Callithrix is a
genus of
New World monkeys of the family
Callitrichidae, the family containing
marmosets and
tamarins. The genus contains the
Atlantic Forest marmosets. The genera
Mico and
Callibella were formerly considered a subgenus of the genus
Callithrix.
Callithrix differs from
Mico in dental morphology and in geographic distribution —
Callithrix species are distributed near the Atlantic coast of South America, while
Mico species are distributed further inland.
Callithrix differs from
Callibella in these features, as well as in size, with
Callithrix species being significantly larger.
Callithrix species differ from the tamarins of the genus
Saguinus in that
Callithrix has enlarged mandibular
incisor teeth the same size as the
canine teeth which are used for gouging holes in trees to extract
exudates.