The smallest monkey in the world does not exceed the size of an ordinary squirrel. There are monkeys the size of a mouse! Dwarf marmosets are common in the forest belts of South and Central America, from Panama to southern Brazil. These funny monkeys are divided into two groups - marmosettes and tamarines.
Representatives of each of the groups differ from each other in their color and “decorations” such as antennae, crests or crests.
Marmosetki
Most representatives of this group have white tassels on their ears with dark panicles and a yellowish shoot. There are marmosettes with completely bare pink ears, which become bright scarlet during monkeys' excitement.
Tamarins
A characteristic feature of these monkeys is the antennae. This can be a light fluff over the upper lip, or almost a hussar mustache. The so-called imperial tamarin possesses long and rather magnificent antennae . This dwarf monkey is named after the emperor of Austria - Franz Joseph the First. Entire legends made up about his magnificent mustache. Also, the heads of some tamarins are decorated with interesting crests.
Family and Children
The smallest monkey in the world is a family creature. Marmosettes and tamarines, like gibbons, live in whole families.
The female carries offspring for almost five months, after which, as a rule, she gives birth to twins. One of the cubs is taken care of by the male, everywhere dragging him along, passing on to his mother only for feeding. Interestingly, the father always takes care of the male cub, and the female - of the female cub. Two months later, it becomes hard for the father to fiddle independently with his offspring, then other family members begin to help. By six months, the cub becomes independent and does not need custody. Like gibbons, older monkeys are eventually driven out of the family so that they create a new, their own family.
Terrible but so cute
The smallest monkey in the world communicates with its relatives using a characteristic whistle.
Having noticed a
bird of prey in the sky
, marmosets give an alarming signal, sounding like a trill. If the monkeys are in danger in the form of an approaching enemy, then they begin to scare him. They make marmosets in a very nice way: the monkey begins to press its ears to the head, frowns (lowers the edges) and raises its fur. All this makes her rather formidable and terrible, but only from the point of view of her brothers. In fact, this is how she looks even nicer.
Marmoset and man - what is common between them?
This is surprising, but man and the smallest monkey in the world have much in common:
- the type of family group of marmosets is similar to the human type, since they have the same head as ours, the head of the family is the father;
- dwarf marmoset and humans have the same number of teeth - 32 teeth;
- I and I have the same number of chromosomes - 46.
Of course, this is just a fun coincidence and nothing more! Looking into these cute eyes, into the tiny and quick-witted face, you cannot but express your sincere admiration for this funny monkey! The pygmy marmoset, like many other animals of the world (photo), is an amazing creation of mother nature, to which it is simply impossible not to experience warm feelings! Friends, love animals!