Pygmy Marmoset
(finger monkey)
Genus: Cebuella
World’s Smallest Primate Often referred to as “Finger Monkeys”, Pygmy Marmosets are native to the rainforests of the western Amazon basin South America, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.
High Sugar Diet
The Pygmy Marmoset diet includes insects and tree sap. They use their lower two teeth to extract the sugary substance from trees.
Pygmy marmosets can be found in the forest trees or bamboo thickets alongside the river and flood planes. They are active during the day but can also be seen at night, they sleep in one tree, typically in groups of six, (2 parents, children and newborn). When a troop of Pygmy Marmosets wakes they travel in a single file line. They communicate with vocal, chemical, and visual signals depending on the distance needed to communicate. These signals are visible when they are either threatened or have a need to express their dominance.
Because of their size (15 cm) and cute appearance pygmy marmosets are often sold as pets, however, it is illegal to take them out of Peru.
Pygmy Marmosets can fit in the palm of your hand, however, they have extraordinary leaping ability and can cover up to 5 meters in a single bound
Mating Signs
When it is time to reproduce, Pygmy Marmosets, will sound a unique mating call as well as begin to secrete chemicals from their chest and genitals. Females will lick their tongues at the males to solicit the mating process. Females are pregnant for 5 month and give birth twice a year. Pygmy marmoset mothers give birth to non-identical marmoset twins every time they produce new born babies.
Small but crafty
Pygmy Marmosets will make up to 1300 holes in a tree in order to trap insects to eat.
All content created by Red Uakari Jungle Tours