Tamarins Marmosets and Goeldi's Monkey: Callitrichidae

Callitrichids are very social animals, living in extended family groups made up of a breeding pair, their offspring, and other relatives. They are arboreal (tree-dwelling) and diurnal (active during the day). They perform mutual grooming, or looking through each other's fur to remove parasites and dirt. Only one female breeds in a family, giving birth to twins. Goeldi's monkeys are the exceptions, having single births. The father and other family members share in childrearing, taking turns carrying the infants and sharing food with them. They guard their territories, sending messages through scent marking, loud calls, body language, and facial expressions.