Cotton-Top Tamarin
Saguinus oedipus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Range: Northwestern Colombia
Habitat: Tropical Rainforest and Deciduous Forest, Secondary Growth Forest (usually lowlands, but sometimes up to 1500 meters elevation)
Diet: Insects, Small Vertebrates, Fruits, Tree Exudates (Sap, Resin)
Social Grouping: Groups of 3-20, based around a monogamous breeding pair and their offspring; older offspring may stay with their parents to help raise younger siblings. Dominant female uses pheromones to suppress reproduction in other females.
Reproduction: Reproduction possible year-round. Estrous cycle of 15 days, gestation lasts 140 days. Sexually mature at 18 months for females or 24 months for males. Can give birth to two sets of twins (sometimes triplets) annually; each set of twins may represent 15-20% of the mother’s body weight. After twins are born, they are given to the father, who carries them at all times except for when the young are feeding. Weaned at 10 weeks old
Lifespan: 20 Years
- Sexes look alike. Named for the crest of long, white hair flowing from the forehead to the nape, over the shoulders (often described as resembling Albert Einstein). Faces are black, covered with a fine layer of black fur (may appear to be naked). The back is brown. Underparts are white or yellow. Rump and sides of the thighs are reddish-orange. Tail is red-orange, darkening to black on the tip
- Head-to-body length for both sexes is 20-25 centimeters, total body length 33-41 centimeters. Weight ranges from 410-450 grams, captives typically being larger and heavier
- Rationale behind Latin name (chosen by Linnaeus, originally as Simia oediupus) is unknown. “Oedipus” means “Swollen Foot” in Greek, but the feet of the tamarins are not particularly swollen. Possibly a reference to the mythical king
- ·Geoffroy’s tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi) was historically listed as a subspecies before being elevated to full-species status
- Do not have the same specialized dental adaptations for gouging trees and feeding on sap and resin as marmosets do. May serve as an important seed disperser for some plant species. Believed to deliberately swallow seeds in order to dislodge internal parasites
- Primary method of locomotion is quadrupedal running on horizontal branches, with some climbing or leaping. Tail is not prehensile. Utilize multiple layers of the forest, most commonly seen in understory, but have been observed on the ground, foraging in leaf litter.
- Home range size 7-10 hectares, marked with scent. If confronted with other groups, will display rear and genitals in territorial showing rather than resort to fighting
- Active by day, waking up after dawn and traveling 1.5-2 kilometers per day. Spend nights in trees with lots of foliage cover, such as vines and lianas – do not necessarily use the same tree on consecutive nights
- Communicate through bird-like whistles and chirps, with different calls associated with finding food, avoiding predators, or staying in communication with other members of the group
- Predators include raptors, arboreal mustelids, small felids, and snakes
- Primary threat is the loss of habitat to deforestation and dam construction. Currently occur in three protected areas, representing 5% of former species range – Paramillo National Natural Park, Los Colorados Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, and Reserva Forestal Cerro de Coraza-Monte de Marja; have been introduced to a fourth, Tayrona National Natural Park
- Secondary threat is the collection of animals for trade. In early 1970s, 20-30,000 individuals were exported to the United States for biomedical research. Sustainable captive population is still used for biomedical research, especially into a form of colon cancer to which the species is highly susceptible
- Proyecto Titi is an active conservation program for the species, working to study tamarins in the wild, train local conservationists, and develop new techniques to reduce pressure on the forests by local communities
No comments:
Post a Comment