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Geoffroy’s Tamarin Facts & Worksheets

Geoffroy's Tamarin is a small monkey that inhabits Panama and Colombia

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Also known as the Panamanian, red-crusted or rufous-naped tamarin, Geoffroy’s tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi) is a small monkey that inhabits Panama and Colombia. Mostly arboreal, this predominantly black and white creature with a reddish nape is currently listed as a least concern species by the IUCN.

See the fact file below for more information on the Geoffroy’s Tamarin or alternatively, you can download our 29-page Geoffroy’s Tamarin worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TAXONOMY

  • Similar to other tamarins and marmosets, Geoffroy’s tamarin is considered a New World monkey under the Callitrichidae family.
  • It has the genus name Saguinus, which also houses the majority of the tamarins.
  • Geoffroy’s tamarin has no identified subspecies.
  • In 1977, American mammalogist Philip Hershkovitz acknowledged Geoffroy’s tamarin as a subspecies of the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), which is endemic to Colombia, according to fur coloration, cranial and mandibular morphology, and ear size.
  • Recent studies, however, suggest that these tamarins are two separate species.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

  • Like other callitrichids, Geoffroy’s tamarin is a small monkey, reaching 8.9 to 9.4 inches in length, with a tail size of 12.4 to 15.2 inches.
  • The females are relatively larger than males, having an average weight of 17.9 ounces, while the latter weighs around 17.1 ounces.
  • It is considered the smallest Central American monkey.
  • The coat on its back is variegated black and yellow, with light-colored legs, feet, and chest. Its face is almost bare, although it has reddish fur with a triangular-shaped patch at the front of its head. Its tail is chestnut-red with a black tip.

BEHAVIOR

  • Like its other tamarin and marmoset cousins, Geoffroy’s tamarin is diurnal and arboreal – it is active during the daytime and is found mostly in trees. 
  • Unlike other New World primates, it only descends from trees in special circumstances, such as to forage for specific food or to move to a tree which it cannot otherwise reach. 
  • Group size is mainly between three to nine individuals, with three to five on average. Groups, which display territorial defenses, generally include more than one male and female adult.
  • Geoffroy’s tamarin communicates through vocalizations, such as whistles, twitters, trills, loud or soft sharp notes, sneezes, and long rasps, and visual gestures that include body postures, such as standing on back legs and piloerection, or goosebumps, which tend to be related to aggression. 

DIET

  • Its diet is similar to some species of the tyrant flycatcher birds in Panama.
  • Geoffroy’s tamarin seasonally feeds on fruits, insects, exudates (gums and saps), and green plant parts. Primatologist Paul Garber proposed that its diet consists of 40% insects, 38% fruit, 14% exudates, and 8% other items. Meanwhile, another study in Barro Colorado Island suggested 60% fruit, 30% insects, and 10% green plant parts, including large portions of elephant ear tree sap. Another study revealed that its diet is equally divided between insects, the majority of which are grasshoppers, and fruit. 
  • Unlike marmosets, Geoffroy’s tamarin does not have teeth adapted for gouging trees; instead, it only consumes sap when it is accessible. 
  • Another study showed Geoffroy’s tamarin drinking water from the petals of Ochroma limonesis flowers. However, it is also believed to drink from holes in trees, just like other tamarin species.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

  • It is found in central and eastern Panama, ranging from west of the Panama Canal zone across far west of Altos de Campana National Park. It is also found in Colombia, with the range extending on the Pacific coast west of the Andes and south to the Rio San Juan.
  • Geoffroy’s tamarin thrives in different types of forest, such as primary, secondary, dry, and moist tropical forests. It specifically prefers secondary forests with moderate humidity. 

REPRODUCTION

  • Geoffroy’s tamarin can rear young, either a single infant or twins, throughout the year, but the birthing peak period is typically from April to June. 
  • The gestation period is similar to that of the cotton-top tamarin, which reaches 145 days.
  • Infants become mobile after two to five weeks and start consuming solid food at four to seven weeks. They reach independence at 10 to 18 weeks and are fully weaned at 15 to 25 weeks.
  • A baby Geoffroy’s tamarin weighs approximately 1.4 to 1.8 ounces. Born fully furred, an infant’s coat is colored differently than the adults’, sporting black fur on the body and tail, with a beige blaze, and white face.
  • Polyandrous and polygynous mating takes place; however, males do the majority of the parental care.
  • Sexual maturity is reached after two years.

Geoffroy’s Tamarin Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Geoffroy’s Tamarin across 29 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Geoffroy’s Tamarin which is a small monkey that inhabits Panama and Colombia.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Geoffroy’s Tamarin Facts
  • Creature Corner
  • Background Check
  • Test Yourself
  • Growing up Red-Naped
  • Just a Review
  • Two Little Monkeys
  • Fill in the Puzzle
  • Other Tamarins
  • 4 Pics, 1 Little Monkey
  • Current Status

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Link will appear as Geoffroy’s Tamarin Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 10, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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