Emperor Tamarin

Quick Take

• This monkey's regal name started as a joke, and the real story behind it is stranger than you'd expect. The naming origin story →
• Its two-color vision sounds like a limitation, but it gives the emperor tamarin a predator-spotting advantage most animals don't have. How dichromatic vision helps →
• Emperor tamarins are polyandrous, and the way their troop shares parenting duties defies what most people assume about primate family structures. Polyandrous parenting explained →
• Despite being listed as 'least concern,' something is quietly shrinking their numbers, and it's entirely preventable. Declining wild population →

With an elegant white mustache resembling German Emperor Wilhelm II, the emperor tamarin belongs to a species of small New World monkeys and is found mostly in the forests of South America. The name ’emperor tamarin’ was first used as a joke before it was officially adopted for the species. It is identified by its tiny body size and long, thin tail, and its grey coloring is highlighted with bits of red and orange on its back and chest. It shares its genus with at least 11 other species.

4 Incredible Emperor Tamarin Facts

• The emperor tamarin is diurnal, which means that it sleeps through the night and is most active during the day.
• This little primate is an omnivore, with a diet primarily made up of tree sap, nectar, fruits, insects, small reptiles, and eggs.
• It usually exists in groups, or troops, of 4 to 20. Each troop has an elderly female as its leader.
• These mammals use a hissing sound, as well as chirping calls, to communicate.

Evolution And Origin

The emperor tamarin belongs to the group of New World monkeys, indigenous to the Americas, which first began to appear around 30 million years ago in the Cenozoic era. Not much is known about how they began, but it is believed that they may have descended from Old World monkeys — indigenous to Africa and Asia — that were isolated in groups and eventually migrated to the Americas. New World monkeys are smaller and spend more time in trees than their Old World relatives.

Classification and Scientific Name

An emperor tamarin goes by the scientific name Saguinus imperator and belongs to the Callitrichidae family. ‘Saguinus‘ comes from the Portuguese word ‘sagui’ and the Latin suffix -inus (‘of’), while ‘imperator‘ is Latin for ‘commander’ or ‘general,’ a title that later came to be associated with emperors. It further belongs to the class Mammalia and the genus Saguinus, from which it also gets its scientific name. It is also called Goeldi’s marmoset.

Types Of

There are two subspecies of the emperor tamarin, and they reside in different areas. One is the bearded emperor tamarin, which can be found mostly in the rainforests in Brazil and Peru. The other is the black-chinned emperor tamarin, which is found in the rainforests across Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil.

Appearance

At just 9 to 10 inches tall, the emperor tamarin is a rather small animal that weighs between 12 and 18 ounces. It is covered in gray fur with a bit of red and yellow on the back and the chest. It has black hands and feet and a long, brown tail. With a pink nose and mouth, what uniquely distinguishes this creature from others is its elegant white mustache, and oftentimes a beard to match.

Behavior

These primates are diurnal, which means that they are most active in the daytime and relax and sleep through the night. their small size and lightweight structure allow them to hop from one tree branch to another, making it easier for them to reach food that is usually inaccessible to other animals. Moreover, their sharp claws help strengthen their grip around tree branches, allowing them to maintain better positions than most other animals.

Emperor tamarins are known to be very sociable creatures and live with the rest of their troops in a marked territory. A group, or troop, can range anywhere between 2 and 20 tamarins. These groups are generally led by the eldest female members and are also predominantly made up of male members. It has been observed that these tiny primates are very affectionate toward the humans they come into contact with. They maintain a close-knit relationship with all the members of their group and collaborate warmly. They are also known to feed, sleep, forage, and protect their marked territory together.

Some sources suggest that the emperor tamarins may live in groups of mixed species with other tamarins, mostly the saddleback tamarin. It is said that such coexistence often becomes a mutually beneficial relationship that helps both species protect themselves and one another from potential predators.

These tamarins are known to have dichromatic vision, meaning that their vision only allows them to see two distinct colors. This adaptation helps them identify threats and predators even when those threats are camouflaged in their surroundings.

Habitat

The bearded emperor tamarin is usually found in the rainforests of Brazil and Peru, while the black-chinned emperor tamarin is known to be scattered across the rainforests of Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. Lowland tropical rainforests, which these species prefer, are their ideal habitat. They are usually found living in the tree canopies of river basins. However, lowlands are not their only habitat. They are also found in seasonally flooded forests, rainforests on flatlands, evergreen forests at altitudes below 984 feet, remnant forest edges, and broadleaf forests.

Meanwhile, it has also been observed that emperor tamarins generally do not live in tall trees and are not typically found above 80 to 90 feet off the ground.

Population

Sources suggest that there are more than 500 emperor tamarins in zoos all around the world. However, their population has been on a steady decline, primarily due to humans clearing land for residential or industrial purposes.

Diet

Emperor tamarins are omnivorous, so they eat both animals and plants to survive. Fruits, nectar, eggs, and insects are the diet staples that make up the majority of their diet and largely come from the trees they reside in.

Their small size makes it easier for them to find food. Since they are so small and light, they can easily hop over tree branches and reach the usually inaccessible food. Surprisingly, the species can travel 30 hectares (0.12 square miles) as they seek out food sources for sustenance.

Predators And Threats

Due to its small size, the emperor tamarin faces many predators. Wild cats, birds, dogs, snakes, and humans, among others, make up the predator list for this animal.

Threats to the well-being of the emperor tamarin come from a wide variety of animals, including wild cats, dogs, snakes, and even humans, who have been known to destroy the natural habitat of the species over the years. Its predators, however, find it difficult to prey on the emperor tamarin due to its ability to pass through the thickest jungles very quickly.

To protect themselves from potential threats and predators, these tamarins have a unique dichromatic vision that allows them to see their surroundings in two distinct colors. It helps them identify threats and predators even when predators are camouflaged.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the conservation status of the emperor tamarin is of least concern. However, reports suggest that their population has been on a steady decline mostly because of deforestation and encroachment by humans looking to clear land for other purposes.

Reproduction, Babies, And Lifespan

Emperor Tamarins are known to be seasonal breeders and usually bear offspring during rainy months. This may be due to the abundance of food during that season. The family groups involve one breeding female and two breeding males. Tamarins are polyandrous in their mating habits, allowing the female to mate with multiple breeding males within their group.

After conception, the gestation period lasts for about 140 to 145 days. After this period, the female often produces two offspring. However, one or even three offspring are also typical. Other adults in the tamarin group spring into action as soon as a baby is born. The mother is known to feed her child at intervals of two to three hours, each lasting approximately 30 minutes. Similarly, the fathers also take responsibility for the offspring, carry them on their backs, and care for them once they have been fed. It is said that the babies travel on the backs of their fathers for around 6 to 7 weeks. Baby emperor tamarins mature rather quickly, attaining sexual maturity between 16 and 20 months of age. Emperor tamarins go on to live for 10 to 20 years.

In Zoos

The emperor tamarin can be found in several zoos throughout the world, including:

• Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota
• Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C.
• ZSL London Zoo in London, England
• Adelaide Zoo in Australia