Photo by Rantje Allen
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Author Archives: Miguel's Diving

Leopard sea cucumber self-mutilates

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Leopard sea cucumber is a beautiful creature of the ocean floor. However, divers should avoid touching its sensitive body.

Spotted Beauty

The Leopard sea cucumber lives in the eastern Indian and the western Pacific oceans. In the areas we dive in Gorontalo, it can only be found dependably at a single dive site. This sea cucumber lives in sandy areas, flanked by coral reef. Researchers say that it lives from three to almost forty meters deep. We usually find it between 15 and 18 meters here.

Although research claims it can grow to 60 centimeters, those in Gorontalo measure only half of that length. Divers can easily identify the Leopard cucumber. Its spotted pattern is distinctive and unmistakable. The tubular body is grey but sprinkled with random rows spots. These spots are orange and edged in brown.

Avoid Touching

Leopard sea cucumber is highly sensitive. It considers touching, grabbing, or lifting to be a threat. When threatened, it will eject white strings. These elongate in sea water. They also become sticky. Scientists consider this behavior to be defensive.

These white strings are called Cuverian tubes after the French zoologist who first studied them. They are naturally attached to the sea cucumber’s interior respiratory system. When the Leopard cucumber feels threatened, it will contract its body muscles. This contraction is so great that it tears the cucumber’s interior. The contraction forces Cuverian tubes out of its anus. In this way, it self-mutilates.

The Leopard sea cucumber can regrow its tubes. However, this takes several weeks. So, divers should avoid touching this sea cucumber. The tubes contain toxins, which can cause skin irritation in humans. Interestingly enough, researchers are using toxins from the Leopard sea cucumber in cancer research.

Leopard Sea Cucumber in Ecology

This sea cucumber has several rows of tubular feet on its underside. It moves slowly across the sandy bottom. While doing so, it ingests sand and anything the sand contains. In this way, all sea cucumbers clean the ocean floor of detritus and other waste materials.

Moreover, its own waste is beneficial to coral growth. After internal digestion, it excretes calcium carbonate and ammonia along with clean sand.

Home for a Fish

Pearl fish live inside of some Leopard sea cucumbers. The fish’s scientific name is Carapus mourlani. It enters and exits the cucumber via the anus, usually tail first. A scientific study in Indonesia of Bohadschia argus, the official name for the Leopard sea cucumber, found fifteen pearl fish living inside a single cucumber!

Sometimes an Emperor shrimp will be living on the sea cucumber’s surface.

For your chance to see this beautiful creature in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Arothron caeruleopunctatus pufferfish hiding in plain sight

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Arothron caeruleopunctatus is a large pufferfish that hid in plain sight until a Japanese researcher named it in 1994.

Not the Other Blue-spotted Puffer

Scientific names are always best to identify marine life. Although the name of the large puffer Arothron caeruleopunctatus means “blue-spotted,” another small pufferfish is often called the Blue-spotted puffer. That fish is a small toby named Canthigaster solandri. It has various blue spots and a colorful body. An internet search for a blue spotted puffer will produce photos for C. solandri, not A. caeruleopunctatus.

Arothron caeruleopunctatus can measure to 80 centimeters in length. That makes this species one of the largest pufferfishes worldwide. Divers giving it a casual glance would find it uninteresting. Its body is primarily dull with hues of gray and dark blue. Ventrally, it is often white. Dorsally, it can have a yellow, irregular blotch. The fish’s scientific name comes from the numerous blue to white spots found on its body. These are round to rice shaped. Also, concentric lines circle the fish’s eyes.

Unnoticed until 1994

Divers assumed that this oval-shaped fish was one of the other large puffers that live in Indo-Pacific waters. However, in 1994, Dr. Keiichi Matsuura published his finding of this pufferfish that had been hiding is plain sight. Dr. Matsuura is curator emeritus at the zoology department of the Museum of Nature and Science in Tsukuba, Japan.

In addition to Arothron caeruleopunctatus, he has discovered and named other pufferfishes. These include Arothron multilineatus (2016) from Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and Chelonodontops alvheimi (2018) from Myanmar. Also, he named a new Fugu puffer, Takifugu flavipterus (2017) from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and Far East Russia. Another pufferfish he named is Canthigaster aziz (2020) from the northern Red Sea off Saudi Arabia.

