Red-cheeked lion tamarin
| Red-cheeked lion tamarin | ||||||||||||
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Red- tipped lion tamarin ( Leontopithecus chrysopygus ) |
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| Leontopithecus chrysopygus | ||||||||||||
| ( Mikan , 1823) |
The red- tipped lion tamarin ( Leontopithecus chrysopygus ) is a primate species from the genus of lion tamarins , which belongs to the family of marmosets (Callitrichidae).
description
The fur of the red-tipped lion tamarin is almost completely black, only the thighs of the hind legs, the buttocks and the black salsify are reddish-brown. As with all lion tamarins, their face and paws are hairless and the long fingers, with the exception of the first toe of the hind paws, end in claws. These animals reach an average head-trunk length of around 30 centimeters and a weight of around 600 grams. The tail is longer than the body and up to 40 centimeters long.
distribution and habitat
Red-cheeked lion tamarins only live in the western and central regions of the Brazilian state of São Paulo . The habitat of these primates are predominantly tropical forests up to a height of 700 meters.
Way of life
These animals are tree dwellers, where they mainly stay on trees overgrown with lianas and other creepers. They are diurnal and mostly sleep in tree hollows at night.
They live in family groups of two to eight animals, which usually consist of an adult couple and their offspring. Sometimes there are several adult females, but then only the dominant female reproduces. The groups are characterized by pronounced social behavior, grooming and sharing of food play an important role. The group members communicate with one another with a series of sounds.
food
Red-cheeked lion tamarins feed primarily on insects and fruits. Sometimes they also eat small vertebrates such as birds or lizards, as well as bird eggs.
Reproduction
Between September and March the female gives birth to the offspring after a gestation period of around 130 days. Twin births predominate, although cases of triplets and even quadruplets are known. In the first two weeks of life, the newborns mainly stay with the mother, after which the father and sometimes the other group members also take care of them. They are weaned after two to three months, and sexual maturity occurs at around 18 to 24 months, after which most animals leave their birth group.
Threat and protection
Until well into the 20th century, the red-tipped lion tamarins inhabited large parts of the interior of the state of São Paulo . However, more than 90 percent of the rainforest areas of this state were destroyed by forest clearing and urban sprawl. Today their range is divided into eleven small populations, most of them in the Morro do Diabo National Park in the southwest of the state. Protective measures have been initiated, including attempts to create corridors between the sometimes tiny populations through reforestation. The total population is estimated at only 1,000 animals that IUCN lists the species as "critically endangered" ( endangered ).
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer, Berlin a. a. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
- Images and further information on theprimata.com
- Leontopithecus chrysopygus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: MC M Kierulff u. a., 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2009.