Geoffroy's Tamarin
Encyclopedia
Geoffroy's tamarin also known as the Panamanian, red-crested or rufous-naped tamarin, is a tamarin
, a type of small monkey, found in Panama
and Colombia
. It is predominantly black and white, with a reddish nape
. Diurnal, Geoffroy's tamarin spends most of its time in trees, but does come down to the ground occasionally. It lives in groups that most often number between three and five individuals, and generally include one or more adults of each gender. It eats a variety of foods, including insects, exudate
s, fruits and other plant parts. Insects and fruits account for the majority of its diet, but exudates are also important. But since its teeth are not adapted for gouging trees to get to the sap, it can only eat exudates when they are easily available.
Although a variety of reproductive methods are used, the most common is for a single adult female in the group to be reproductively active and to mate with multiple adult males in the group. After a gestation
period of about 145 days, she gives birth to either a single infant or twins. Males contribute significantly to care of the infants. Sexual maturity is reached at about 2 years, and it can live up to 13 years. Geoffroy's tamarin is classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.
classified within the family Callitrichidae. In 2001, Colin Groves
included the Callitrichids in the family Cebidae
, which also includes capuchin monkey
s and squirrel monkey
s, but in 2009 Anthony Rylands and Russell Mittermeier
reverted to older classifications which considered Callitrichidae a separate family. It is a member the genus Saguinus, the genus containing most tamarins. There are no recognized subspecies. In 1977, Philip Hershkovitz
classified Geoffroy's tamarin as a subspecies of the cottontop tamarin
(Saguinus oedipus) but more recent research indicates that the two taxa differ sufficiently to be considered separate species.
. Unlike some other New World monkeys, it does come down to the ground occasionally. This is normally done only in special circumstances, such as to acquire certain foods or to get to a tree it cannot otherwise reach. Group size is generally between three and nine monkeys, with three to five being most common. Groups often consist of more than one adult of each gender. Adults of both genders migrate between groups. Groups show some degree of territorial
defense. Population densities on Barro Colorado Island
in Panama range between 3.6 and 5.7 monkeys per square kilometer, but in other areas the population density can be as much as 20 to 30 monkeys per square kilometer. On average, Geoffroy's tamarin ranges 2061 meters per day. Home range size varies between 9.4 hectare
s and 32 hectares.
Communication occurs both though vocalization and by visual gestures. Vocalizations that have been recorded include whistles, twitters, trills, loud or soft sharp notes, sneezes and long rasps. Body postures and displays that reveal more of the white coloration, such as standing on hind legs and piloerection, tend to be associated with aggression. Females often signal willingness to mate by rapidly coiling their tails.
Unlike squirrel
s, which often move through the canopy by climbing and descending vertical tree trunks, Geoffroy's tamarin generally avoids large vertical supports during travel. It prefers to move across thin branches, ascending and descending by long leaps. To the extent Geoffroy's tamarin uses large vertical supports for travel, it uses them most often for ascending rather than descending.
Geoffroy's tamarin generally avoids sympatric small and medium size monkey species such as the White-headed Capuchin
and the Panamanian Night Monkey
. Avoidance is spatial with respect to the capuchin, and temporal in the case of the night monkey, since Geoffroy's tamarin is only active during daylight hours and the Panamanian Night Monkey is only active at night. Geoffroy's tamarin is rarely observed in the vicinity of squirrel
s, although this appears to be the result of the squirrels avoiding interactions with the larger tamarins. Geoffroy's tamarin generally attempts to escape when birds of prey approach, regardless of whether the bird presents a true danger. However, the tamarins ignore one bird of prey, the Double-toothed Kite
, which sometimes follows the tamarins in an apparent effort to feed on small animals disturbed by the tamarins.
The diet of Geoffroy's tamarin is similar to some species of tyrant flycatcher
birds in Panama, and they share similar vocalizations. The tamarins may use the flycatcher calls to help find favorable food sources. The flycatchers and tamarins have different patterns of activity, which minimizes competition for similar food sources. The flycatchers are most active shortly after dawn and tend to rest in the middle of the day. The tamarins do not become active until about 45 minutes after full daylight, but remain active for most of the remaining daylight hours until an hour or less before sunset.
estimated that the diet was made up of 40% insects, 38% fruit, 14% exudates (almost entirely from Anacardium excelsum cashew
trees), and 8% other items. Another study, on Barro Colorado Island, showed 60% fruit, 30% insects and 10% green plant parts, including large amounts of Elephant Ear Tree
(Enterolobium cyclocarpum) sap. Another study showed a diet about equally split between insects (mostly grasshopper
s) and fruit. Unlike marmosets, tamarins do not have dentition adapted for gouging trees, so Geoffroy's tamarin eats sap only when it is easily accessible. It generally hunts for insects by making quick movements on thin, flexible supports. In contrast, it generally feeds on sap while clinging to large vertical tree trunks.