Arothron caeruleopunctatus in Gorontalo

Divers can see this Blue-spotted puffer occasionally along Gorontalo’s coral reefs and deep walls. Like other large pufferfishes, it is quite shy around divers. Careful approach can reward a patient diver with a clear view of the blue-spotted pattern of this fish. It lives from two meters to below safe diving limits.

A close look reveals that its skin lacks scales. Also, its dorsal and anal fins are small. These are located towards the back of its body and are symmetrical. Moreover, it lacks a pelvic fin. Its short snout has two pairs of nostrils. It feeds on invertebrates that live on the substrate. To feed, it uses its four strong teeth. This pufferfish is active during the day.

For your chance to see Arothron caeruleopunctatus in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Thylacodes grandis captures plankton in its net

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Thylacodes grandis, or the Grand Worm Sail, uses mucous like a net to capture plankton. Its beautiful batik-patterned head is unmistakable.

Grand Worm Snails in the Reef

Worm snails are a family of marine molluscs. They live in long tubes rather than the usual coiled chambers of other snails. Worm snail tubes are irregular. Grand worm snails in Gorontalo measure about seven to ten centimeters in height. A worm snail will grow its tube from a hard substrate on the reef. Sometimes, a Grand worm snail will live separated from other marine life. More often, it will grow up among various corals with only its head above. Since these worm snails are long lived, hard corals can grow on the tubes.

Grand worm snails live in all Gorontalo’s coral dive sites. However, divers can easily overlook them. Most distinctive about this species is its lack of a cap. Also known as an operculum, the cap shuts the tube from the top, thus protecting the worm snail inside. Because it lacks this cap, the Grand worm snail’s head is exposed for divers to see. It has a distinctive maze of white to golden lines over a dark background. This background can be black to deep maroon. It resembles batik. Also apparent are the creature’s fleshy horns. When a diver approaches, the Grand worm snail will duck its head down into its tube.

Fishing with Mucous

Worm snails gather food by producing mucous steams. Their gills create a slight current. This current sends plankton, that floats in the water column, into its sticky mucous. A careful diver can watch as the Grand worm snail rotates its head and draws its mucous net into its mouth.

An easy way to search for worm snails in Gorontalo is simply to look for the mucous strands floating above the reef. The most common worm snail here is Dendropoma maxima. It grows from inside massive coral heads, often in groups. Since this species has a dark cap, divers can easily distinguish it from Thylacodes grandis. Grand worm snails in Gorontalo typically live below fifteen meters.

Thylacodes grandis and other names

Some older resources give the scientific name as Serpulorbis grandis. This is not an accepted name. Vermetus grandis is another unaccepted name associated with the Grand worm snail. Taxonomic work done in 2005 and 2006 has yet to be harmonized. However, there are over forty confirmed species in the Thylocodes genus. These include two new species, one in 2017 and another in 2018. The most beautiful and photogenic worm snail in Gorontalo is indeed Thylacodes grandis.

To see a Grand worm snail in action, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Twenty-year anniversary T-shirt

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Twenty-year anniversary souvenir T-shirts are now available for purchase. Miguel’s Diving opened in 2003. So, we celebrate our twentieth dive season in style.

The Early Years

After surveying the Gorontalo area for about two years, we decided to open diving. The dive sites we discovered were spectacular. Mr. Rantje, our pioneer staff, tells the story of his first dive from the shore. At the end of the dive, he encountered a pod of False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). Large cetaceans remain part of the marine environment in Gorontalo. Last month in December 2022, staff spotted a male orca (Orcinus orca) surfacing twice while divers were below.

Twenty-year anniversary — 2022 dive staff in new T-shirts

In the early years, Gorontalo lagged in development. It had recently become a separate province from North Sulawesi. That happened on 5 December 2000. Only an occasional flight from Manado was available by prop plane. Limited internet required dial-up. Cell phone towers were not yet built. Neither were any star-rated facilities. Surprisingly, the bentor had yet to be invented!

Big Steps along the Way

In 2006 with funding from Gorontalo’s first Indonesian governor, Bapak Fadel Muhammad, Miguel’s Diving published the coffee table book Gorontalo: Hidden Paradise. There was also an Indonesian version called Gorontalo: Surga yang Tersembunyi. At that time, the dive center ordered its first custom-built speed boat.

