Geoffroy's Tamarin
| Geoffroy's Tamarin Status Secure | ||||||||||||||||
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| Saguinus geoffroyi (Pucheran, 1845) |
Geoffroy's Tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi), or the Panamanian Tamarin, is a black and white tamarin with a reddish nape. It is found from Costa Rica to Colombia. Some authors have treated it as a subspecies of the Cotton-top Tamarin, Saguinus oedipus, but the most recent research suggests that the two groups differ sufficiently to be considered separate species.
Like all callitrichines it is arboreal; it tends to live in areas of secondary growth or mixed forest. As a species it may become endangered, chiefly because of habitat loss, but it is abundant in a few localities particularly in Panama.
Field studies suggest that natural groups vary in size from three to fifteen individuals, which show some degree of territorial defence. There is virtually no difference in size or appearance between males and females. In captivity, they can live for up to 13 years. As with other callitrichines, males contribule heavily to parental care, and it is likely that some groups are polyandrous.