In one study, Geoffroy's tamarin drank water from the corollas of Ochroma limonesis flowers. However, it is believed to also drink from tree holes, similar to other tamarin species.
period is believed to be about 145 days, similar to the cottontop tamarin
. The interbirth period ranges between 154 and 540 days, with an average of 311 days. The longer interbirth periods occur after twins. Infants weigh between 40 and 50 g (1.4 and 1.8 oz) and are born fully furred. The infant's fur is colored differently than the parents'; the infant has black fur on the body and tail, with a beige blaze and white face. The infant coloration reduces the visibility of white, which is associated with aggressive displays by the species.
Both polyandrous
and polygynous mating occurs, and males contribute heavily to parental care. But typically, only one adult female in a group is reproductively active, and reproductively active females mate with multiple males if given the opportunity. Males carry and groom infants more than females do. Older siblings may also contribute to infant care, although infants prefer to be carried by their parents than their siblings. Infants become mobile at 2 to 5 weeks, and begin eating solid food at 4 to 7 weeks. They are independent at 10 to 18 weeks and are fully weaned at 15 to 25 weeks. Geoffroy's tamarin becomes sexually mature at about 2 years, and can live up to 13 years.
, and dry and moist tropical forest. In Panama, it prefers secondary forests with moderate humidity. It occurs in central and eastern Panama, with the range extending slightly west of the Panama Canal
zone. It is less common on the Atlantic
coast of Panama than the Pacific
coast, and is only abundant on the Atlantic coast in areas near the Canal zone that have been modified by man. It occurs in Metropolitan Natural Park
, an urban park within Panama City
. In Colombia, it occurs on the Pacific coast west of the Andes, south to the Rio San Juan
. The eastern boundary of its range in Colombia was once thought to be the Rio Atrato, but has been reported further east, including the Las Orquídeas National Park. Older sources sometimes report the species occurring in southern Costa Rica
, but these are most likely erroneous.
Tamarin
The tamarins are squirrel-sized New World monkeys from the family Callitrichidae in the genus Saguinus. They are closely related to the lion tamarins in the genus Leontopithecus.- Range :...
, a type of small monkey, found in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is predominantly black and white, with a reddish nape
Nape
The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is referred to by the word nucha, which also gives the adjective corresponding to "nape" in English, "nuchal"....
. Diurnal, Geoffroy's tamarin spends most of its time in trees, but does come down to the ground occasionally. It lives in groups that most often number between three and five individuals, and generally include one or more adults of each gender. It eats a variety of foods, including insects, exudate
Exudate
An exudate is any fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions or areas of inflammation. It can apply to plants as well as animals. Its composition varies but generally includes water and the dissolved solutes of the main circulatory fluid such as sap or blood...
s, fruits and other plant parts. Insects and fruits account for the majority of its diet, but exudates are also important. But since its teeth are not adapted for gouging trees to get to the sap, it can only eat exudates when they are easily available.
Although a variety of reproductive methods are used, the most common is for a single adult female in the group to be reproductively active and to mate with multiple adult males in the group. After a gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period of about 145 days, she gives birth to either a single infant or twins. Males contribute significantly to care of the infants. Sexual maturity is reached at about 2 years, and it can live up to 13 years. Geoffroy's tamarin is classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.
Taxonomy
Like the other tamarins and marmosets, Geoffroy's tamarin is a New World monkeyNew World monkey
New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Platyrrhini parvorder and the Ceboidea superfamily, which are essentially synonymous since...
classified within the family Callitrichidae. In 2001, Colin Groves
Colin Groves
Colin Peter Groves is Professor of Biological Anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.Born in England on 24 June 1942, Colin Groves completed a Bachelor of Science at University College London in 1963, and a Doctor of Philosophy at the Royal Free Hospital School of...
included the Callitrichids in the family Cebidae
Cebidae
The Cebidae is one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. It includes the capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys. These species are found throughout tropical and subtropical South and Central America.-Characteristics:...
