(Callithrix (Callithrix) jacchus) 21 species, see text Marmoset
is the common name for the small, arboreal New World monkeys
comprising the genus Callithrix of the primate family Cebidae,
characterized by claw-like nails instead of the flat nails of
other primates, long lower incisors, a specialized cecum, and
squirrel-like movement in trees. All marmosets feed on plant
exudates (such as gum, sap, and resin) as well as an insectivore
diet (Cawthon Lang 2005a). The term marmoset is also used in
reference to the Goeldi's marmoset (Callimico goeldii), a New
World monkey that is not part of the genus Callithrix and is not
discussed in this article. Found in South America, from Colombia
and Ecuador to the north and Brazil and Paraguay to the south,
marmosets are important components of food chains (and likely
seed dispersal as well). As quite small primates, they are
preyed upon by diverse mammals and birds, including felids (such
as ocelots), mustelids, arboreal snakes, raptors, and owls
(Cawthon Lang 2005a, 2005