Marmoset Monkey Facts

Tiny hairballs with large, almond eyes that throw askance glances at any object that manages to get hold of their attentions for the time being - that's the idea and image your mind forms of marmoset monkeys when you happen to set your eyes upon these super cute and extremely interesting miniature primates! Marmosets belong to the New World order of primates which consists of five primate families, which are, together, referred to as the Platyrrhini parvorder and this falls under the infraorder Simiiformes. Marmosets reach a maximum length of 8 inches on reaching full maturity and exhibit a lot of primitive physical and biological characteristics as compared to modern-day primates. For instance, marmosets' paws are equipped with claws instead of nails and their wrists have hair that are sensitive to touch which, when they brush against various objects, give this primate a feel of its contours and consistency. The following segment gives you brief insights into a lot of other interesting marmoset monkey facts. So, read right ahead!

Facts About Marmoset Monkeys

Before you proceed with acquainting yourself with the following marmoset monkey facts, I suggest you take a few seconds off and take a detailed look at the picture of the common marmoset on the top right hand corner of this page. Cute, isn't it, sitting with its knees folded against its chest, assuming the stance of a primitive philosopher in deep thought! Well, I guess that picture is sufficient to fill you with warmth, fondness and a strong desire to cuddle a marmoset with your own hands! That being said, here's those facts I've been promising you since the beginning of this article.

• Marmosets are broadly classified into four genera - Atlantic Marmosets, Pygmy Marmosets, Amazonian Marmosets and Roosmalens' Dwarf Marmosets.
• The Atlantic marmoset genus is further classified into six species (common marmoset, Wied's marmoset, buffy-headed marmoset, buffy-tufted marmoset, black-tufted marmoset and white-headed marmoset) and the Amazonian marmoset genus is further classified into fourteen species (Rondon's marmoset, Rio Acari marmoset, Satéré marmoset, Manicore marmoset, Hershkovitz's marmoset, Silvery marmoset, gold-and-white marmoset, white marmoset, Maués marmoset, Emilia's marmoset, Santarem marmoset, black-headed marmoset, black-tailed marmoset and Marca's marmoset) while the Roosmalens' Dwarf Marmoset genus and the Pygmy Marmoset genus have one species each (with same names as their respective genus).
• The most common marmoset monkey habitats are the deep interiors of dense forests. However, sometimes, they can also be seen on the edges of the forests or in open meadows but that is rare and happens only when they stray to such places in search of food or for their own amusement.
• Marmosets are omnivorous - their natural diet consists of fruits, leaves, tree sap, plant resins, insects, bird eggs (stolen from nests), spiders and smaller vertebrates.
• Marmosets are primarily diurnal and they can be found actively hunting for food and indulging in social activities with their troop members during the daytime.
• Male marmosets reach sexual maturity one year after birth while females may become sexually active on becoming 20-24 months old. Marmosets are mostly monogamous and females give birth to twins after gestation, though triplets and quadruplets are also not uncommon.
• In their natural, wild surroundings, marmosets live for about 10 years on an average. In captivity, marmosets are known to have lived for as long as 16 years.
• Keeping a marmoset monkey as pet involves a lot of care and attention as these primates are highly susceptible to catch human infections from their owners. Also, marmosets kept in captivity often show aggression towards people other than the owner or the most dominant member of its human family.
• The most important aspect of marmoset monkey care, other than paying attention to its feeding, lodging and hygiene needs, is to make sure it is never kept isolated. These are extremely social animals and isolation drives them to exhibit signs of depression, irritability and aggression.

Those were some very interesting facts about marmosets. When in the wild, these tiny primates maintain a highly intricate and close-knit social structure wherein all members take turns to care for infants and very young offspring. Food is often shared cooperatively and some playful theft of food is also tolerated with good humor. Each group is very particular about its territory and the boundaries are marked by scent. Before taking your leave, I would also like to share another interesting fact about the marmoset - the Pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the entire world!