Rhesus Monkey

rhesus monkey: see macaque.

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rhesus monkey

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

(credit: Ylla—Rapho/Photo Researchers)

Sand-coloured macaque (Macaca mulatta), widespread in South and Southeast Asian forests. Rhesus monkeys are 17–25 in. (43–64 cm) long, excluding the furry 8–12-in. (20–30-cm) tail, and weigh 10–24 lb (4.5–11 kg). They eat fruits, seeds, roots, herbs, and insects. They are held sacred in some parts of India. Hardy in captivity, highly intelligent, and lively, they make good pets when young but may become bad-tempered as adults. They have been used frequently in medical research. The determination of the Rh (from rhesus) factor in human blood involves reaction with the blood of this species. See also Rh blood-group system.

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rhesus monkey

a macaque monkey, Macaca mulatta, of S Asia: used extensively in medical research

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rhesus monkey [′rē·səs ‚məŋ·kē]

(vertebrate zoology)

Macaque mulatta.An agile, gregarious primate found in southern Asia and having a short tail, short limbs of almost equal length, and a stocky build. Also known as rhesus macaque.

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Rhesus Monkey 

(Macaca mulatta), also rhesus or rhesus macaque, a catarrhine monkey with a body length of about 60 cm and a tail length of 25–30 cm. The compact body is covered with dull greenish yellow hair. The face, ears, and hands are pink, and the ischial callosities are red. Rhesus monkeys live in troops in the jungles of southeastern Asia, including the Hindustan Peninsula. They are found in the Himalayas from Nepal to northern Burma. The monkeys are arboreal, but they frequently descend to the ground. They swim and dive well. Rhesus monkeys are used as laboratory animals for medical and biological research.