Taarsidae, or Tarsiers, are small, primitive species mostly found in Southeast

Asian countries – most specially in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia

(Mittermeier & Richardson, 2013). Tarsiers are known for their small body structure and
large eyes, like the Jedi master Yoda from Star Wars. In fact, their most noticeable trait
is the size of their eyeballs, which are each larger than their brain, much alone their
stomach. Aside from having eyes the size of their brains, they have an odd overall
appearance characterized by very long and powerful hind legs that fold up when not in
use. These hind legs are used for climbing, hopping, and leaping trees with ease.
Tarsiers can be found in a variety of forest types, but secondary woods appear to be the
most common. They cling to tree trunks or branches around six feet above the ground.
They are generally nocturnal, spending the day sleeping in the grass or on tree vines.

Tarsiers are a phylogenetic link between the most primitive strepsirrhines and the
most advanced anthropoid monkeys. The most parsimonious link between tarsiers and
anthropoids is supported by thorough evolutionary investigations of anthropoid origins
by William et al. (2010). They have morphological similarities with both groups, but they
also have distinct primate characteristics, which makes their evolutionary history a
mystery.

Tarsiers are estimated to be 45 million years old, going back to the early Eocene
epoch, and are one of the Philippines' oldest land species still alive. The species were
initially introduced to Western biologists as “an animal said to come from the Philippines
(Hill, 1955). Tarsiers are now classified into three: Western Tarsiers (genus
Cephalopachus), Eastern Tarsiers (genus Tarsius), and Philippine Tarsiers (genus
Carlito). Each genus has its own set of species and subspecies. Although Tarsiers are
protected, and poaching has stopped, the threat to their species remain present due to
the destruction of their habitat. In the Philippines, the population of tarsiers has been
reduced to a dangerously small size (Ijsselstein, 2004).

Ijsselstein. (2004, April 24). The Philippine Tarsier. Bohol.Ph.

https://www.bohol.ph/article15.html
Mittermeier, R. A., & Richardson, M. C. (2013). Primate Populations, Conservation
of. Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, 250–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-
384719-5.00370-1
Williams, B. A., Kay, R. F., & Kirk, E. C. (2010). New perspectives on anthropoid origins.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(11), 4797–4804.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0908320107