MammalsEN · Endangered🇧🇷 Found in Brazil

Black lion tamarin

Leontopithecus chrysopygus

Mammals — Primates (Callitrichidae)

The black lion tamarin is one of Brazil’s rarest and most emblematic primates, as well as a symbol of conservation in the Atlantic Forest of São Paulo State’s interior. Endemic and highly dependent on well-structured forests, it embodies one of the country’s most delicate — and important — primate-conservation stories.

Endemic to the inland Atlantic Forest

A diurnal species with cooperative social organization, the black lion tamarin lives in small family groups. Its survival depends directly on forest connectivity, making it extremely sensitive to fragmentation.

📍 Operating biomes

An Atlantic Forest endemic, it is restricted to western São Paulo State. It inhabits seasonal semideciduous forests, especially well-preserved remnants and areas connected by forest corridors.

Mata Atlântica

🌍 Conservation status (IUCN)

EN · Endangered

According to the IUCN, the species is classified as EN (Endangered). Habitat loss, population isolation, and small effective population size are its main risk factors.

🔬 Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Callitrichidae
Genus: Leontopithecus
Species: Leontopithecus chrysopygus (Mikan, 1823)

⚙️ Specifications and metrics

Body mass: 500–700 g (18–25 oz).
Body length: 25–30 cm (10–12 in), plus a long tail measuring 35–40 cm (14–16 in).
Claws: Tegulae, adapted for moving across trunks and branches.
Fur: Predominantly black, with a golden mane confined to the head.
Behavior: Highly vigilant and territorial.
Generation length: ~6–7 years — sensitive to population bottlenecks.

Diet: Omnivorous — fruit, insects, small vertebrates, and plant exudates.

📅 Life cycle

Gestation: ~125–130 days.
Litters: Usually 1–2 young.
Parental care: Cooperative, involving the entire group.
Lifespan: Up to 15 years in the wild; longer under managed care.

🔗 Ecological ripple effect

The black lion tamarin disperses seeds and controls insects, contributing to forest regeneration. Conserving it requires connected landscapes that simultaneously benefit dozens of other species.

🤔 To understand its relevance

Extremely restricted distribution.
Strong dependence on forest corridors.
Small, isolated populations.
An icon of conservation in São Paulo State.

🧪 Did you know?

It was considered extinct for decades before being rediscovered.
Conservation projects include genetic management and translocations.
The epithet chrysopygus means “golden buttocks.”
It is one of Brazil’s four endemic lion tamarins.

Pequenas descobertas

Diurnal: Activity that occurs mainly during the day.
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature — the global authority for assessing extinction risk.
Tegulae: Elongated, curved nails characteristic of callitrichids, used in foraging.

📚 References

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