Holding the title for one of the world’s smallest monkeys, it’s the pygmy marmoset. To date, this is one of the smallest known primates in the world. They live in northern Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Pygmy marmosets like lowland forests, tropical rainforests, and areas that are flooded for at least 3 months out of the year. They are tiny but their tail is long… longer than their body! This tail, unlike other new world monkeys, is not prehensile. Rather, it is used for balancing while it darts through the forest trees. They go by several names: the Dwarf Monkey, Pocket Monkey, and Little Lion. These miniature monkeys are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, due to habitat loss and over-collection for the pet trade.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Cebuella pygmaea
Weight: Up to 3.5 ounces
Length: Up to 6 inches, plus their nearly 9 inch long tail
Lifespan: Up to 16 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Their toes and thumbs are not opposable, like many other monkeys.
2.) Marmosets live in troops of up to 9 family members. This includes the breeding pair and their offspring.
3.) Pygmies use their sharp lower canines to saw through bark and induce sap leakage in trees.
4.) They eat insects, fruit, other small animals, and tree sap.
5.) Pygmy marmosets are diurnal (active during the day).
But wait, there’s more on the pygmy marmoset!
6.) These marmosets are able to rotate their heads 180°. This aids in navigating their arboreal (tree) environment and in looking out for predators.
7.) They are preyed on by harpy eagles, cats, hawks, and snakes.
Did you know…?
Tiny as they are, these mini monkeys are able to leap up to 15 feet in the air!
8.) Pocket monkeys can carve up to 1,300 holes in their favored trees, looking for tasty sap.
9.) Pygmy marmosets usually give birth to twins.
10.) Females give birth every 5 – 7 months and the typical gestation time is about 4.5 months.
11.) Marmosets communicate via vocalizations and scent marking.
Now a Short Pygmy Marmoset Video!
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