COMMON MARMOSET

(Callithrix jacchus)

Description

Common marmosets are New World monkeys (belonging to a group of monkeys found in South and Central America). They are small and easily identified by the white tufts of hair on the sides of the head and the white patch on the forehead. The rest of the body is covered in greyish brown fur.

Habitat & Distribution

These monkeys are found in tropical forests of Brazil.

Diet

Common Marmosets have a varied diet including fruit, flowers, nectar, insects and small mammals but their favourite food is tree sap. They have specialised teeth to help them to access this high-energy food and will eat more tree sap when there is little fruit available to them.

Conservation Status

Least concern.

Did you know?

Most male marmosets are colour-blind; confusing greens, reds, browns and oranges, whereas females see in colour the same way humans do.

Twins are common and a set of twins can weigh up to 40% of the mother’s body weight. Therefore the duty of carrying the infants is shared equally between family members.

Common marmosets have special alarm calls for the different types of predators they might encounter. Knowing which predator they face enables them to decide whether to mob the predator or hide away.