Pygmy Marmoset

Pygmy Marmoset

Kingdom : Animalia

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Mammalia

Order : Primates

Genus : Cebuella

Species : C. pygmaea



Length : 6in (15cm)

Weight : 5oz (140g)



IUCN Status : Least Concern



The ever so adorable Zooborns site alerted me to the birth of twin Pygmy
Marmosets at the Perth Zoo, and I just had to look into these tiny,
tiny little primates. They are the smallest members of their entire
order, with adults measuring barely half a foot long! These diminutive
monkeys are found east of the Andes in the upper Amazon Basin.

Pygmy Marmoset

Pygmy Marmosets are rather unusual among monkeys because they form
monogamous breeding pairs. Females also typically give birth to twins,
rather than to a single child, and both parents help to care for the
youngsters. Pygmy Marmosets live in small social groups where only one
female actually breeds. The other members of the group are often older
offspring who help to take care of their younger siblings.



Tree gum and sap are the favorite foods of Pygmy Marmosets; they gauge
holes into the tree trunks and strip away the bark to get to the gum and
sap. They also have specialized incisors to help accomplish this
important task, and spend up to 2/3 of their feeding time dealing with
trees and sap. Pygmy Marmosets also feed on insects and fruits.



It is difficult to know how many Pygmy Marmosets their are. Their
habitat and small size makes it quite difficult to count them. IUCN
lists them as being of Least Concern, though their population is
decreasing due to habitat loss and collection for the pet trade. In the
wild their major predators are birds of prey. They live about a decade,
and up to twenty years in captivity.