Cotton-top Tamarin _ 1a
by Walter Herrit
Title
Cotton-top Tamarin _ 1a
Artist
Walter Herrit
Medium
Photograph - Photograph-digital Art
Description
The cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) is a small New World monkey weighing less than 0.5 kg (1.1 lb). One of the The cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) is a small New World monkey weighing less than 0.5 kg (1.1 lb). One of the smallest primates, the cotton-top tamarin is easily recognized by the long white sagittal crest extending from its forehead to its shoulders. The species is found in tropical forest edges and secondary forests in northwestern Colombia where it is arboreal and diurnal. Its diet includes insects and plant exudates and it is an important seed disperser in the tropical ecosystem.
the cotton-top tamarin is easily recognized by the long white sagittal crest extending from its forehead to its shoulders. The species is found in tropical forest edges and secondary forests in northwestern Colombia where it is arboreal and diurnal. Its diet includes insects and plant exudates and it is an important seed disperser in the tropical ecosystem.
The cotton-top tamarin displays a wide variety of social behaviors. In particular, groups form a clear dominance hierarchy where only dominant pairs breed. The female normally gives birth to twins and uses pheromones to prevent other females in the group from breeding. These tamarins have been extensively studied for their high level of cooperative care, as well as altruistic and spiteful behaviors. Communication between cotton-top tamarins is sophisticated and shows evidence of grammatical structure, a language feature that must be acquired.
Size: Wild males and females weigh between 14.5 and 15.9 oz; however, captive cotton-top tamarins are significantly heavier, averaging a weight of 20 oz.
Life Span: Cotton-top tamarins live for an average of 13 years, but can grow older when captive.
Color: They have long white hair on their heads with reddish-brown hair on the back of their thighs and base of their tail.
Continent: South America
Range: Columbia
Habitat: Humid tropical forest, dry deciduous forest, and secondary growth forest
Food: Cotton-top tamarins feed mainly on insects, ripe fruit, seeds, and nectar. Also, their diet may include spiders, small vertebrates and birds' eggs depending on their climate.
Reproduction: Cotton-top tamarin mothers usually give birth to twins. They reproduce year -round with a gestation period of 183 days.
Fun Facts: Cotton-top tamarins mark their territory with scent by sliding their rear ends, or by rubbing the scent on the bottom of their feet. When coming into contact with other groups, instead of physical contact, they will threaten the other group by showing their rear ends as a territorial display.
Conservation: Endangered; the population is less than 1000 in the wild and about 1800 in captivity, and is continuing to decline.
Uploaded
October 21st, 2015
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