(Geoffroy’s) White-fronted Marmoset
NAME:
(Geoffroy’s) White-fronted Marmoset
ZOO NAME:
Fozzy, Cara, Oscar, Henry & Mena
CLASS:
Mammalia
GENUS:
Callithrix
SPECIES:
C. geoffroyi
LENGTH:
7-9”
WEIGHT:
10-12 oz
LIFESPAN:
7-16 years (captivity); 5-10 years (wild)
DIET:
Tree sap, small insects, flowers, Fruit, spiders, lizards
PREDATORS:
fox, tayra, margay, jaguar, ocelot, jaguarundi
RANGE
Brazilian coast
HABITAT
Rainforest, typically in the canopy
CHARACTERISTICS
Marmosets are small, squirrel-like primates from the Central and South American forests. Geoffroy’s Marmosets have specially-shaped incisor teeth that allow them to carve small holes in the trunks of trees, from which they drink the sap and gum that oozes out.
BEHAVIOR
Geoffroy’s Marmosets live in family groups of up to 10 animals. These animals use a home territory that contains their family’s favorite gum holes in the trees. The home territory is not defended, but is scent-marked by the monkeys to communicate with neighboring groups that feed on the same trees. Scent-marking acts as a message board to the other families.
REPRODUCTION
Geoffroy’s Marmosets have a gestation of 170 days (5.5 months), producing 2 babies twice per year. The males assist with child-rearing and birth.
ANIMAL FUN FACT!
Male Marmosets actually assist with labor of their babies, acting as midwives! This is uncommon in animals and has been observed in Marmosets and a species of fruit bat.
Geoffroy’s Marmoset babies each weigh 20% of their mother’s body weight and she usually gives birth to twins. If human babies were that big, they would weigh 11 pounds each at birth and arrive two at a time, every time!
Unlike most primates, these little monkeys have claws instead of nails on their fingers (except on their big toes).
Geoffroy’s Marmosets are also called White-Fronted Marmosets