Mico leucippe

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	PRIMATES	CALLITRICHIDAE

Scientific Name:

Mico leucippe

Species Authority:

(Thomas, 1922)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Golden-white Bare-ear Marmoset
Spanish	–	Sagüi-branco

Synonym/s:

Callithrix argentata ssp. leucippe (Thomas 1922)

Callithrix leucippe (Thomas 1922)

Taxonomic Notes:

Formerly in the genus Callithrix (see Rylands et al. 1993, 2000, 2008). Groves (2001, 2005) lists this species as Callithrix (Mico) leucippe.

Mico leucippe was considered by Carvalho (1959) to be a subspecies of Callithrix chrysoleuca, but was placed as a subspecies of C. argentata by Hershkovitz (1977). It is similar to M. argentatus, predominantly white, but with tail and feet pale gold. The face and ears are largely unpigmented (Hershkovitz 1977).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2c ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Mittermeier, R.A. & Rylands, A.B.

Reviewer/s:

Mittermeier, R.A., Rylands, A.B. (Primate Red List Authority) & Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Vulnerable as there is reason to believe the species has declined by at least 30% over the past 18 years (three generations) due primarily to habitat loss.

History:

2003	–	Data Deficient (IUCN 2003)
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Endangered (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Vulnerable (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Vulnerable (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1986	–	Vulnerable (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1982	–	Vulnerable (Thornback and Jenkins 1982)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Mico leucippe is known only from a small area in the state of Pará, between the Rios Cuparí and Tapajós (right bank of the Rio Tapajos), south to the Rio Jamanxim, (Hershkovitz 1977; Pimenta and Silva Jr. 2005).
Countries:	Native: Brazil (Pará)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There is no information available on the population status of this species.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Inhabits humid tropical rain forest, with a preference for secondary growth and edge habitat (Vivo 1979). Vivo (1979, 1991) observed Mico leucippe at Pimental during surveys in the Amazônia National Park. Vivo found it to be most common in degraded and secondary forest. Marmosets and tamarins are distinguished from the other monkeys of the New World by their small size, modified claws rather than nails on all digits except the big toe, the presence of two as opposed to three molar teeth in either side of each jaw, and by the occurrence of twin births. They eat fruits, flowers, nectar, plant exudates (gums, saps, latex) and animal prey (including frogs, snails, lizards, spiders and insects). Marmosets have morphological and behavioural adaptations for gouging trees trunks, branches and vines of certain species to stimulate the flow of gum, which they eat, and in some species form a notable component of the diet (Coimbra-Filho and Mittermeier 1976; Rylands 1984). They live in extended family groups of between four and 15 individuals. Generally, only one female per group breeds during a particular breeding season. The groups defend home ranges 10-40 ha, the size depending on availability and distribution of foods and second-growth patches. Size: H&B 20.5-23.5 cm, TL 26.5-37.0 cm (n=7) (Ferrari 2008).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Inhabits humid tropical rain forest, with a preference for secondary growth and edge habitat (Vivo 1979). Vivo (1979, 1991) observed Mico leucippe at Pimental during surveys in the Amazônia National Park. Vivo found it to be most common in degraded and secondary forest.

Marmosets and tamarins are distinguished from the other monkeys of the New World by their small size, modified claws rather than nails on all digits except the big toe, the presence of two as opposed to three molar teeth in either side of each jaw, and by the occurrence of twin births. They eat fruits, flowers, nectar, plant exudates (gums, saps, latex) and animal prey (including frogs, snails, lizards, spiders and insects). Marmosets have morphological and behavioural adaptations for gouging trees trunks, branches and vines of certain species to stimulate the flow of gum, which they eat, and in some species form a notable component of the diet (Coimbra-Filho and Mittermeier 1976; Rylands 1984). They live in extended family groups of between four and 15 individuals. Generally, only one female per group breeds during a particular breeding season. The groups defend home ranges 10-40 ha, the size depending on availability and distribution of foods and second-growth patches.

Size:
H&B 20.5-23.5 cm, TL 26.5-37.0 cm (n=7) (Ferrari 2008).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The region where this species occurs was already being impacted in 1973 by the construction of the Transamazon (BR-230) highway and subsequently by the Cuiabá-Santarem (BR 163) highway (Mittermeier and Coimbra-Filho 1977; Mittermeier et al. 1978; Rylands and Mittermeier 1982), and now is a focal area for the establishment of soy plantations which has resulted in substantial loss of habitat. It is generally not hunted, but there may be some use as pets.

Major Threat(s):

The region where this species occurs was already being impacted in 1973 by the construction of the Transamazon (BR-230) highway and subsequently by the Cuiabá-Santarem (BR 163) highway (Mittermeier and Coimbra-Filho 1977; Mittermeier et al. 1978; Rylands and Mittermeier 1982), and now is a focal area for the establishment of soy plantations which has resulted in substantial loss of habitat. It is generally not hunted, but there may be some use as pets.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Does not occur in any protected areas. The buffer zone of the Amazônia National Park, proposed in its management plan (Brazil, MA-IBDF and FBCN 1979), would include populations of this marmoset. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES (as Callithrix leucippe).

Conservation Actions:

Does not occur in any protected areas. The buffer zone of the Amazônia National Park, proposed in its management plan (Brazil, MA-IBDF and FBCN 1979), would include populations of this marmoset. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES (as Callithrix leucippe).

Bibliography [top]

	Brazil, MA-IBDF and FBCN. 1979. Plano de Manejo: Parque Nacional da Amazônia (Tapajós). Ministério da Agricultura (MA), Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal (IBDF), and Fundação Brasileiro Pará a Conservação da Natureza (FBCN), Brasília and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Coimbra-Filho, A. F. and Mittermeier, R. A. 1976. Exudate-eating and tree-gouging in marmosets. Nature, London 262: 630. de Carvalho, C. T. 1959. Sobre a validez de Callithrix leucippe (Thos.) (Callithricidae, Primates). Papéis Avulsos Zoologia, São Paulo 13(27): 317-320. de Vivo, M. 1979. Primatas do Parque Nacional do Tapajós. Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal (IBDF), Brasília, Brazil. de Vivo, M. 1991. Taxonomia de Callithrix Erxleben, 1777 (Callitrichidae, Primates). Fundacao Biodiversitas para Conservacao da Diversidade Biologica, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Ferrari, S. F. 2008. Gênero Mico Lesson 1840. In: N. R. dos Reis, A. L. Peracchi and F. R. Andrade (eds), Primatas Brasileiros, pp. 59-75. Technical Books, Londrina, Paraná. Groves, C. P. 2001. Primate taxonomy. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA. Groves, C. P. 2005. Order Primates. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 111-184. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Hershkovitz, P. 1977. Living New World monkeys (Platyrrhini), with an introduction to Primates. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA. Mittermeier, R. A. and Coimbra-Filho, A. F. 1977. Primate conservation in Brazilian Amazonia. In: Prince Rainier III of Monaco and G. H. Bourne (eds), Primate Conservation, pp. 117-166. Academic Press, New York, USA. Mittermeier, R. A, Bailey, R. C. and Coimbra-Filho, A. F. 1978. Conservation status of the Callitrichidae in Brazilian Amazonia, Suriname and French Guiana. In: D. G. Kleiman (ed.), Biology and Conservation of the Callitrichidae, pp. 137-146. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA. Pimenta, F. E. and da Silva Jr., J. S. 2005. An update on the distribution of primates of the Tapajós-Xingu interfluvium, Central Amazonia. Neotropical Primates 13(2): 23-28. Rylands, A. B. 1984. Exudate-eating and tree-gouging by marmosets (Callitrichidae, Primates). In: A. C. Chadwick and S. L. Sutton (eds), Tropical Rain Forest: The Leeds Symposium, pp. 155–168. Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society, Leeds, UK. Rylands, A. B. and Mittermeier, R. A. 1982. Conservation of primates in Brazilian Amazonia. International Zoo Yearbook 22: 17–37. Rylands, A. B., Coimbra-Filho, A. F. and Mittermeier, R. A. 1993. Systematics, distributions, and some notes on the conservation status of the Callitrichidae. In: A. B. Rylands (ed.), Marmosets and Tamarins: Systematics, Behaviour and Ecology, pp. 11-77. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Rylands, A. B., Mittermeier, R. A. and Coimbra-Filho, A. F. 2008. The systematics and distributions of the marmosets (Callithrix, Callibella, Cebuella, and Mico) and callimico (Callimico) (Callitrichidae, Primates). In: S. M. Ford, L. C. Davis and L. Porter (eds), The Smallest Anthropoids: The Marmoset/Callimico Radiation, Springer, New York, USA. Rylands, A. B., Schneider, H., Langguth, A., Mittermeier, R. A., Groves, C. P. and Rodríguez-Luna, E. 2000. An assessment of the diversity of New World primates. Neotropical Primates 8(2): 61-93.

Brazil, MA-IBDF and FBCN. 1979. Plano de Manejo: Parque Nacional da Amazônia (Tapajós). Ministério da Agricultura (MA), Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal (IBDF), and Fundação Brasileiro Pará a Conservação da Natureza (FBCN), Brasília and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Coimbra-Filho, A. F. and Mittermeier, R. A. 1976. Exudate-eating and tree-gouging in marmosets. Nature, London 262: 630.

de Carvalho, C. T. 1959. Sobre a validez de Callithrix leucippe (Thos.) (Callithricidae, Primates). Papéis Avulsos Zoologia, São Paulo 13(27): 317-320.

de Vivo, M. 1979. Primatas do Parque Nacional do Tapajós. Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal (IBDF), Brasília, Brazil.

de Vivo, M. 1991. Taxonomia de Callithrix Erxleben, 1777 (Callitrichidae, Primates). Fundacao Biodiversitas para Conservacao da Diversidade Biologica, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Ferrari, S. F. 2008. Gênero Mico Lesson 1840. In: N. R. dos Reis, A. L. Peracchi and F. R. Andrade (eds), Primatas Brasileiros, pp. 59-75. Technical Books, Londrina, Paraná.

Groves, C. P. 2001. Primate taxonomy. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA.

Groves, C. P. 2005. Order Primates. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 111-184. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Hershkovitz, P. 1977. Living New World monkeys (Platyrrhini), with an introduction to Primates. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA.

Mittermeier, R. A. and Coimbra-Filho, A. F. 1977. Primate conservation in Brazilian Amazonia. In: Prince Rainier III of Monaco and G. H. Bourne (eds), Primate Conservation, pp. 117-166. Academic Press, New York, USA.

Mittermeier, R. A, Bailey, R. C. and Coimbra-Filho, A. F. 1978. Conservation status of the Callitrichidae in Brazilian Amazonia, Suriname and French Guiana. In: D. G. Kleiman (ed.), Biology and Conservation of the Callitrichidae, pp. 137-146. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA.

Pimenta, F. E. and da Silva Jr., J. S. 2005. An update on the distribution of primates of the Tapajós-Xingu interfluvium, Central Amazonia. Neotropical Primates 13(2): 23-28.

Rylands, A. B. 1984. Exudate-eating and tree-gouging by marmosets (Callitrichidae, Primates). In: A. C. Chadwick and S. L. Sutton (eds), Tropical Rain Forest: The Leeds Symposium, pp. 155–168. Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society, Leeds, UK.

Rylands, A. B. and Mittermeier, R. A. 1982. Conservation of primates in Brazilian Amazonia. International Zoo Yearbook 22: 17–37.

Rylands, A. B., Coimbra-Filho, A. F. and Mittermeier, R. A. 1993. Systematics, distributions, and some notes on the conservation status of the Callitrichidae. In: A. B. Rylands (ed.), Marmosets and Tamarins: Systematics, Behaviour and Ecology, pp. 11-77. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Rylands, A. B., Mittermeier, R. A. and Coimbra-Filho, A. F. 2008. The systematics and distributions of the marmosets (Callithrix, Callibella, Cebuella, and Mico) and callimico (Callimico) (Callitrichidae, Primates). In: S. M. Ford, L. C. Davis and L. Porter (eds), The Smallest Anthropoids: The Marmoset/Callimico Radiation, Springer, New York, USA.

Rylands, A. B., Schneider, H., Langguth, A., Mittermeier, R. A., Groves, C. P. and Rodríguez-Luna, E. 2000. An assessment of the diversity of New World primates. Neotropical Primates 8(2): 61-93.

Citation:	Mittermeier, R.A. & Rylands, A.B. 2008. Mico leucippe. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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