The different ways of communication from Marmoset Finger Monkeys

· Sight:· 

Communication by sight, or visual communication, is very important among primates, including marmosets. Examples of visual communication include facial expressions, body posture, raising body hair, and moving ear tufts. Body posture, moving ear tufts, and facial expressions become especially important during mating, aggressive and play encounters.

· Examples of some important visual cues for the common marmoset are:

·  Piloerection: During piloerection, a marmoset will cause its body hair to stand on end or its body hair will erect over a specific area (such as the tail). This type of behaviour is found in many primates, as well as many other animals. Piloerection allows the marmoset to give the impression of larger body size. A marmoset may piloerection during aggressive and sexual interactions or when encountering a strange object.

· Facial Expressions: Marmosets have many different facial expressions, and they are all an important means for communicating information. Some examples include:

· The "relaxed" face. (seen when calm or resting)· "Head-cock stare" (seen when observing an object, prey or another monkey)· "Play" face (seen during play encounters) 

Facial submit (submissive behavior seen during aggressive encounters)

· Body Posture: Sometimes the position in which a monkey is standing, sitting, or even holding its tail, delivers information to another individual. Some examples of body postures seen in the common marmoset include:

· "Leg stand" - When in this position the marmoset is standing on its hind legs. The hands may or may not be outstretched. This is used in response to a foreign object or unknown sound. This provides the animal with better visual perspective.

· "Cringe" - Marmosets often cringe as a submissive gesture.

· Tail positions: In some primates, these are an important means of communication. For example, certain primates use an erect tail as an aggressive display. In the common marmoset, however, the tail is primarily used for balance during locomotion.

· Sound:

· Communication by sound, or auditory communication, occurs through vocalizations. Each primate species has a unique set of vocalizations. These can be used to communicate important information about 
(1) group location, (2) warning about a predator, (3) contestants involved in aggressive encounters, and (4) parents and offspring interactions.


· The common marmoset has its own set of vocalizations. Learning to recognize the individual sounds takes patience and a careful ear. Individual sounds have been identified for the common marmoset and are named according to how they sound:· An infant cry to obtain attention. Also a submissive call in adults.· Erh-erh: Aggressive vocalization.· Trill, twitter, trill phee, phee: All thought to be involved with establishing and maintaining contact between animals within, and sometimes between, social groups.

· Smell:

· Smell is an important means of communication for all primates, including humans. Marmosets have a better developed sense of smell than humans.· Communication by smell is called olfactory communication. The most common type of olfactory communication is scent marking. Marmosets and many other primates' scent mark by rubbing their scent glands (located in the chest and anogenital regions) over an area they want to mark. Other marmosets will then sniff or lick these markings to obtain the "message".· Scent marks identify an individual, its sex, species and many other attributes, including fertility status, or even if it recently had a fight. Scent marks by marmosets in the same social group may help to identify their group's territory.