Tarsiiformes

Tarsiiformes are a special group of primates. They used to live across Europe, northern Africa, Asia, and North America, but today, the only living members, called tarsiers, are found on the islands of Southeast Asia. Tarsiers belong to the family Tarsiidae, and they are the only living members of a group called the infraorder. There were other ancient tarsier-like creatures, such as Tarsius eocaenus from the Eocene and Tarsius thailandicus from the Miocene, and two extinct groups, Xanthorhysis and Afrotarsius, which scientists think are close relatives of today's tarsiers.

Some other ancient primates, like those in the families Microchoeridae, Carpolestidae, and Eosimiidae, have sometimes been included with Tarsiiformes, but this is debated among scientists. Many experts now think Eosimiidae might actually be early relatives of monkeys and apes, placed in a group called Simiiformes. Carpolestidae is often considered part of another group called Plesiadapiformes, which were close, ancient relatives of primates.

These different ideas and classifications show just how much scientists are still learning about the early history of primates. Even where Tarsiiformes fit into the bigger family tree of primates, especially their place near Haplorhini (which includes monkeys and apes), is still a topic of discussion and research.

Classification

Main article: List of tarsiiformes

The Tarsiiformes group includes living tarsiers and several extinct types of primates. As haplorhines, they share a closer relation to monkeys and apes than to strepsirrhine primates like lemurs, galagos, and lorises.

This group is made up of several families and genera, including the extinct Archicebidae and Omomyidae, which may not form a single natural group. Within Omomyidae are three subfamilies: Anaptomorphinae, Microchoerinae, and Omomyinae. The living tarsiers belong to the family Tarsiidae, which also includes extinct genera like Afrotarsius and Xanthorhysis, as well as the current genera Tarsius, Cephalopachus, and Carlito.