Marmosets are small primates that subsist on the sap and gum of trees.
Marmosets are a type of small primate in the family Callitrichidae. Native exclusively to South America, there are many different types of marmosets. Common marmosets, pygmy marmosets, and white-eared marmosets are just a few examples of different species. Tamarins are another type of marmoset.
There are several different species of marmosets, but all of these primates are small, and many species have tufted ears and claw-like nails. They all have long tails, none of which are prehensile, meaning they don’t use them to grab onto tree branches like some monkeys do. They reside in the treetops and eat fruit and insects, and are native exclusively to South America. The diets of all these animals are similar, including copious amounts of tree juices and gums, which they acquire by gnawing holes in trees with their specialized incisors. They also consume fruits and insects.
Golden lion tamarins are grouped with marmosets.
The common marmoset is perhaps the most easily recognizable type of marmoset. They typically weigh 10 to 17 ounces (300 to 500 grams) and are 14 to 19 centimeters tall, not including the tail. Its fur can be black or gray, with white ears. The tails of common marmosets are distinctive in that they are streaked with alternating light and dark rings of fur.
Native exclusively to South America, there are many different types of marmosets.
It is not uncommon for marmosets to have tufts of fur around their ears. The common marmoset has ear tufts, as does the white-eared tamarin, which has dark fur with white tufts of longer fur around the ears. White-eared tamarins range in size from 9.3 to 11 ounces (260 to 320 grams). These primates are found only in Brazil, especially in the coastal forests of the southeastern coast of that country. These types of marmosets are considered endangered.
The smallest type of marmoset is known as the pygmy marmoset, which is usually only 33-35 centimeters long, including the length of their tails, and usually weighs only 4 ounces (113 grams). Its fur can vary from yellow to brown, sometimes with black spots, but the fur on its belly can be a lighter yellow or even white.
Tamarins are another member of the Callitrichidae family and are considered a type of marmoset. There are several different subspecies of tamarins, but one notable species is the lion tamarin. They are named for the thick fur around their faces that resembles a lion’s mane. Their fur can range from a dazzling orange or yellow to gray or black, depending on the species.