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Common
Marmoset
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Callithrix
jacchus
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northeast
Brazil, South America
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Measurements
Body
length: 250mm
Weight: 400g
Diet
Marmosets gnaw holes in the tree bark to drink the sap or gum that is released. Their teeth have evolved especially to aid gnawing the tree bark.They also eat fruits and insects such as, grasshoppers, crickets, and cockroaches.
Identification
A small primate, greyish in body colour with distinctive white ear tufts and white blaze on the forehead. The long tail has faint rings along its length.Behaviour
Groups
are small families of 8-10 individuals consisting of an adult breeding
pair and offspring from several litters.
They are day-time active and arboreal (tree-dwelling) in nature, fiercely
defending their home territory from rival groups. At night they sleep
in the hollow of a tree or hidden amongst vegetation.
Distribution & Habitat
Rainforests of northeastern Brazil.Reproduction
Usually groups contain only one breeding pair. They are the highest ranking male and female. Reproduction is frequently suppressed in other adult females.Several sets of offspring remain in the group. The older twins aid in cooperative rearing by assisting in the raising of younger siblings.
Life span: 12 years
Age at maturity: 18 months
Age at first reproduction: 17-20 months
Gestation: 144 days
Number of offspring: usually 2
Seasonal births every 6 months
Age infant weaned: 2 months
Conservation
Unlike several of their close relatives, the common marmoset is currently not listed as a threatened species.