Eastern Pygmy Marmoset

• Common Name: Eastern Pygmy marmoset
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1940
• Monkey Size: 12 to 16 cm (4.6 to 6.2 in)
• Skin Color(s): Orange-brown
• Habitat: Rainforest
• Diet: Omnivorous
• Native Countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru

The eastern pygmy marmoset^[1] is a species of marmoset, a tiny New World Monkey found in the southwestern Amazon rainforest.

• A fawn and gray coat are marked with green, yellow, and/or black markings on the back and head.
• Babies initially have gray heads and yellow fur covered with black marking but shows the adult pattern by the first month of life.
• Although pygmy marmosets are not considered sexually dimorphic, females can be somewhat heavier than males.
• Longer hairs around the neck and face give the eastern pygmy marmoset the appearance of a lion’s mane.
• Their hind legs are longer than their front legs, and the toes have claws called tegulae. The average adult tail, usually marked with black bands, is about 20 cm long.

• Notably, at just over 100 grams (3.5 ounces), the eastern pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey and among the smallest primates in the world.
• Individuals are known to groom one another, probably as a form of bonding.
• They choose roosting spots near their food source, with all group members waking up and departing shortly after sunrise.
• White cheek markings and a vertical nose stripe likely facilitate visual communication.
• To the human ear, the vocalizations of these marmosets sound like bird calls and can penetrate the ultrasonic spectrum.