Overview
Distribution
Range Description
Mico argentatus does not occur south of Belo Monte on the Rio Xingu (Transamazon highway) and is restricted to the north of the Tucuruí dam reservoir on the Rio Tocantins (Ferrari and Lopes Ferrari 1990; Ferrari and Lopes 1996). This restricts the range of M. argentatus well to the north of the mouth of the Rio Irirí on the eastern bank of the Xingú, with the southern limits being somewhere between the Rios Cuparí and Irirí to the west of the Rio Xingu as indicated by Hershkovitz (1977; see also Martins et al. 1988).
Ferrari (2008) pointed out that there is probably a zone of contact between M. argentatus and M. leucippe in the south-west of the formers range, but there is a gap in our knowledge of the occurrence of this genus between the Rios Teles Pires and Irirí.
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Geographic Range
Silvery marmosets, Callithrix argentata, are found south and east of the Amazon River in eastern Brazil. Silvery marmosets are isolated from other marmosets, except south of the Amazon delta where they co-occur with common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus. (Preston-Mafham 1992)
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
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Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
About the size of a squirrel, silvery marmosets are one of the smallest New World monkeys. Head and body length averages 21.59 cm and tail length averages 29.21 cm. Silvery marmosets vary in color from silvery white to dark brown. Dark brown marmosets have hairless ears and faces and are sometimes referred to as bare-ear marmosets. Because of their dark tails, silvery marmosets are also referred to as black-tailed monkeys. A unique feature of the silvery marmoset is that their jaw narrows to a sharp point. This pointed jaw, along with short canine teeth, are believed to be an adaption for their unique feeding habit. While other New World monkeys posess nails on all of their toes, marmosets have claws on all of their toes except the big toe. (Preston-Mafham 1992; Napier 1985)
Average mass: 1360 g.
Average mass: 343.2 g.
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Sympatric in part of their range with Saguinus niger (see Veracini 1997). Ferrari (1993) indicated that S. niger has the competitive edge in forests on the relatively nutrient poor soils of the Brazilian Shield, and that M. argentatus was a “newcomer” resulting from a Holocene range expansion of the genus.
Marmosets and tamarins are distinguished from the other monkeys of the New World by their small size, modified claws rather than nails on all digits except the big toe, the presence of two as opposed to three molar teeth in either side of each jaw, and by the occurrence of twin births. They eat fruits, flowers, nectar, plant exudates (gums, saps, latex) and animal prey (including frogs, snails, lizards, spiders and insects). Marmosets have morphological and behavioural adaptations for gouging trees trunks, branches and vines of certain species to stimulate the flow of gum, which they eat, and in some species forms a notable component of the diet (Coimbra-Filho and Mittermeier 1976; Rylands 1984). They live in extended family groups of between four and 15 individuals. Mean group sizes recored by Gonçalves et al. (2003) in four localities in the west of its tnage were as follows: 1) 5.3 ±1.3; 2) 5.0 ± 0.9; 3) 5.6 ±2.1; and 3) 7.6 ±1.2. The group studied by Veracini (1997) and Tavares (Tavares and Ferrari 2002) on the Rio Curuá ranged from eight to 10 individuals. Generally, only one female per group breeds during a particular breeding season. The groups defend home ranges 10-40 ha, the size depending on availability and distribution of foods and second-growth patches. Tavares (1999) recorded a range size of 11.8 ha over 6 months.
Ecological and behavioural studies have been carried out by Veracini (1997), Tavares and Ferrari (2002) in dense lowand rain forest on the Rio Curuá at the Ferreira Pena Scientific Station at Caxiuanã, Pará., and by Albernaz and Magnusson (1999) and Corrêa (2006) in savanna forest patches at Alter do Chão, near Santarém.
Group sizes known to range from 4 to 11 individuals at Alter do Chão, near Santarém (Albernaz and Magnusson 1999; Corrêa et al. 2002; Corrêa 2006;).
Siize:
Weight 273-435 g.
Systems
- Terrestrial
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Habitat
Within the tropical rain forest silvery marmosets take advantage of tree hollows, dense vegetation, and vine tangles for sleeping sites.
(Rowe 1996)
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
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Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
Silvery marmosets are gumivores, their diet consists mainly of the sap and gum of trees. With canines and incisors of equal length they are able to gouge holes in trees and lap up the exudate. They supplement their diet with fruit, insects, and leaves. (Swindler 1998)
Animal Foods: insects
Plant Foods: leaves; fruit; sap or other plant fluids
Primary Diet: herbivore (Eats sap or other plant foods)
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Life History and Behavior
Life Expectancy
Lifespan/Longevity
Average lifespan
Sex: female
Status: captivity: 16.8 years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 8.8 years.
