<p>Looking more like a creature out of a Steven Spielberg movie than one of our closer primate relatives, Callithrix saterei made its official debut as a new species of marmoset in 1996. The 50 known marmoset species, most of which weigh under a pound, are among the smallest of New World monkeys. Since 1990, six new species have turned up, most of them, like C. saterei, in the Amazon, where they dwell in the lower to middle levels of forest trees. The squirrel-size C. saterei eats insects and fruit but specializes in chewing little holes in trees to extract gum. C. saterei is bare-faced, with an orange-brown belly and dark red-brown fur on its back and limbs. Its most distinctive feature is its bright orange genitalia. Both males and females have long, fleshy, labia-like appendages framing the usual sex organs. It’s a really bizarre adaptation, says primatologist Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International. I have no idea whatsoever what its function may be.</p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="mobile-desktop" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-0"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div>

January 1997

The January 1997 issue of Discover Magazine

1996: The Top 100 Science Stories

Discover the fascinating new species of marmoset, Callithrix saterei, known for its bizarre adaptations and unique diet.

Planet Earth

A Marmoset With Appendages

Article

News

Rachel Preiser

Science

Looking more like a creature out of a Steven Spielberg movie than one of our closer primate relatives, Callithrix saterei made its official debut as a new species of marmoset in 1996. The 50 known marmoset species, most of which weigh under a pound, are among the smallest of New World monkeys. Since 1990, six new species have turned up, most of them, like C. saterei, in the Amazon, where they dwell in the lower to middle levels of forest trees. The squirrel-size C. saterei eats insects and fruit but specializes in chewing little holes in trees to extract gum. C. saterei is bare-faced, with an orange-brown belly and dark red-brown fur on its back and limbs. Its most distinctive feature is its bright orange genitalia. Both males and females have long, fleshy, labia-like appendages framing the usual sex organs. It’s a really bizarre adaptation, says primatologist Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International. I have no idea whatsoever what its function may be.

Discover Magazine’s award-winning journalism inspires and informs, delivering thought-provoking content that sparks meaningful conversations. With a focus on groundbreaking developments in science, technology, and the world around us, Discover highlights the impact of these innovations on our daily lives.

长有附属物的狨猴

新闻简报

瑞秋·普雷泽

发表于

1996：百大科学故事

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