In 2009, the company purchased the last remaining empty land on the Bone River. This location would provide a safe location to dock our boats. Also, it provided direct access to the ocean. During the following years, we would build the first floor of the dive center and a private dock. In 2012, a second-floor apartment was added. Miguel’s Diving added its large, second speed boat in the same year.

tshirt — Back of 20th anniversary t-shirt

Over time, Miguel’s Diving staff helped establish the Olele Village Marine Reserve. It opened in 2007. Local government and villagers worked together to safeguard the wonderful dive sites there.

Twenty-year Anniversary

The fall of 2022 marks Miguel’s Diving twentieth dive season. Dive season in Gorontalo is from November to April. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we are still operating. Our great staff have maintained all our facilities. In fact, they renovated both speed boats for our twentieth season. Also, in celebration of our twenty-year anniversary, we have new souvenir T-shirts. These can be purchased directly at the dive center.

To celebrate our twentieth season, please make your reservations to dive with us at Miguel’s Diving.

Banded Amphiscolops flatworms throw a party

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Banded Amphiscolops flatworms are an undescribed species and rarely seen. However, during a check dive in Gorontalo, divers encountered dozens of them.

It’s a Party

Miguel’s Diving staff has encountered this rare marine creature less than five times over the two decades we have dived Gorontalo’s biodiverse waters. In previous encounters, only three to five individuals were present. Those Banded Amphiscolops flatworms stayed on the same coral head for several weeks before disappearing from view. They never returned to that spot. In November, 2022, divers from HobbyDive Jakarta were delighted at such a rare encounter. The mystery remains as to why so many of these flatworms gathered. A close inspection of a photo taken during the dive clearly shows them grazing. What they are eating is unclear. However, researchers know that other species of acoel flatworms feed on detritus, diatoms, and tiny crustaceans, especially copepads.

Banded Amphiscolops flatworms

Flatworms are bilaterally symmetrical. Plus, their bodies are soft and flattened, hence the name. Typically, microscopic cilia will protrude from their skin. These are movable hairs. Those on the ventral or underside of the flatworm will move the creature along.

three banded ones — Banded Amphiscolops flatworms

Amphiscolops is a genus of acoel flatworms. Acoel derives from Greek words that mean “no cavity.” Acoel flatworms lack a fluid-filled body cavity. Also, they lack respiration. However, species do have various sensory organs that can only be detected by microscope. Acoel flatworms reproduce via two methods, depending on the species. Most can reproduce by fragmentation. When part of this type of flatworm breaks off, it will grow to become a separate individual. Other acoel flatworks can reproduce sexually.

Since Banded Amphiscolops flatworms are an undescribed species, no one yet know how they reproduce. No one knows why they suddenly congregated in numbers, only to disappear again. When an Amphiscolops flatworm stretches out, its head will be obvious since its tail will appear slightly forked. In the photos we have of Banded Amphiscolops flatworms, they usually appear rounded with their edges rolled in. Perhaps this is part of their feeding behavior. However, close inspection of individuals reveals the slightly forked tail. The end that is not forked will be the head.

It measures about five millimeters in length. A search of online photographs shows the banded flatworm in Halmahera, Indonesia and Aniloa, Philippines. A body diagram of a different Amphiscolops found in Myanmar is available at this link.

Only with Miguel’s Diving

Only Miguel’s Diving guests see such rare sights in Gorontalo. We have the experience and knowledge to find and explain. So, please make your dive reservations with us.

Ecsenius yaeyamaensis scatters in Gorontalo

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Ecsenius yaeyamaensis, or the Yaeyama combtooth blenny, lives in only a few dive sites in Gorontalo. Miguel’s Diving staff know where to show divers this delightful fish.

How to identify Ecsenius yaeyamaensis

The best way to determine if a pale combtooth blenny is E. yaeyamaensis is to check for a black chin strap. Then look for a black “Y” or “V” mark behind the strap marking. The fish will also have a couple of rows of black dashes behind its eyes. The body will have rows of indistinct white spots.

