The four species of lion tamarins or maned marmosets make up the genus Leontopithecus. They are small New World monkeys named for the mane surrounding their face, similar to the mane of a lion.
Description
Living in the
Atlantic Forest of
Brazil, like all other
Callitrichidae they are
arboreal. Lion tamarins weigh up to and are about long, with tails about long. They jump through trees using their fingers to hold on to branches; they use their claws to dig under the bark to search for insects to eat. They also eat some snakes, small lizards, and small fruits. All are endangered or critically endangered, in part because their habitat has been severely disrupted by human development and climate change.
Lion tamarins tend to live in family groups, with both parents sharing different tasks of rearing the yearly twins born to them. The mother nurses her young every two to three hours, and the father carries the babies on his back.
Diurnal animal tree-dwellers, they sleep in tree cavities at night. They also seek shelter during the hottest part of the day.
Species list
The different species of lion tamarins are easily discernible from each other, based upon the coloration of their fur:
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Conservation
Climate change has been affecting the lion tamarins in that cocoa production has taken over their habitat. Mass produced cocoa has been found to thin out surrounding canopy trees in the area. These trees are where lion tamarins mostly reside throughout the day.
See also
External links