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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
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Reproduction
Reproduction
Females usually give birth to twins twice a year after a gestation time of 145 days. Ten to twenty days after giving birth females ovulate, at the same time they are nursing current young. Subordinate females within the family group are prevented from ovulating by exposure to pheromones released by dominant females.(Napier 1985)
Breeding interval: Silvery marmosets breed twice a year.
Average number of offspring: 2.
Average gestation period: 145 days.
Average weaning age: 6 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous
Average birth mass: 35.1 g.
Average gestation period: 144 days.
Average number of offspring: 2.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 334 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 304 days.
Silvery marmosets live in extended families of about twelve where all the members help care for the young. Silvery marmoset fathers carry their infants and return them to the mother to be fed every two to three hours. Infants are weaned from their mother's milk at about six months and are considered adults at one to two years old.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male)
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
Justification
History
- 2003Least Concern(IUCN 2003)
- 1996Lower Risk/least concern
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Conservation Status
The destruction of forests has resulted in the endangerment of many rainforest animals, including many monkey species. However, silvery marmosets have been able to survive by taking advantage of human food crops and living in secondary forest habitats. It remains to be seen whether this trend continues.
(Preston-Mafham 1992)
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
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Trends
Population
Gonçalves et al. (2003) recorded the following population densities at three sites in the west of the species' range, a short distance south of Santarém, along the Rio Tapajós:
Massafra: 9.3 individuals/km² or 1.9 groups/km²
São Benedito: 12.6 individuals/km² or 2.3 groups/km²
Tabocal: 101.1 individuals/km² or 13.3 groups/km²
These three sites were all forest fragments along the Santarém-Cuiabá highway. Gonçalves et al. (2003) also carried out a census in the Tapajós National Forest, but the densities there were too low to quantify.
Population Trend
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Threats
Threats
Although apparently able to thrive in disturbed forest and forest fragments, Gonçalves et al. (2003) found that isolated remnant populations are genetically quite distinct and appear to have suffered the effects of inbreeding or genetic drift, which may be prejudicial to the long-term survival of the small (50 or less) populations, even though this species occurs in naturally fragmented forests in savannas in some parts of its range (Albernaz and Magnusson 1999; Corrêa 2006).
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Management
Conservation Actions
Further research is needed on the limits of their geographical distribution, and the degree of forest loss within their known range. Soy bean cultivation, cattle ranching and logging have increased over the past decade and the impacts of these should be monitored.
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
By feeding on newly planted crops that replace rain forests silvery marmosets have become pests. As a result humans in these areas carry out active extermination campaigns.
(Preston-Mafham 1992)
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Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Because of their small size and mild disposition marmosets are used regularly in medical research. Studying the fertilization, placental development, and embryonic stem cells of marmosets may reveal causes of developmental problems and genetic disorders in humans. (WRPRC, 1997)
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Wikipedia
Silvery marmoset
The silvery marmoset (Mico argentatus) is a New World monkey that lives in Brazil, south and east of the Amazon basin. Compared to other marmosets, they have a very isolated habitat.
The fur of the silvery marmoset is colored whitish silver-grey except for a dark tail. Remarkable are its naked, flesh-colored ears which stand out from the skin. They reach a size of 18 to 28 cm and weigh from 300 to 400 g.
Silvery marmosets are diurnal and arboreal, using their claws to climb trees. Originally rain forest inhabitants, plantations have caused them to expand their range. They spend the night in tree hollows or in very close vegetation. They live together in small groups and mark their territory with scent glands, driving out intruders by shouting or by facial expressions (lowered brows and guarded lips).
The diet of the silvery marmosets predominantly consists of tree sap. To a lesser extent, they also eat bird eggs, fruit, insects, and small vertebrates.
After a 145 day gestation period, the female bears two (or rarely three) offspring. As is the case for many callitrichids, the father and the other group members take part with the raising of the offspring. Within six months the young are weaned, with full maturity coming at about two years of age.
References
- ^ Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 130. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=12100188.
- ^ Rylands AB and Mittermeier RA (2009). "The Diversity of the New World Primates (Platyrrhini)". In Garber PA, Estrada A, Bicca-Marques JC, Heymann EW, Strier KB. South American Primates: Comparative Perspectives in the Study of Bahavior, Ecology, and Conservation. Springer. pp. 23–54. ISBN 978-0-387-78704-6.
- ^ Rylands, A. B. & Silva Jr., J. S. (2008). Mico argentatus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 2 January 2009.
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