Only one other combtooth blenny looks similar to Ecsenius yaeyamaensis. That fish is E. strictus, which lacks the black markings, and is endemic the Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. However, the Yaeyama blenny can be found through out Indo-West Pacific area from Sri Lanka north to Taiwan. This includes Japan’s Yaeyama archipelago where the fish was first discovered in 1954. Its range stretches to Australia and Micronesia.

Cute Combtooth Blennies

Combtooth blennies number over 400 described species in 58 genera. Divers can recognize them by looking at their behavior. Most lack a bladder that allows other fishes to swim in the water column. So, combtooth blennies will perch on the bottom. Enlarged pectoral fins allow them to sit on coral or sand.

Moreover, divers can easily recognize them by looking at their bodies. Typically, a combtooth blenny will have a blunt head and large eyes. Its dorsal fin is continuous. Also, many species have cirri that stick out between their eyes. However, those of Ecsenius yaeyamaensis are too small and pale to be noticed.

This type of blenny lacks teeth. Instead, their dental plates are like combs. These fish will use their comb-like dental plates to scrape algae and other food off rocks and coral. Combtooth blennys also lack scales.

A rarity in Gorontalo

Yaeyama combtooth blenny perches on coral

The Yaeyama combtooth blenny lives in small, scattered colonies in Gorontalo. It will be in areas where other combtooth blennies live. However, its generally pale complexion makes it tricky to spot. Since its maximum length is six centimeters, its small size makes hiding from divers easy. Miguel’s Diving is the only operator in Gorontalo aware of this cute fish.

For your chance to see Ecsenius yaeyamaensis in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with us.

Babirusa, an endemic animal of Sulawesi and surroundings

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Babirusa, also called the pig deer, is a strange creature found only on Sulawesi and a few surrounding islands. One major nature reserve protecting it is in Gorontalo.

The Pig with Curving Tusks

The most distinctive feature of the babirusa is upward curving tusks. Besides a pair that juts from the animal’s jaw, another pair actually perforate the snout. Over time, those will curl backwards. Unless the babirusa wears these down with fighting or rooting, they will eventually penetrate the skull. Only adult males have those special tusks. However, this distinctive feature occurs only among male babirusa found on Sulawesi. So, its scientific name is Babyroussa celebensis.

During the last decade, the original species has been split into several others. Those found on Buru and Sula islands are Babyroussa babyrussa. Known as the Golden babirusa, its teeth are clearly shorter and more slender than its Sulawesi relative. Also, the fur of B. babyrussa is thick. Colors range from creamy gold to black. However, its hind quarters are black. Plus, the hairs are long.

Endemic to some Togian islands is B. togeanensis. Whereas the Sulawesi babirusa has so few hairs it appears almost naked, the Togian species has a pelt that is dark above and light below. Its hairs are quite short.

No one knows why no babirusa species live in islands between Sulawesi and the Buru-Sula islands. Also, an early European description of this curved-tusk animal is by Piso and dates back to 1658.

Lifestyle of the Babirusa

Like other swine species, the babirusa is an omnivore. However, its snout lacks a certain bone. That means its nose is too soft to dig into the ground like other pigs. It will only dig in mud and soft earth. This animal will eat vegetation, fruit, and animal material. Evidently, its strong jaws can crack nuts.

Adult males are usually solitary, whereas females and young travel together. A female will only produce one or two piglets per litter. Moreover, females only have two teats.

Nantu Forest Protects Endemic Species

In the heart of Gorontalo province is Nantu Forest. It consists of a wildlife reserve, measuring 33, 023 hectares plus a protected forest of 19,606 hectares. Additionally, there are ten thousand hectares of production forest. In total, its virgin rainforest measures about 500 square kilometers.

This preserve protects the watershed of two rivers. They are the Nantu and the Paguyaman. However, the primary purpose of the reserve is the wildlife of which much is endemic. This includes the Sulawesi babirusa.

One edge of the reserve is accessed via a very rough road. The trip can take four hours, depending on conditions. Since Nantu Preserve is not a national park, special permission from the Forest Ministry and the police is required for entry. If you would like to add a trek after your diving trip, please let us know when you make dive reservations.

Polydorella spionid worms whip their food

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Polydorella spionid worms crowded the upper surface of a sponge. Their feeding activity caught the attention of a Miguel’s Diving staff. Since they are super tiny, the sponge seemed to be covered by wiggling hairs.

