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Common Marmoset

(Labelled White tufted ear marmoset)
Callithrix jacchus


Where is it found?

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Forests

Diet and foraging method

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Key adaptations

Marmosets have tegulaes - claw-like nails - on most of their fingers to help them hang on to trees vertically and leap between, and run across, branches.

Social organisation and mating system

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Small troops of up to 12 individuals
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Polyandrous mating system. Cooperative breeders, only one female in the group breeds at a time while the other help to look after her offspring. This is essential as Marmosets normally give birth to twins. Although, in order for both to survive, offspring need multiple 'fathers' help as they are too heavy for the mother alone to carry.

Did you know that...?

They are among the smallest of all primates and have aboreal locomation similar to squirrels

Taxonomy

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Picture credits:

Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Common Marmoset 1280" by http://www.birdphotos.com - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Marmoset_1280.jpg#/media/File:Common_Marmoset_1280.jpg
"Callithrix jacchus Haus des Meeres01" by Manfred Werner / Tsui - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Callithrix_jacchus_Haus_des_Meeres01.jpg#/media/File:Callithrix_jacchus_Haus_des_Meeres01.jpg
"Callithrix jacchus Haus des Meeres03" by Manfred Werner / Tsui - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Callithrix_jacchus_Haus_des_Meeres03.jpg#/media/File:Callithrix_jacchus_Haus_des_Meeres03.jpg

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