''Callithrix'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

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 ...

s of the family

Callitrichidae The Callitrichidae (also called Arctopitheci or Hapalidae) are a family of New World monkeys, including marmosets, tamarins, and lion tamarins. At times, this group of animals has been regarded as a subfamily, called the Callitrichinae, of the ...

, the family containing

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" ...

s and

tamarin The tamarins are squirrel-sized New World monkeys from the family Callitrichidae in the genus ''Saguinus''. They are the first offshoot in the Callitrichidae tree, and therefore are the sister group of a clade formed by the lion tamarins, Goe ...

s. The genus contains the Atlantic Forest marmosets. The name ''Callithrix'' is derived from the Greek words ''kallos'', meaning beautiful, and ''thrix'', meaning hair.

Taxonomy

The genera ''

Mico People * Mićo Janić (born 1979), Croatian sprint canoer * Mićo Ljubibratić (1839–1889), Serbian revolutionary * Mico Palanca (1978–2019), Filipino actor * Mićo Smiljanić (born 1974), Serbian/Montenegrin footballer * Mićo Stanišić (born ...

'' and ''

Callibella The Roosmalens' dwarf marmoset (''Mico humilis''), also known as the black-crowned dwarf marmoset, is a small New World monkey native to the Amazon Rainforest, on the east bank of the lower Madeira River, and the west bank of the Aripuanã Rive ...

'' were formerly considered a subgenus of the genus ''Callithrix''. ''Callithrix'' differs from ''Mico'' in dental morphology and geographic distribution; ''Callithrix'' species are distributed near the Atlantic coast of Brazil, while ''Mico'' species are distributed further inland. ''Callithrix'' differs from ''Callibella'' in these features, as well as in size, with ''Callithrix'' species being significantly larger. ''Callithrix'' species differ from the tamarins of the genus ''

Saguinus The tamarins are squirrel-sized New World monkeys from the family Callitrichidae in the genus ''Saguinus''. They are the first offshoot in the Callitrichidae tree, and therefore are the sister group of a clade formed by the lion tamarins, Goel ...

'' in that ''Callithrix'' has enlarged mandibular

incisor Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, wher ...

teeth the same size as the

canine teeth In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dog teeth, or (in the context of the upper jaw) fangs, eye teeth, vampire teeth, or vampire fangs, are the relatively long, pointed teeth. They can appear more flattened howeve ...

, which are used for gouging holes in trees to extract exudates. Some authorities, including Rosenberger (1981), believe that the

pygmy marmoset Pygmy marmosets are two species of small New World monkeys in the genus ''Cebuella''. They are native to rainforests of the western Amazon Basin in South America. These primates are notable for being the smallest monkeys in the world, at just ov ...

, genus ''

Cebuella Pygmy marmosets are two species of small New World monkeys in the genus ''Cebuella''. They are native to rainforests of the western Amazon Basin in South America. These primates are notable for being the smallest monkeys in the world, at just o ...

'', should be included within ''Callithrix'' on the basis of genetic studies, although ''Cebuella'' is significantly smaller than ''Callithrix''. In general, ''Callithrix'' and ''Mico'' species tend to form larger groups and live within smaller home ranges, thus live in higher population densities, than other callitrichids, but these statistics can vary dramatically among various ''Callithrix'' species. ''C. jacchus'' and ''C. pencillata'' typically have home territories less than 10

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...

s, while other ''Callithrix'' species tend to have larger home territories.

Species

The genus includes these species:

Ecology

Exudates, such as gum and sap, fruit, nectar, and fungi make up the bulk of ''Callthrix'' species' diet, but they also eat animal prey such as

arthropod Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and cuticle made of chiti ...

s, young birds, and small lizards and

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...

s. They are specialized for exploiting exudates by their elongated, chisel-like lower incisors and a wide jaw gape that allows them to gouge bark of trees that produce gums. Their intestines also have an enlarged, complex

cecum The cecum or caecum is a pouch within the peritoneum that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It is typically located on the right side of the body (the same side of the body as the appendix, to which it is joined). The wo ...

that allows them to digest gums more efficiently than most other animals. The ability of ''Callithrix'' species to feed on exudates allows them to survive in areas where fruit is highly seasonal or not readily available. Some species, such as ''C. jacchus'' and ''C. pencillata'', have been known to inhabit city parks, backyards, and coconut plantations.

Breeding

''Callithrix'' females generally give birth to two, and sometimes more infants at a time. They can

ovulate Ovulation is the release of eggs from the ovaries. In women, this event occurs when the ovarian follicles rupture and release the secondary oocyte ovarian cells. After ovulation, during the luteal phase, the egg will be available to be fertilized ...

and conceive within 2-4 weeks after giving birth, and ovulation is not inhibited by

lactation Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process naturally occurs with all sexually mature female mammals, although it may predate mammals. The proces ...

Polygyny Polygyny (; from Neoclassical Greek πολυγυνία (); ) is the most common and accepted form of polygamy around the world, entailing the marriage of a man with several women. Incidence Polygyny is more widespread in Africa than in any ...

is known to occur in several ''Callithrix'' species. Infanticide is also known to occur, at least within ''C. jacchus'', in which the dominant female kills the offspring of a subordinate female. Females generally reach sexual maturity between 12 and 17 months, and males between 15 and 25 months.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1064620 ¨ ¨ Primate genera Taxa named by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben Taxa described in 1777