A Mystery Solved

With such rich marine life, the reefs of Gorontalo are truly a hidden paradise. Despite operating since 2003, our staff had never noticed Polydorella spionid worms. They typically live on the surface of sponges of which Gorontalo has many. However, these segmented worms only reach 1.5 millimeters in length. Their typical width is only 0.4 millimeters. No wonder they are easily overlooked.

However, on a dive at Sand Channels dive site, the surface of one sponge seemed to be quivering with dark hairs. According to the dive master who saw this activity, sponges of that type never displayed such frenetic motion. With the help of an excellent underwater photographer, a documentary photograph helped identify the tiny creatures that caused the pulsating appearance of the sponge’s surface. Upon seeing the photograph, Dr. Leslie Harris of Los Angeles County Natural History Museum confirmed those tiny worms were a species of Polydorella. That is one genus of spionid worms. The whips are their feeding palps. So, the motion that caught our attention was a great gathering of feasting Polydorella spionid worms.

Reproduction in Polydorella spionid worms

All members of the Polydorella genus undergoes asexual reproduction. The process is called paratomy. This type of worm has about fifteen segments, depending on the species. Basically, the worm grows additional segments. Upon reaching a certain length, a middle segment will develop into a head. Eventually, the new segments will separate from the parent segments. Scientists call the parental worm a stock and the new worm a stolon. Genetically, they are identical. The growth area on the parental stock follows segment ten or eleven. Moreover, a chain of up to five individuals can form prior to separation.

Sexual reproduction is rare among Polydorella spionid worms. Only P. kamakamai and P. smurovi are documented as producing eggs. Indeed, eggs are rare. In research, only one of 290 Kamakama worms had eggs. That amounts to less than half of a percent. No eggs were found in the worms’ burrows. However, the Polydorella spionid worms photographed in Gorontalo contained multiple individuals bearing eggs. The egg sacs appear as white ovals in the picture. So, the documentation of so many eggs sacs makes this an extraordinary photo.

Life on a Sponge

goby feeding — A Striped triplefin ready to feed on spionid worms

These tiny worms live on various sponges. Sometimes, their mud tunnels can be observed on the surface of a sponge. Researches of Polydorella spionid worms in the Red Sea found sand grains in the intestines of the worms. For such a tiny creature, a sand grain is large to swallow. Scientists do not know why these worms would swallow sand grains, since they have no nutritional value. However, speculation is that worms help keep a sponge surface clean. In that way, the sponge enjoys benefit from hosting such tiny creatures.

In the photograph, the double whips coming from the worm’s head are used to gather food from the water or surface of the sponge. The motion of mass feeding caught the eye of our dive master in February 2019 when the photograph was taken.

Additionally, a couple of years later in June 2021, another of our dive masters photographed a Striped triplefin (Helcogramma striatum) eating Polydorella spionid worms. They were on an orange sponge.

These two photographs show how skilled Miguel’s Diving staff are in finding unusual critters in the ocean. For your chance to dive with our excellent dive masters, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Brahminy Kite nests near Miguel’s Diving Gorontalo

Posted on July 26, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Brahminy kite is a small eagle found near coastlines. Guests of Miguel’s Diving can observe this beautiful bird from our dive boat or while relaxing at our dock.

Exciting Viewing

Guests of Miguel’s Diving can watch for Brahminy kites as we leave the dock for a day’s diving or when we return. With its distinctive white head and reddish-brown body and wings, the Brahminy kite is easy to spot. Often, several will circle, hover, and dive in the river estuary where our dock is located.

This bird is a mostly scavenger and will dive to grasp anything dead floating downriver. If the bird does not like the floating object it has grabbed from the river, it will drop it. These birds also will steal what another bird has grabbed, making them both beautiful and opportunistic. Moreover, it will occasionally grab and eat live prey, such as rats, bats, or crabs.

Brahminy kite nesting season in Southeast Asia lasts from December to April. Happily, this coincides with diving season in Gorontalo. Moreover, natural forest covers the steep mountains on each side of the river where our dive center is located. Beginning in the Dutch era until the present, residents were forbidden to cut fire wood along those steep slopes. The intention was to prevent erosion during heavy rains. However, an additional benefit is plenty of habitat for this bird to nest.

