PATTERNS OF PRENATAL SURVIVAL IN THE COMMON MARMOSET (CALLITHRIX-JACCHUS)

Fifty common marmoset pregnancies were monitored using ultrasound. The objective was to ascertain if fetal mortality was related to litter s ize. Prior to analysis we determined abortion rate and litter size wer e not influenced by repeated ultrasound. Mortality was unrelated to li tter size and occurred fairly late in gestation. All singletons born i n this study began gestation as twins, It is hypothesized that marmose ts may be able to adjust litter size late in pregnancy in response to proximate environmental factors.