Tarsiers

de Patricia C. Wright, Elwyn L. Simons

"Tarsiiformes, or tarsiers for short, are a group of living species whose combination of derived and ancient characteristics make them pivotal to understanding the roots of primate evolution. These small-bodied, nocturnal, solitary creatures resemble lower primates in their behavior and morphology, while some genetic evidence aligns them more closely with higher primates, such as monkeys, apes, and humans. This unique combination of behavior and anatomy makes the tarsier an especially interesting and controversial animal for study among primate behaviorists, evolutionists, and taxonomists, who view the tarsiers as "living fossils" that link past and present, lower and higher primates in the long chain of evolutionary history."--Jacket.