Regional Names for the Brahminy kite

Populations of this beautiful bird range from India, to Southeast Asia, to coastal Australia. European natural scientists conducted the initial surveys of this bird in India where it was common coastally and considered sacred. For that reason

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, its scientific name is Haliastur indus. As a result, its common name is Brahminy kite. Hindus regard this bird as a contemporary representation of Vishnu’s sacred bird, Garuda.

Similarly, the Ibans of Borneo believe the Brahminy kite is a manifestation of the god of war. They call this consummate bird burung Singalang. In Indonesian

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, its name is elang bondol. The City of Jakarta named it as official mascot in 1989. Sadlly, it has mostly disappeared from that area. Its population on Java has also diminished.

A Subspecies and its Friends

white-headed sea bird — Brahminy kite at rest

Actually

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, the Brahminy kite found in the Philippines, along the Malay peninsula, among the Sunda islands, and throughout coastal Sulawesi, including Gorontalo, is a subspecies Haliastur indus intermedius. This comes from a study that Byth published in 1865.

The Brahminy kite is similar in size to the Black kite (Milvus migrans), which we also see flying above the dive center. Both birds have similar flight patterns and angled wings. However, the Black kite has a forked tail. Its coloration is darkish and drab. The Black kite is more commonly seen in Gorontalo.

Once or twice a year, a migrating White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) or an Osprey (Pandion halietus) will visit the forest around dive center. The Indonesian government has officially given protected status to the Brahminy kite. The relevant laws passed in 1990 and 1999. For your chance to see this beautiful bird, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

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Tarsius genus gains two Gorontalo species

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Tarsius genus of primates gains two Gorontalo species

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, thanks to recent research. Tarsiers are the smallest of primates. They are known for their large eyes, jumping ability, and shrill duet calls.

Two New Species in the Tarsius Genus

Researchers Shekelle

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, Groves, Maryanto, and Mittermeier published the result of their studies in 2017. In it, they named two new tarsier species. One is Tarsius supriatnai. Its name honors Dr. Jatna Supriatna. He sponsored most of the collaborative research on tarsiers in Indonesia. This new species lives in western Gorontalo until the Bone River. Its common name is Jatna’s spectral tarsier.

The second new species is Tarsius spectrumgurskyae. Its name honors Dr. Sharon Gursky whose life work is tarsiers. This new species lives from east of the Bone River to the tip of the Minahasa peninsula. Its common name is Gursky’s spectral tarsier.

With these two new species, the total species count for the Tarsius genus is now eleven. Based on developments in research

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, the species T. spectrum in no longer used.

Duet Call Determines the Species

tarsius in a palm — A tarsius from Gorontalo

Although small physical distinctives exist between species

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, the way researchers easily determine species in the field is by duet call. Tarsiers mate for life, and male-female pairs call to each other. Each species has a distinctive call. The female begins the call and the male answers. Then, their call continues in distinctive patterns as they sing their song together. Spectrogram analysis played a crucial role in the 2017 research. Moreover, genetic analysis confirms the identification based on duet call.

Additionally, researchers discovered that geography is also a good way to determine species. With Sulawesi’s complex geological history, populations of spectral tarsiers developed in isolation. They also tend to remain close to where they were born.

The Smallest Primate

Tarsiers are known as the world’s smallest primate. From head to tail

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, they measure between thirty and forty centimeters. Body weight is around 100 grams, although males can weigh up to 126 grams. Their arms and tail are especially long, given their small bodies. Moreover, their eyes are large and useful for nighttime foraging. They eat insects and lizards.

Natural predators include snakes, owls, monitor lizards, and rats. Spectral tarsiers are listed as a protected species according to Indonesian law PP. No. 7/1999 and UU No. 5/1990.

Tarsiers are only found on Sulawesi and a few surrounding islands up to the southern Philippines. They live in dense forests. The two new species of spectral tarsiers can only be viewed in the wild with special arrangements. However

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, trips to see each species must be organized separately since they live in different jungle reserves in Gorontalo. If you would like to arrange jungle trekking after your diving in Gorontalo, please let us know when you make your dive reservations with us.