Mammals
Common Marmoset
Callithrix jacchus · also called white-tufted-ear marmoset
Clinging to a tree trunk in northeastern Brazil, a common marmoset gnaws a hole in the bark and licks up the sticky gum, its white ear tufts bobbing as its whole family waits nearby.
Overview
The common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, is a Least Concern monkey of the forests and scrub of northeastern Brazil. Its gum-gouging teeth, white ear tufts, and cooperative family life make it one of the best-known small primates of South America.
A family that raises its young together
Unlike many mammals, common marmoset fathers and older siblings carry and care for the twins, which helps the family raise young successfully.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common in its native range.
Common Marmoset: common questions
What does the common marmoset eat?
It is an omnivore that eats tree gum and sap, fruit, insects, and small animals, gouging bark to reach the gum.
Does the common marmoset have twins?
Yes, it often gives birth to twins, which are carried and cared for by the whole family.
How is the common marmoset's family organised?
It lives in family groups in which fathers and older siblings help to carry and raise the young.
Where is the common marmoset found?
It is native to the forests and scrub of northeastern Brazil and has been introduced to other parts of the country.