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-03-083206-3.