The golden lion tamarin belongs to the family Leontopithecus which includes four distinct species; the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia), the golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas), the black-faced lion tamarin (Leontopithecus caissara) and the black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus). While the golden lion tamarins are the most abundant, they only number about 600 in the wild. They are currently found only in a small area of Brazil northeast of Rio de Janeiro.
The golden lion tamarin live in Tropical humid forest. Golden lion tamarins prefer mature primary forest but can utilize various kinds of secondary forests. They tend to select areas with heavy vine growth for cover and with tree holes for sleeping sites. Males weight 15.4-25 ounces and females 12.7-28 ounces. They eat primarily insects and fruit, but also spiders, snails, small lizards, birds and bird eggs.
Tamarins tend to be monogamous and remain with the same mate. This breeding pair forms the base for a family group of two to eight family members, with temporary associations of 15-16. Tamarins have a wide variety of vocalizations which they use in communicating in the dense forest.
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