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Pygmy marmoset
pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) - Cuyabeno wildlife refuge, Ecuador
The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is the world's smallest monkey, but not the smallest primate as the a mouse lemur found across the world in Madagascar is smaller, nevertheless the most striking thing about these little marmosets is how tiny they are. They almost look like mice skittering through the trees. It is found in the Northern Amazon including Ecuador where this was taken. Their uniqueness doesn't end with their dimunitive size either, they are also gummivores. Gummivores are an unusual subset of herbivore that feeds on tree sap and gum although apparently occasional insects are also consumed. They have specialized incisor teeth which they use to chew holes through bark and then lap up the pooling sap. The marmoset social group picks a few trees and stays by them, poking numerous holes through the bark. Which you can actually see the results of in the photo. These are not the best photos as the conditions in the forest were dim and I really had to ramp my ISO up high to get anything, but they're such cool animals I couldn't resist sharing with you all. The dim conditions were exacerbated by the fact that they seemed to hang out in the mid canopy and atleast in the brief time we observed them avoided the brighter edges or top of trees, this makes sense considering how small they are and how many predators must see them as a tasty morsel. Best to stay hidden in the shadows. Hopefully, someday I get another chance to photograph them and can do a bit better.
Pygmy marmoset
pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) - Cuyabeno wildlife refuge, Ecuador
The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is the world's smallest monkey, but not the smallest primate as the a mouse lemur found across the world in Madagascar is smaller, nevertheless the most striking thing about these little marmosets is how tiny they are. They almost look like mice skittering through the trees. It is found in the Northern Amazon including Ecuador where this was taken. Their uniqueness doesn't end with their dimunitive size either, they are also gummivores. Gummivores are an unusual subset of herbivore that feeds on tree sap and gum although apparently occasional insects are also consumed. They have specialized incisor teeth which they use to chew holes through bark and then lap up the pooling sap. The marmoset social group picks a few trees and stays by them, poking numerous holes through the bark. Which you can actually see the results of in the photo. These are not the best photos as the conditions in the forest were dim and I really had to ramp my ISO up high to get anything, but they're such cool animals I couldn't resist sharing with you all. The dim conditions were exacerbated by the fact that they seemed to hang out in the mid canopy and atleast in the brief time we observed them avoided the brighter edges or top of trees, this makes sense considering how small they are and how many predators must see them as a tasty morsel. Best to stay hidden in the shadows. Hopefully, someday I get another chance to photograph them and can do a bit better.