Geoffroy’s Tufted-ear Marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi)



MORPHOLOGY:
The Geoffroy's tufted-ear marmoset has nonopposable thumbs and nails of the digits which are claw-like.

RANGE:
The Geoffroy’s tufted-ear marmoset is found in the Atlantic rainforests of south-east Brazil (Rylands et al., 1993). This species occurs in the lowlands of the forest (Rylands and de Faria, 1993).

ECOLOGY:
The Geoffroy’s tufted-ear marmoset is gummivorous. This species has also been known to follow army ant swarms which flush many organisms up towards the trees making them available for the marmosets (Rylands et al., 1989).

LOCOMOTION:
The Geoffroy’s tufted-ear Marmoset moves through the forest quadrupedally, but is capable of leaping (Fleagle, 1988).

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
After birth, helpers including males help raise the offspring, this is most evident during the second month (Santos et al., 1997). This species is sexually monogamous. In large groups, the young of the Geoffroy’s tufted-ear marmoset show early independence (Santos et al., 1997). Also the fathers of small groups spend more time carrying the infants (Santos et al., 1997).

VOCAL COMMUNICATION:

OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION:

VISUAL COMMUNICATION:

TACTILE COMMUNICATION:

REPRODUCTION:
The Geoffroy’s tufted-ear marmoset gives birth to twins (Fleagle, 1988).

REFERENCES:
Fleagle, John G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press.

Rylands, Anthony B. and de Faria, Doris S. 1993. Habitats, Feeding Ecology, and Home Range Size in the genus Callithrix. in Marmosets and Tamarins: Systematics, Behaviour, and Ecology. ed. Anthony B. Rylands. Oxford University Press.

Rylands, A.B., Monteiro da Cruz, M.A.O., and Ferrari, S.F. 1989. An Association Between Marmosets and Army Ants in Brazil. Journal of Tropical Ecology, Vol. 5, 113-116.

Rylands, A.B., Coimbra-Filho, A.F., and Mittermeier, R.A. 1993. Systematics, Geographic Distribution, and Some Notes on the Conservation Status of the Callitrichidae. In Marmosets and Tamarins: Systematics, Behaviour, and Ecology. Oxford University Press.

Santos, C.V., French, J.A., and Otta, E. 1997. Infant Carrying Behavior in Callitrichid Primates: Callithrix and Leontopithecus. International Journal of Primatology, Vol.18, No.6, 889-907.

Last Updated: October 6, 2003.
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