marmoset

marmoset, (family Callitrichidae), any of numerous species of small long-tailed South American monkeys. Similar in appearance to squirrels, marmosets are tree-dwelling primates that move in a quick jerky manner. Claws on all the digits except the big toe aid them in scampering along branches, where they primarily eat insects in addition to fruit, tree sap, and other small animals. Marmosets are active during the day and live in small groups. The gestation period is four to six months, depending on species; twins are the norm, with single births being about as common as triplets. Marmosets have been kept as pets since the early 17th century, but they require knowledgeable care to remain healthy.

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There are three groups of marmosets: the “true” marmosets, the tamarins, and Goeldi’s monkey (Callimico goeldi). Also called Goeldi’s marmoset, this species is found only in the western Amazon River basin. Black in colour and maned, it differs from other marmosets in that it possesses a third set of molars and does not bear twins. Though Goeldi’s monkey was formerly thought to be an evolutionary intermediate between marmosets and the other New World monkeys, molecular genetics now indicate that it is a member of the marmoset family.

The “true” marmosets (genus Callithrix) have short lower canine teeth (short-tusked), whereas marmosets with relatively long lower canines (long-tusked) are known as tamarins (genera Saguinus and Leontopithecus). The two species of pygmy marmosets (C. pygmaea and C. niveiventris) are the smallest “true” marmosets. They live in the rainforests of the Amazon River’s upper tributaries. The length of the head and body of these species is about 14 cm (6 inches), and the tail is somewhat longer. Adult pygmy marmosets weigh only about 90 grams (3 ounces), whereas other species of the family attain 600 grams (1.3 pounds) or more.

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The common marmoset (C. jacchus) lives in the scrub forest (caatinga) of northeastern Brazil. Weighing 400 grams (14 ounces), it is about 15–25 cm (6–10 inches) long, excluding the 25–40-cm (10–16-inch) tail. The marbled brown-and-white fur is dense and silky, and there are white tufts on the ears and black-and-white rings on the tail. Five Callithrix species live in different tropical forests along Brazil’s Atlantic coast. In the rainforests south of the Amazon River, there may be a dozen or more additional species—three were discovered in the 1990s, and several others were awaiting description—and these vary widely in colour and in the amount of fur on the ears. The short canine teeth and long lower incisors of these marmosets are used to gnaw at tree bark and leave characteristic notches from which sap flows. “True” marmosets breed in monogamous pairs and live in a social organization in which the older young assist in feeding, carrying, and educating the infants. The presence of a breeding pair suppresses the sexual development of the young of both sexes until they leave the group.

Lion tamarins (genus Leontopithecus) are named for their thick manes, and all four species are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The black-faced lion tamarin (L. caissara), which was first discovered in 1990, is classified as a critically endangered species. Lion tamarins are larger than “true” marmosets and have long slender hands and fingers, which they use to hook insects from crevices. The golden lion marmoset (or golden lion tamarin, L. rosalia), found only in fragmented forest habitats in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, is particularly striking, with a thick mane, a black face, and long, silky, golden fur. The fur of the other three species is partly black. Lion tamarins appear to have a social organization similar to that of “true” marmosets, but reproductive suppression appears to be behavioral rather than physiological, and some tamarins appear to tolerate a polyandrous system in which two males share in the rearing of infants of a single female.

There are at least 12 species in the tamarin genus Saguinus. Although they lack the manes of lion tamarins, some have notable features. The emperor tamarin (S. imperator) of the southwestern Amazon basin, for example, has a long white mustache complementing its long grizzled fur and reddish tail, whereas the mustached tamarin (S. mystax) has a small white upswept mustache. The cotton-top tamarin (S. oedipus), found in Colombia and Panama, has a scruffy white crest of hair on the top of its head. The golden-handed tamarin, S. midas, is named for the mythological Greek king.