Size : 9-13 ounces, 6-8 inches long.

Lifespan : 12 years, 7-16 years in captivity.

Breeding : Mating every six months. Gestation 148 days, 2-4 babies per birth.

Habits : Monogamous family groups.

Diet : Fruit, gums, frogs, snails, lizards, spiders, and insects.

    The common marmoset is a New World primate that lives high up in the trees of northeast Brazil. The common marmoset travels in groups of 3-15, and sometimes there are as many as 20 eating fruit and insects and grooming each other to show bonding and affection.  The social group is made up of the breeding pair and their offspring.  The marmoset is a specialized gum eater.  It is most active in the early morning and late evening. In the afternoon, the marmoset takes a nap and grooms extensively.
    No marmoset groups share the same forest, and they defend ranges using extended bouts of calling, chasing and displaying. They have a monogamous breeding system with little difference between the sexes.  There are usually multiple births (usually twins), and males help in caring for young.