{{Short description|Genus of New World monkeys}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Lion tamarins<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=133}}</ref><ref name=SAP>{{cite book |vauthors=Rylands AB, Mittermeier RA|name-list-style=amp |title = South American Primates: Comparative Perspectives in the Study of Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation | chapter = The Diversity of the New World Primates (Platyrrhini) | publisher = Springer |veditors=Garber PA, Estrada A, Bicca-Marques JC, Heymann EW, Strier KB | isbn = 978-0-387-78704-6 |pages=23–54 |year = 2009}}</ref> | image = Tamarin.monkey.500pix.jpg | image_caption = Golden lion tamarin (''Leontopithecus&nbsp;rosalia'') | taxon = Leontopithecus | authority = Lesson, 1840 | type_species = ''Leontopithecus makikina'' | type_species_authority = Lesson, 1840 <br/> (= ''Simia rosalia'' Linnaeus, 1766) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = ''Leontopithecus rosalia''<br/> ''Leontopithecus chrysomelas''<br/> ''Leontopithecus chrysopygus''<br/> ''Leontopithecus caissara'' | synonyms = *''Leontideus'' <small>Cabrera, 1956</small> *''Leontocebus'' <small>Elliot, 1913</small> }}

The four species of '''lion tamarins''' or '''maned marmosets''' make up the genus '''''Leontopithecus''''', from Ancient Greek λέων (''léōn''), meaning "lion", and πίθηκος (''píthēkos''), meaning "monkey". They are small New World monkeys named for the mane surrounding their face, similar to the mane of a lion.

==Description== Living in the eastern rainforests of Brazil, like all other callitrichids they are arboreal. Lion tamarins weigh up to {{convert|900|g}} and are about {{convert|30|cm|abbr=on}} long, with tails about {{convert|45|cm|abbr=on}} long. They jump through trees using their fingers to hold on to branches; they use their claws to dig under the bark to search for insects to eat. They also eat some snakes, small lizards, and small fruits.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Golden lion tamarin |url=https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/golden-lion-tamarin |url-status=live |access-date=November 16, 2025 |website=Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute}}</ref> All are endangered or critically endangered, in part because their habitat has been severely disrupted by human development and climate change.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conservation of the golden-headed lion tamarin in a changing climate |url=https://stories.ecmwf.int/conservation-of-the-golden-headed-lion-tamarin-in-a-changing-climate/index.html#:~:text=Some%20may%20even%20be%20at,to%20climate%20change%20remains%20unclear. |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=stories.ecmwf.int |language=en}}</ref>

Lion tamarins tend to live in family groups, with both parents sharing different tasks of rearing the yearly twins born to them. The mother nurses her young every two to three hours, and the father carries the babies on his back.

Diurnal tree-dwellers, they sleep in tree cavities at night. They also seek shelter during the hottest part of the day.

==Species list== The different species of lion tamarins are easily discernible from each other, based upon the coloration of their fur:<ref name=msw3/> {{Species table |genus= Leontopithecus |authority-name=Lesson |authority-year=1840 |species-count=four|no-note=y|narrow-percent=75}}

{{Species table/row |name= Golden lion tamarin|binomial=Leontopithecus rosalia |image=File:Golden Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus rosalia.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt= |authority-name=Linnaeus |authority-year=1766 |authority-not-original=yes |range= southeastern Brazil |range-image=File:Leontopithecus rosalia distribution.svg |range-image-size=180px |size=golden fur all over, mane sometimes darkening or black |habitat= |hunting= |iucn-status= EN |population= |direction= |subspecies= }}

{{Species table/row |name=Golden-headed lion tamarin |binomial=Leontopithecus chrysomelas |image=File:Leontopithecus chrysomelas (portrait).jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt= |authority-name=Kuhl |authority-year=1820 |authority-not-original=yes |range= Bahia, Brazil |range-image=File:Leontopithecus chrysomelas distribution.svg |range-image-size=180px |size=black fur with golden face, arms, and tail |habitat= |hunting= |iucn-status=EN |population= |direction= |subspecies= }}

{{Species table/row |name= Black lion tamarin or golden-rumped lion tamarin|binomial=Leontopithecus chrysopygus |image=File:Black Lion Tamarin 3.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt= |authority-name=Mikan |authority-year=1823 |authority-not-original=yes |range= São Paulo, Brazil |range-image=File:Leontopithecus chrysopygus distribution.svg |range-image-size=180px |size=black fur with a dark gold rump |habitat= |hunting= |iucn-status= EN |population= |direction= |subspecies= }}

{{Species table/row |name=Superagui lion tamarin or black-faced lion tamarin |binomial=Leontopithecus caissara |image=File:Leontopithecus caissara.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt= |authority-name=Lorini & Persson |authority-year=1990 |authority-not-original= |range= southeastern Brazil |range-image=File:Leontopithecus caissara distribution.svg |range-image-size=180px |size= |habitat=golden fur with black face, arms, and tails |hunting= |iucn-status= EN |population= |direction= |subspecies= }}

{{Species table/end}}

== Conservation == Human activity has been affecting the lion tamarins in that cocoa production has taken over their habitat. Mass produced cocoa has been found to thin out surrounding canopy trees in the area. While Leontopithecus species may use shade cocoa forests for travel and feeding, they primarily use mature (i.e. not thinned or otherwise degraded) forests for sleeping<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Raboy |first=Becky E. |last2=Christman |first2=Mary C. |last3=Dietz |first3=James M. |date=2004 |title=The use of degraded and shade cocoa forests by Endangered golden-headed lion tamarins Leontopithecus chrysomelas |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/use-of-degraded-and-shade-cocoa-forests-by-endangered-goldenheaded-lion-tamarins-leontopithecus-chrysomelas/4AC669767A4B5A01FD9816C494A6E010 |journal=Oryx |language=en |volume=38 |issue=1 |pages=75–83 |doi=10.1017/S0030605304000122 |issn=1365-3008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505014215/https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/4AC669767A4B5A01FD9816C494A6E010/S0030605304000122a.pdf/div-class-title-the-use-of-degraded-and-shade-cocoa-forests-by-endangered-golden-headed-lion-tamarins-span-class-italic-leontopithecus-chrysomelas-span-div.pdf |archive-date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=November 16, 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also== *Tamarin, genus ''Saguinus''

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/tamarin.html * [http://pin.primiate.wisc.edu/factsheets/links/leontopithecus Primate Info Net ''Leontopithecus'' Factsheets]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Callitrichidae nav}} {{Haplorhini|S.}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q857486}}

Category:Leontopithecus Category:Callitrichidae Category:Primates of South America Category:Taxa named by René Lesson