Silvery Marmoset

• Common Name: Silvery Marmoset
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1766
• Monkey Size: 28 to 28 cm (7.1 to 11.0 in)
• Skin Color(s): Whitish silver-grey
• Habitat: Rainforest
• Diet: Omnivorous
• Native Countries: Brazil

The Silvery marmoset^[1] (Mico argentatus) is a New-World monkey living in the eastern Amazon rainforest of Brazil. True to its name, the silvery marmoset’s body is a striking silver-grey color.

• In contrast, the tail is dark brown. In addition, they have bare faces and ears, a trait they share with several other marmoset species.
• Silvery Marmoset weight is up to a mere 400g only.
• Their hands, which look eerily like human hands, end in sharp claws, which they use to dig into the bark of trees to access and consume the sticky sap inside.
• Silvery Marmosets are omnivorous, feeding on various foods, from vegetation to small animals.

• Silvery marmosets are primarily arboreal species and can spend their entire lives in trees without descending to the ground.
• They live in groups of 4-12 individuals, with one being the dominant female and sole breeder. Groups stick together and are relatively cohesive.
• Unlike most primate species, Silvery marmosets have sharp claws instead of nails.
• Silvery marmosets and other common marmosets have specialized morphology and dentition for burrowing into tree bark. Their lower incisors are sharp and chisel-like, allowing them access to tree excretions (sap, gums, resins, and latex).
• At dusk, they find a place to perch, often a tangle of vines or a hole in a tree, where they huddle together, safe from predators.