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Common Marmoset
Order: Primates
Family: Callitrichidae
Genus: Callithrix
Species: jacchus
Range & Habitat
Atlantic Coastal Forests of Northeastern Brazil.
Reproduction & Growth
Marmosets live in extended family groups. There may be only one breeding female in a group. Females usually have twins, sometimes triplets, twice a year. Their gestation period is 144 days. The male helps in carrying the young 7-10 days after birth. The young become independent after 2 months. The whole group takes part in carrying the young and surrendering food morsels to them, the breeding females and infant carriers. Their lifespan is about 12 years.
Diet - Omnivore
In the Wild: Fruits, insects, spiders, lizards, frogs and snakes
In the Zoo: Bananas, apples, oranges, eggs, kale, cooked carrots or yams. Afternoon - monkey biscuits, grapes, raisins, cantaloup and mealworms.
General Information
They have long limbs and tail for climbing and specially designed teeth for extracting gum from trees. They have an opposable thumb that aids them as they are branch runners and springers. They are hand over hand climbers, and use their tail for support and balance. Marmosets vocalize in a very high pitched squeaky call as well as chirps and clicks. They defend their home ranges by marking it out with a substance from scent glands on their chests. When threatened, males will turn and show their genetalia. They practice mutual grooming as a way of communication. They are largely diurnal, and find food visually. They are mostly arboreal and hardly venture to the ground. Unlike several of their close relatives, the common marmoset is currently not listed as a threatened species. Slash and burn agriculture has destroyed much of the Tropical Rainforest they live in.
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