How will we know if we see it? Will we see it?
The golden-rumped lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) is a small primate, found in lowland Brazilian rainforest, whose body and head measures an average of twelve inches, with its tail being even longer than this. Weighing a little under a pound and a half, it is mostly black with a golden patch on its rump and the base of its tail. It comes out during the day to hunt and catch insects, sleeping in a group at night.

One of the world’s most endangered species, the black lion tamarin, as it is also known, was placed on the IUCN’s Critically Endangered species list in 1996. It is estimated that fewer than a thousand individuals still exist, due to deforestation, fire, and hunting.

What does it eat?
The golden-rumped lion tamarin’s primary diet consists of mainly of fruit, but it will also feed on insects, flowers, nectar, and plant or tree gum. It has non-opposable thumbs and elongated digits that are used for foraging purposes, and maintains social bonds with other members of its group through food sharing.

Give us the specifics on its reproductive habits.
Well, when a male tamarin and a female tamarin love each other very much...

On second thought, not TOO specific...
It takes at least two years for the golden-rumped lion tamarin to reach sexual maturity, although it may be longer. A sexually mature female will usually give birth to two live young after a gestation period of four and a half to five months, although triplets and quadruplets are not unheard of. The tamarin lives together in groups of two to eleven members (with an average of around four), including two or three adults.

Classification

Sources:
http://www.animalinfo.org/species/primate/leonchrp.htm
http://members.tripod.com/uakari/leontopithecus_chrysopygus.html
http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Leontopithecus_chrysopygus/more_info.html

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.