Pygmy marmoset

Callithrix pygmae

Species Information
Exhibit Name and Location Amazon River Forest - Main Building, Level 4
Description of Animal The fur of this little monkey is a streaked, tawny brown on the back and drab yellow to white on the underside. Unlike most monkeys, the tails of pygmy marmosets are not prehensile - they cannot use their tails to swing from trees or grab objects. Pygmies communicate using a variety of high pitched clicks, squeaks, whistles, and trills, and even a variety of complex body and facial gestures.
Aquarist's Note Small animals in large exhibits can make veterinary care difficult. To make this a little easier, our pygmy marmosets undergo daily training to perform behaviors that help us provide care. The monkeys are signaled by a bell to leave the exhibit through a screened tunnel hidden from public view, and enter a large, off-exhibit enclosure. They are also trained to station on a special branch where they can be examined, and to climb on a scale to be weighed. They receive insects, fruit, and yogurt as rewards for performing correctly.
Diet Pygmies feed principally on arthropods (especially grasshoppers) and the exudates (sap and gum) of certain trees and vines. The monkeys use their teeth to gouge holes that cause the sap and gums to be released. They also consume small amounts of buds, flowers, nectar, and fruits.
Size With an average weight of just 4.2 ounces (119 g) and total length (the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail vertebrae) of 13.3 inches (339 mm), the pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. Females are slightly larger and heavier than males.
Range The pygmy marmoset’s range is limited to the tropical lowland forest of the upper Amazon basin, from southern Columbia to eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Bolivia. These monkeys prefer forests where annual flooding is less than 6.6 to 9.8 feet (2 to 3 m) and lasts, on average, no more than three months of the year.
Population Status Pygmies are still common in the wild and, in fact, often colonize the edges of pastures, fields, and orchards, frequently in close proximity to human dwellings. However, such areas do not support the dense populations found in undisturbed forest habitat. This species loses habitat as forests are logged, mined, or developed for agriculture.
Predators The small size of pygmy marmosets makes them suitable prey for many climbing carnivores, particularly felines and the marten-like tayra. Hawks, eagles, and climbing snakes, especially pit vipers, are also common predators.

Species Information

Exhibit Name and Location
Amazon River Forest - Main Building, Level 4

Description of Animal

The fur of this little monkey is a streaked, tawny brown on the back and drab yellow to white on the underside. Unlike most monkeys, the tails of pygmy marmosets are not prehensile - they cannot use their tails to swing from trees or grab objects.

Pygmies communicate using a variety of high pitched clicks, squeaks, whistles, and trills, and even a variety of complex body and facial gestures.

Aquarist's Note

Small animals in large exhibits can make veterinary care difficult. To make this a little easier, our pygmy marmosets undergo daily training to perform behaviors that help us provide care.

The monkeys are signaled by a bell to leave the exhibit through a screened tunnel hidden from public view, and enter a large, off-exhibit enclosure.

They are also trained to station on a special branch where they can be examined, and to climb on a scale to be weighed.

They receive insects, fruit, and yogurt as rewards for performing correctly.

Diet

Pygmies feed principally on arthropods (especially grasshoppers) and the exudates (sap and gum) of certain trees and vines.

The monkeys use their teeth to gouge holes that cause the sap and gums to be released.

They also consume small amounts of buds, flowers, nectar, and fruits.

Size

With an average weight of just 4.2 ounces (119 g) and total length (the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail vertebrae) of 13.3 inches (339 mm), the pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. Females are slightly larger and heavier than males.

Range

The pygmy marmoset’s range is limited to the tropical lowland forest of the upper Amazon basin, from southern Columbia to eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Bolivia.

These monkeys prefer forests where annual flooding is less than 6.6 to 9.8 feet (2 to 3 m) and lasts, on average, no more than three months of the year.

Population Status

Pygmies are still common in the wild and, in fact, often colonize the edges of pastures, fields, and orchards, frequently in close proximity to human dwellings. However, such areas do not support the dense populations found in undisturbed forest habitat.

This species loses habitat as forests are logged, mined, or developed for agriculture.

Predators

The small size of pygmy marmosets makes them suitable prey for many climbing carnivores, particularly felines and the marten-like tayra.

Hawks, eagles, and climbing snakes, especially pit vipers, are also common predators.