, which also includes capuchin monkey
Capuchin monkey
The capuchins are New World monkeys of the genus Cebus. The range of capuchin monkeys includes Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina...
s and squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkey
The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. Most species have parapatric or allopatric ranges in the Amazon, while S...
s, but in 2009 Anthony Rylands and Russell Mittermeier
Russell Mittermeier
Russell Alan Mittermeier is a primatologist, herpetologist and biological anthropologist. He has written several books for both popular and scientist audiences, and has authored some 300 scientific papers.-Biography:...
reverted to older classifications which considered Callitrichidae a separate family. It is a member the genus Saguinus, the genus containing most tamarins. There are no recognized subspecies. In 1977, Philip Hershkovitz
Philip Hershkovitz
Philip Hershkovitz was an American mammalogist. Born in Pittsburgh, he attended the Universities of Pittsburgh and Michigan and lived in South America collecting mammals. In 1947, he was appointed a curator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and he continued to work there until his...
classified Geoffroy's tamarin as a subspecies of the cottontop tamarin
Cottontop Tamarin
The cotton-top tamarin , also known as the Pinché tamarin, is a small New World monkey weighing less than 1 lb...
(Saguinus oedipus) but more recent research indicates that the two taxa differ sufficiently to be considered separate species.
Physical description
In common with other callitrichides (tamarins and marmosets), Geoffroy's tamarin is a small monkey. With a length of between 225 and 240 mm (8.9 and 9.4 in), excluding the tail, it is the smallest Central American monkey. The tail length is between 314 and 386 mm (12.4 and 15.2 in). Males have an average weight of 486 grams (17.1 oz), and females are slightly larger on average, with an average weight of 507 grams (17.9 oz). The fur on its back is variegated black and yellow, with pale legs, feet and chest. Its face is nearly bare, but the head has reddish fur with a triangle-shaped patch in the front of the head. The tail is chestnut-red and has a black tip.Behavior
Like all callitrichides, Geoffroy's tamarin is diurnal and arborealArboreal locomotion
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In every habitat in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may only scale trees occasionally, while others are exclusively arboreal. These habitats pose numerous mechanical challenges to animals...
. Unlike some other New World monkeys, it does come down to the ground occasionally. This is normally done only in special circumstances, such as to acquire certain foods or to get to a tree it cannot otherwise reach. Group size is generally between three and nine monkeys, with three to five being most common. Groups often consist of more than one adult of each gender. Adults of both genders migrate between groups. Groups show some degree of territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
defense. Population densities on Barro Colorado Island
Barro Colorado Island
Barro Colorado Island is located in the man-made Gatun Lake in the middle of the Panama Canal. The island was formed when the waters of the Chagres River were dammed to form the lake. When the waters rose, they covered a significant part of the existing rainforest, and the hilltops remained as...
in Panama range between 3.6 and 5.7 monkeys per square kilometer, but in other areas the population density can be as much as 20 to 30 monkeys per square kilometer. On average, Geoffroy's tamarin ranges 2061 meters per day. Home range size varies between 9.4 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s and 32 hectares.
Communication occurs both though vocalization and by visual gestures. Vocalizations that have been recorded include whistles, twitters, trills, loud or soft sharp notes, sneezes and long rasps. Body postures and displays that reveal more of the white coloration, such as standing on hind legs and piloerection, tend to be associated with aggression. Females often signal willingness to mate by rapidly coiling their tails.
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s, which often move through the canopy by climbing and descending vertical tree trunks, Geoffroy's tamarin generally avoids large vertical supports during travel. It prefers to move across thin branches, ascending and descending by long leaps. To the extent Geoffroy's tamarin uses large vertical supports for travel, it uses them most often for ascending rather than descending.
Geoffroy's tamarin generally avoids sympatric small and medium size monkey species such as the White-headed Capuchin
White-headed Capuchin
The white-headed capuchin , also known as the white-faced capuchin or white-throated capuchin, is a medium-sized New World monkey of the family Cebidae, subfamily Cebinae...
and the Panamanian Night Monkey
Panamanian Night Monkey
The Panamanian night monkey or Chocoan night monkey is a species of night monkey formerly considered a subspecies of the gray-bellied night monkey of the family Aotidae. Its range consists of Panama and the Chocó region of Colombia. There are also unconfirmed reports of its occurrence in Costa...
. Avoidance is spatial with respect to the capuchin, and temporal in the case of the night monkey, since Geoffroy's tamarin is only active during daylight hours and the Panamanian Night Monkey is only active at night. Geoffroy's tamarin is rarely observed in the vicinity of squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s, although this appears to be the result of the squirrels avoiding interactions with the larger tamarins. Geoffroy's tamarin generally attempts to escape when birds of prey approach, regardless of whether the bird presents a true danger. However, the tamarins ignore one bird of prey, the Double-toothed Kite
Double-toothed Kite
The Double-toothed Kite is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.This fairly...
, which sometimes follows the tamarins in an apparent effort to feed on small animals disturbed by the tamarins.
