tarsier
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈtɑrziər/
- Philippine
:
tarsio
- When I first began studying tarsiers in the 1990s, they were considered solitary creatures, like most other nocturnal foragers.
- spectral tarsier
- group of tarsiers
Examples
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As you might imagine, interactions between tarsiers and their predators are relatively rare and difficult to observe.
Academic text (2010) -
Like many territorial primates, spectral tarsiers return to the same tree when it is time to sleep.
Academic text (2010) -
Somewhere, a group of tarsiers is upset, and I want to know why.
Academic text (2010) -
After calling for another twenty minutes, the tarsiers move off.
Academic text (2010) -
But the daring tarsier is too quick and darts away.
Academic text (2010) -
To determine whether tarsiers might be more social than they were reputed to be, I tried a new technique.
Academic text (2010) -
Even living tarsiers remain shrouded in mystery because studying their behavior is no easy feat.
Academic text (2010) -
Once we started watching pairs rather than individuals, we discovered that spectral tarsiers are far from solitary.
Academic text (2010) -
The Asian palm civet is a skillful climber and dangerous to the tree-dwelling tarsiers.
Academic text (2010) -
The tarsier is a tiny primate with large eyes, specifically adapted for a nocturnal lifestyle.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word tarsier comes from the root tarsus, which means 'ankle' or 'foot'. These small, tree-dwelling primates have very long ankle bones and strong feet for jumping between branches, so the name points to their long toes and great jumping ability.