By Jennifer L. Chuang
Geographic Range
Saguinus labiatus is found in South America, mainly in Brazil and Peru (Goodall and Rowe 1996).
Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical 
(native ).
Habitat
The red-bellied tamarin is arboreal and inhabits swamps, primary and secondary forests (Goodall and Rowe 1996).
Terrestrial Biomes:
rainforest .
Physical Description
Saguinus labiatus has a head and body length of 23-30 cm and a tail length of 34-41 cm. Its most conspicuous features are the white hair around the lips and nose (Goodall and Rowe 1996) and the bright reddish or orange hair on the belly , which may extend to the chest (MacDonald 1987). The tail is not prehensile (Goodall and Rowe 1996). The red-bellied tamarin is a small monkey (Jenkins 1974). The forelimbs are shorter than the hind limbs. All of the digits, except the hallux, have modified claws rather than nails (MacDonald 1987). The dental formula is 2/2, 1/1, 3/3, 2/2 (MacDonald 1987).
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
Red-bellied tamarins breed from October to December
No information is available on the mating system of this species.
Reproduction of red-bellied tamarins peaks from October to December. In general, only one dominant reproductive female is present within a group. This female excretes pheromones that suppress the ovulation of other females. Gestation period ranges from 140-150 days (Goodall and rowe 1996).
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous .
After birth, the young are raised cooperatively by the whole group (Rylands 1993).
Parental investment:
pre-fertilization (provisioning, protecting: female); pre-hatching/birth (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: female, protecting: male, female).
Behavior
Saguinus labiatus employs several strategies to reduce its vulnerability to predators. These include retirement before dusk, increased rate of vigilance, and careful selection of sleeping sites. These tamarins have cohesive social groups. They use sentinals to guard against predators. Chirping vocalizations are also used to announce locatation and alert the neighboring species of the presence of danger. The sleeping sites are generally 12-18 meters above the ground on branched trees (Goodall and Rowe 1996).
Food Habits
Red-bellied tamarins eat ripe fruit, insects, and nectar. These tamarins catch insects on leaves in the lower and middle levels of the forest canopy. In general, red-bellied tamarins are stealthy when foraging for food. They stalk their prey by hiding under dense foliage, pounce when they get close enough (Rylands 1993).
Primary Diet:
omnivore .
Animal Foods:
insects.
Plant Foods:
fruit; nectar.
Conservation Status
During the period of 1987-1990, the rapid deforestation in Peru had restricted the region in which the red-chested tamarins live (Ryland 1993).
Contributors
Jennifer L. Chuang (author), University of Michigan.
