Tamarin

Tamarins are small New World monkeys in the family Callitrichidae, found in forests of Central and South America.

Tamarins are small New World monkeys in the family Callitrichidae, native to forests of Central and South America. They are squirrel-sized, arboreal primates with long tails and claw-like nails on most digits. Their diet is omnivorous, including fruit, insects, sap, and other small foods.

Taxonomy

Tamarins are New World monkeys in the family Callitrichidae. Sources place them mainly in the genera Saguinus and Leontopithecus, and modern classifications report differing numbers of species because the group has been revised taxonomically.

Physical characteristics

Tamarins are small primates, usually with long tails, dark or reddish fur, and distinctive facial hair in some species. They have claw-like nails on most digits, which help them climb and move through trees.

Habitat and range

Tamarins live in forests across southern Central America and much of northern and central South America. They are especially associated with tropical rainforests, montane forests, and other wooded habitats.

Diet and behaviour

Tamarins are omnivores. They eat fruits, insects, spiders, flowers, nectar, leaves, tree sap, and occasionally eggs or small vertebrates, and they are adapted for life in the trees.