Isolation and identification of cultivable Bifidobacterium spp. from the faeces of 5 baby common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus L.)

• For the first time bifidobacteria have been isolated from baby non human primates.
• Baby common marmoset gut microbiota hosts high biodiversity of bifidobacteria.
• hsp60 RFLP-PCR has been confirmed as a useful tool for bifidobacteria identification.

Ninety-two bifidobacterial strains were obtained from the faeces of 5 baby common marmosets, three known species Bifidobacterium aesculapii, Bifidobacterium callithricos and Bifidobacterium reuteri and 4 novel putative bifidobacterial species were retrieved. The occurrence of bifidobacteria in non-human primate babies is described for the first time.