Crab-eating macaque

Crab-eating macaque
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Macaca
Species:
M. fascicularis
Binomial name
Macaca fascicularis
Raffles, 1821
Crab-eating macaque range
Synonyms[2]
  • Simia cynomolgus Schreber, 1775
  • Simia aygula Linnaeus, 1758
  • Macacus carbonarius Cuvier, 1825
  • Macaca irus Geoffroy,1826
  • Semnpithecus kra Lesson, 1830

The crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis), also known as the long-tailed macaque or cynomolgus macaque, is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. As a synanthropic species, the crab-eating macaque thrives near human settlements and in secondary forest. Crab-eating macaques have developed attributes and roles assigned to them by humans, ranging from cultural perceptions as being smart and adaptive, to being sacred animals, being regarded as vermin and pests, and becoming resources in modern biomedical research. They have been described as a species on the edge, living on the edge of forests, rivers, and seas, at the edge of human settlements, and perhaps on the edge of rapid extinction.[1]

Crab-eating macaques are omnivorous and frugivorous. They live in matrilineal groups ranging from 10 to 85 individuals, with groups exhibiting female philopatry and males emigrating from natal group at puberty. Crab eating macaques are the only old-world monkey known to use stone tools in their daily foraging, and they engage in a robbing and bartering behavior in some tourist locations.

The crab-eating macaque is the most traded primate species, the most culled primate species, the most persecuted primate species and also the most popular species used in scientific research. Due to these threats, the crab-eating macaque was listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2022.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Hansen, M.F.; Ang, A.; Trinh, T.; Sy, E.; Paramasiwam, S.; Ahmed, T.; Dimalibot, J.; Jones-Engel, L.; Ruppert, N.; Griffioen, C.; Lwin, N.; Phiapalath, P.; Gray, R.; Kite, S.; Doak, N.; Nijman, V.; Fuentes, A. & Gumert, M.D. (2022) [amended version of 2022 assessment]. "Macaca fascicularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T12551A221666136. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T12551A221666136.en.
  2. ^ Fooden, J. (1995). Systematic review of Southeast Asian Longtail Macaques Macaca fascicularis (Raffles [1821]). Fieldiana New Series No. 81. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.3456.