Photo of the Day #72: Pygmy Marmoset

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The Pygmy Marmoset (Callithrix (Cebuella) pygmaea) is an interesting little primate. While it is often said on documentaries or zoo enclosure descriptions that they are among the most "primitive" of primates, marmosets actually have a number of derived features. On their hands, for instance, they have claws called tegulae instead of flattened nails. At first this would seem to be a characteristic that was retained from their ancestors, but tegulae are actually modified nails, meaning that the marmosets evolved claws in something of an evolutionary reversal. Likewise, marmosets often give birth to twins, which suggests that at one time they were larger but as they dwarfed the birth canal became too small to allow for the passage of one large baby, the development of twins (each of which would be smaller) being selected for as size decreased.

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Before I head for Utah, let me direct your attention to two articles of mine in tomorrow's New York Times. They don't have a whole lot in common except they are examples of cool biology...
There's a glut of awesome science coming out towards the end of this week and not much at the start, so I'm sticking the Revisited post up early (it's usually on a Saturday) to clear the schedule later.
The talented Elizabeth Gould of Princeton has done it again: she has produced another study documenting the power of structural plasticity.

Looks cute, but also looks like he could remove a digit or two in the blink of an eye.

By joltvotla (not verified) on 19 Dec 2007 #permalink

I'd think twins would be a primitive trait, since primates have 2 teats. Any other indications of former larger size? (eg. long pregnancy as seen in gibbons IIRC)