ORDER

Primates

FAMILY

Callitrichidae (marmosets and tamarins)

HABITAT AND RANGE

Red-handed tamarins can be found in Northern Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana and Surinam. They are arboreal and prefer small crowned trees (less than 15m in diameter).

IDENTIFICATION

No obvious sexual dimorphism exists in red-handed tamarins. The face and body are mostly black and lack the traditional white fur around the mouth that other tamarins posses. The hands and feet are orange-red in color. Unlike other primates, they have claws instead of nails on all their digits with the exception of their big toes. Also, their thumbs lack the saddle joint which allows for opposable thumbs.

DIET

Red-handed tamarins are omnivorous and will feed on fruits, insects, small frogs and lizards. They will also eat sap, resin and nectar from trees.

REPRODUCTION AND LIFESPAN

Midas tamarins typically live in groups of 4-15 individuals of which only 1 female will breed. The breeding female usually gives birth to twins twice a year after a 140 day gestation period. Young are weaned after about 2-3 months and are cared for by all the members in the group. Breeding suppression of the other females is achieved by inhibitory behavior by the breeding female and loss of ovulatory function in the non-breeder. Typical lifespan is 10 years in the wild.

NOTES

Red-handed tamarins are highly endangered due to the loss of their tropical rainforest habitat.