Scientific name Macaca Height Japanese macaque: 57 cm | Phylum Chordata Family Cercopithecidae Higher classification Papionini | |
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Lifespan Japanese macaque: 6 years, Lion-tailed macaque: 20 years Gestation period Barbary macaque: 147 – 192 days, Lion-tailed macaque: 183 days, Southern pig-tailed macaque: 183 days Lower classifications Rhesus macaque, Japanese macaque, Crab‑eating macaque, Barbary macaque, Lion‑tailed macaque | ||
Europe s only non human primate barbary macaques in gibraltar
The macaques (/məˈkɑːk/ or /məˈkæk/) constitute a genus (Macaca) of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. The 23 species of macaques are widespread over Earth. Macaques are principally frugivorous, although their diet also includes seeds, leaves, flowers, and tree bark, and some, such as the crab-eating macaque, persist on a diet of invertebrates and occasionally small vertebrates. All macaques' social groups are arranged around dominant, matriarchal females.
Contents
- Europe s only non human primate barbary macaques in gibraltar
- Macaques documentary wild animals planet doc full documentaries
- Description
- Social behavior
- Relation with humans
- Species
- References
Macaques documentary wild animals planet doc full documentaries
Description
Aside from humans (genus Homo), the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to the Indian subcontinent, and in the case of the barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus), to North Africa and Southern Europe. Twenty-three macaque species are currently recognized, including some of the monkeys best known to nonzoologists, such as the rhesus macaque (M. mulatta), and the barbary macaque, a colony of which lives on the Rock of Gibraltar. Although several species lack tails and their common names refer to them as apes, these are true monkeys, with no greater relationship to the true apes than any other Old World monkeys.
In some species, skin folds join the second through fifth toes, almost reaching the first metatarsal joint.
Social behavior
Macaques have a very intricate social structure and hierarchy. If a macaque of a lower level in the social chain has eaten berries and none are left for a higher-level macaque, then the one higher in status can, within this social organization, remove the berries from the other monkey's mouth.
Relation with humans
Several species of macaques are used extensively in animal testing, particularly in the neuroscience of visual perception and the visual system.
Nearly all (73–100%) pet and captive rhesus macaques are carriers of the herpes B virus. This virus is harmless to macaques, but infections of humans, while rare, are potentially fatal, a risk that makes macaques unsuitable as pets.
Urban performing macaques also carried simian foamy virus, suggesting they could be involved in the species-to-species jump of similar retroviruses to humans.
The people of Vietnam continue to engage in the hunting, killing, and eating of macaques.
Species
Genus Macaca
Prehistoric (fossil) species: