The buffy-tufted marmoset (''Callithrix aurita''), also known as the buffy tufted-ear marmoset or white-eared marmoset, is a

New World monkey New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in the tropical regions of Mexico, Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Ceboidea ( ...

that lives in the forests on the Atlantic coast of southeast

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. Of all the

marmoset The marmosets (), also known as zaris or sagoin, are 22 New World monkey species of the genera ''Callithrix'', ''Cebuella'', ''Callibella'', and ''Mico''. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term "marmoset" is ...

s, it has the southernmost range. The buffy-tufted marmoset resembles the

common marmoset The common marmoset (''Callithrix jacchus'') also called white-tufted marmoset or white-tufted-ear marmoset is a New World monkey. It originally lived on the northeastern coast of Brazil, in the states of Piaui, Paraiba, Ceará, Rio Grande do No ...

, but is somewhat larger. It has grey-black skin, and the most obvious differences from the common marmoset are its whitish face ("skull-like facial mask",) brown crown, and shorter ear tufts. The buffy-tufted marmoset lives in coastal forests from sea level up to 500 m. It is diurnal and

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...

, living almost all its life in the trees. It lives in small groups of two to eight animals. Unlike most other marmosets, the buffy-tufted marmoset almost exclusively eats insects. It does not eat tree sap, which may be related to having a very small snout. Aside from the insects, the buffy-tufted marmoset consumes also consumes varying types of flowering plants, such as

Combretaceae The Combretaceae, often called the white mangrove family, are a family of flowering plants in the order Myrtales. The family includes about 530 species of trees, shrubs, and lianas in ca 10 genera. The family includes the leadwood tree, ''Combre ...

and

legumes A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock fo ...

, as well as gum, soursops, and

cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...

. Little is known about the buffy-tufted marmoset reproductive patterns. Gestation is about 170 days, and births are typically of fraternal twin offspring.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1150912

buffy-tufted marmoset The buffy-tufted marmoset (''Callithrix aurita''), also known as the buffy tufted-ear marmoset or white-eared marmoset, is a New World monkey that lives in the forests on the Atlantic coast of southeast Brazil. Of all the marmosets, it has the so ...

Mammals of Brazil Endemic fauna of Brazil Fauna of the Atlantic Forest Environment of Rio de Janeiro (state) Environment of São Paulo (state) Vulnerable animals Vulnerable biota of South America

Taxa named by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire