What is Macaca or Rhesus monkey?
Macaques (Macaca) are medium-sized cercopithecines and are relatively generalized in many aspects of their anatomy compared to other members of the subfamily. Macaques are characterized by moderately long snouts, high-crowned molar teeth with very low cusps, and long third molars.The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), colloquially rhesus monkey, is a species of Old World monkey. There are between six and nine recognised subspecies
Phylum Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primata
Genus: Macaca
Habitat: It is arboreal, terrestrial, social old world monkey found in India, China, Vietnam and Asia. It is commonly called rhesus monkey.
diurnal activity.
(i) It walks with planti grade gait.
(iii) It is omnivorous and feeds on vegetables, fruits, bread etc. but also takes insects.
(iv) Sexes are unisexual and show sexual dimorphism. Male has a penis and scrotal sacs. Female has one pair of thoracic mammae. Fertilization is internal. Female is viviparous and gives rise to two single young one. Female shows maternal care and suckles the young one on her milk.
External characters:
(i) Body is divisible into head, neck, trunk and tail.
(i) Head contains mouth, eyes and nostrils.
(ii) Body is covered with brownish or golden hair.
(iv) Internal cheek pouched for storing the food.
(v) Fore limbs and hind limbs are well developed.
(vi) There is a pair of red coloured pad called ischial ischial-callosities on the back part of trunk.
Economic importance: Rh-factor was first discovered in macaca but it is also a serious nuisance in the
gardens.
