Suite101

Marmosets and Tamarins (Part One)


© Sue Gale
Page 2

Births normally take place at night, or in the early hours of the morning. Observations of births show that the male stands behind the female and, once the baby has arrived, helps to clear and eat the afterbirth and places the baby on his back. When the second baby arrives, the same procedure is followed. The male then carries the babies for the first few days, only passing them over to the female for nursing. Older brothers and sister in the group are then taught to carry and care for the infants as this prepares them for parenthood. Normally two babies are born, but up to five have been recorded.

Callitrichidae have a birth control system. The dominant female secretes a pheromone that suppresses ovulation in other females in the group. Therefore, it is only the dominant female in the group that produces offspring.

Permission for use by Sue Gale Marmoset Welfare Foundation - Pietersburg, South Africa

Next month: Disorders and Behavorial Problems

Go To Page: 1 2


Post this Article to facebook Add this Article to del.icio.us! Digg this Article furl this Article Add this Article to Reddit Add this Article to Technorati Add this Article to Newsvine Add this Article to Windows Live Add this Article to Yahoo Add this Article to StumbleUpon Add this Article to BlinkLists Add this Article to Spurl Add this Article to Google Add this Article to Ask Add this Article to Squidoo


Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages

2.   Jul 6, 2001 2:19 AM
What a fascinating article! Glad they're not humans though! Not quite sure I would like those rules applied to my life! Erk!
:)
Donna ...

-- posted by A1_Viking


1.   Jul 4, 2001 5:52 AM
How interesting about the father carrying the newborns, and even the older siblings helping to care for them. Fascinating about their birth control method!

Great article. I enjoyed it. Thank you ...


-- posted by Renie_Burghardt





Join the latest discussions

For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Sue Gale's Primates topic, please visit the Discussions page.