The diet of Geoffroy's tamarin is similar to some species of tyrant flycatcher
Tyrant flycatcher
The tyrant flycatchers are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They are considered the largest family of birds on Earth, with more than 400 species. They are the most diverse avian family in every country in the Americas, except for the United States and...
birds in Panama, and they share similar vocalizations. The tamarins may use the flycatcher calls to help find favorable food sources. The flycatchers and tamarins have different patterns of activity, which minimizes competition for similar food sources. The flycatchers are most active shortly after dawn and tend to rest in the middle of the day. The tamarins do not become active until about 45 minutes after full daylight, but remain active for most of the remaining daylight hours until an hour or less before sunset.
Diet
Geoffroy's tamarin has a varied diet that includes fruits, insects, exudates (gums and saps), and green plant parts. The diet varies seasonally. A study by Paul GarberPaul Garber
Paul Garber is a primatologist and the author and editor of several books and articles about primates. He is a professor at the University of Illinois. He is editor of the American Journal of Primatology and director of research and education at La Suerte Biological Field School in Costa Rica...
estimated that the diet was made up of 40% insects, 38% fruit, 14% exudates (almost entirely from Anacardium excelsum cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
trees), and 8% other items. Another study, on Barro Colorado Island, showed 60% fruit, 30% insects and 10% green plant parts, including large amounts of Elephant Ear Tree
Elephant Ear Tree
The common name elephant ear tree typically refers to Enterolobium cyclocarpum The name may also refer to Macaranga gigantea....
(Enterolobium cyclocarpum) sap. Another study showed a diet about equally split between insects (mostly grasshopper
Grasshopper
The grasshopper is an insect of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. To distinguish it from bush crickets or katydids, it is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper...
s) and fruit. Unlike marmosets, tamarins do not have dentition adapted for gouging trees, so Geoffroy's tamarin eats sap only when it is easily accessible. It generally hunts for insects by making quick movements on thin, flexible supports. In contrast, it generally feeds on sap while clinging to large vertical tree trunks.
In one study, Geoffroy's tamarin drank water from the corollas of Ochroma limonesis flowers. However, it is believed to also drink from tree holes, similar to other tamarin species.
Reproduction
Geoffroy's tamarin can give birth throughout the year, but the birthing peak is from April to June. A single infant or twins can be born, although it is not uncommon for one of the twins to perish within the first few months. The gestationGestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period is believed to be about 145 days, similar to the cottontop tamarin
Cottontop Tamarin
The cotton-top tamarin , also known as the Pinché tamarin, is a small New World monkey weighing less than 1 lb...
. The interbirth period ranges between 154 and 540 days, with an average of 311 days. The longer interbirth periods occur after twins. Infants weigh between 40 and 50 g (1.4 and 1.8 oz) and are born fully furred. The infant's fur is colored differently than the parents'; the infant has black fur on the body and tail, with a beige blaze and white face. The infant coloration reduces the visibility of white, which is associated with aggressive displays by the species.
Both polyandrous
Polyandry
Polyandry refers to a form of marriage in which a woman has two or more husbands at the same time. The form of polyandry in which a woman is married to two or more brothers is known as "fraternal polyandry", and it is believed by many anthropologists to be the most frequently encountered...
and polygynous mating occurs, and males contribute heavily to parental care. But typically, only one adult female in a group is reproductively active, and reproductively active females mate with multiple males if given the opportunity. Males carry and groom infants more than females do. Older siblings may also contribute to infant care, although infants prefer to be carried by their parents than their siblings. Infants become mobile at 2 to 5 weeks, and begin eating solid food at 4 to 7 weeks. They are independent at 10 to 18 weeks and are fully weaned at 15 to 25 weeks. Geoffroy's tamarin becomes sexually mature at about 2 years, and can live up to 13 years.
Distribution and habitat
Geoffroy's tamarin lives in various types of forest, including primary and secondary forestSecondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
, and dry and moist tropical forest. In Panama, it prefers secondary forests with moderate humidity. It occurs in central and eastern Panama, with the range extending slightly west of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
zone. It is less common on the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast of Panama than the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast, and is only abundant on the Atlantic coast in areas near the Canal zone that have been modified by man. It occurs in Metropolitan Natural Park
Metropolitan Natural Park
Metropolitan Natural Park is a park in Panama City, Panama. It is the only wildlife refuge in the city. Wildlife found in the park include bird species and Geoffroy's Tamarin. The park was first proposed in 1974 and was inaugurated on June 5, 1988....
, an urban park within Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
. In Colombia, it occurs on the Pacific coast west of the Andes, south to the Rio San Juan
San Juan River (Colombia)
San Juan River is an important river of Colombia. It quoted source is in the Cordillera Occidental and has a length of 380 km...
. The eastern boundary of its range in Colombia was once thought to be the Rio Atrato, but has been reported further east, including the Las Orquídeas National Park. Older sources sometimes report the species occurring in southern Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, but these are most likely erroneous.