Goeldi's Monkey
Callimico goeldii
Goeldi's monkeys are small, all-black New World monkeys of the western Amazon, unusual among primates for making fungi a staple of their diet.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Primates
- Family
- Callitrichidae
Other Names
Goeldi's Marmoset, Callimico
Size
8–9.5 inches long; 0.8–1.5 lbs.
Description
Shaggy, all-black fur and a small body, the sole living member of its genus.
Behavior
Stays low in the dense understory rather than the high canopy most primates prefer.
Diet
Fungi make up a large share of the diet, along with fruit and insects.
Communication
High-pitched trills, often at frequencies near the edge of human hearing.
Habitat
Dense bamboo thickets and forest understory of the western Amazon Basin.
Life Cycle & Society
- Gestation
- ~150 days
- Sexually Mature
- 12–14 months
- Life Span
- ~20 years in captivity
- Athleticism
- Vertical clinging and leaping
- Conservation Status
- Least Concern
Goeldi's monkeys live in small groups of two to ten, typically a monogamous breeding pair and their offspring from several litters. They mature unusually fast for a primate, reaching sexual maturity within their first year or so of life.
