Macaca mulatta rhesus monkey Worksheet

Macaca mulatta

rhesus monkey

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Populations of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are most commonly found in western Afghanistan, through India to northern Thailand. This species was abundant historically in southern China and Tibet, but humans have caused drastic decline of populations in these areas over the last sixty years. Because M. mulatta is often used for research, today populations are kept in captivity world wide.

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Macaca mulatta lives in a wide range of habitats, and shows a great deal of adaptability. Some populations live in flatlands, while others, in northern India and Pakistan, live in the Himalayas at elevations up to 3,000 m. These primates are able to aclimate to a variety of climatic extremes, from the hot, dry temperatures found in deserts, to cold winter temperatures which fall to well below the freezing point.

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These smallish monkeys have grizzled-brown fur dorsally, with the fur on the ventral   being slightly lighter in color. The hair is short on the head. The face and buttocks of adults are red.

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Although rhesus monkeys show mate preferences, in general they are highly promiscuous. As they live in multi-male, multifemale groups, there are ample opportunities for individuals to copulate with multiple partners.

Males attract mates either by having high dominance status within the social group, or sometimes by being friendly (grooming, carrying infants, etc) to females.

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Rhesus monkeys are highly active and very loud. They enjoy being in water and are good swimmers. They live in groups of up to two hundred individuals. When a group’s size reaches 80 to 100 members, a subgroup of females may split off to form a new group.

Dominance hierarchies exist in both sexes. This is far more evident in males, where competition for mates may occur regularly. The female members of a group usually live in complete harmony and rarely have violent interactions with one another.

Although rhesus monkeys live in groups, they are not territorial. Each group of individuals usually has its own sleeping space, but the territories of neighboring groups may overlap considerably. Confrontations between groups are rare. Usually when groups meet, the weaker group will avoid the stronger group. Any confrontations that arise are because of an uncertainty concerning strength and dominance.

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The dietary habits of rhesus monkeys can vary greatly depending upon where they live. Macaca mulatta is omnivorous, and often eat roots, herbs, fruits, insects, crops, and small animals. The diet can also vary with the season. For example, rhesus that live in the mountain forests of northern Pakistan feed primarily on clovers during the summer, but during winter when snow covers the ground they are forced to switch to foods with lower nutritional values and higher fiber contents, such as pine needles and oak leaves. These monkeys seem to choose their environments carefully with respect to food resources. Even when they are forced to switch to lower quality food sources during the winter months they do not exhibit higher mortality rates, although they may lose a considerable percentage of their body weight.

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Macaca mulatta is a popular zoo animal because of its innate curiosity and active lifestyle. These monkeys are also used extensively for research. They are especially useful in biological, medicinal, and psychological research. Macaca mulatta is most often used in psychological research when the emphasis is on perception, learning, or behavior.

Rh factor is also called “Rhesus factor” because it was first discovered in the blood of Rhesus monkeys (small monkeys from India often used for experimentation). Rh factor is an antigen, a substance which stimulates the production of antibodies to fight foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria and transplanted organs. A given individual either has the antigen already in their blood (they are Rh positive), or they don’t (they are Rh negative). A patient’s Rh status effects how he or she handles blood transfusions or organ transplants.

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Rhesus monkeys can live up to 30 years.

Try to identify the position of the following headings in the description.

Reproduction  –  Lifespan/longevity  –  Importance for humans  –  Geographic range  –   Food habits  – Behaviour  –   Physical description   –   Habitat

Use the following vocabulary items from the text to fill in the gaps of the sentences. Make any changes necessary.

innate   –   abundant   –    groom   –   dorsal   –   adaptable    –     promiscuous    –    mortality    –    elevation    –    territory    –    confront

1)      Successful businesses are highly ………………. to economic change.

2)      The city is at an ……………….. of 2000 metres.

3)      We have ………………. evidence to prove his guilt.

4)      The term to refer to sth connected on the back of a fish or animal is ……………

5)      Having many sexual partners is ……………………… behavior.

6)      The horses are well-fed and ………………………….

7)      Mating blackbirds will defend their ……………………..against intruders.

8)      She knew that she had to………………..her fears sooner or later.

9)      …………………. from lung cancer is still increasing.

10)   It is believed that humans are ………………. violent.

What are the best and the worst aspects of man’s relationship with animals? In your opinion how could it be improved?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Look at the different explanations of each idiom and then order the words of the idiom that match the explanation.

1) Tony really drinks a lot of alcohol.

Tony fish like a drinks

2) Whenever the boss is out of the office, the colleagues do whatever they want.

mice will the cat’s When the away play

3) I am really nervous about my job interview.

I have stomach in my butterflies

4) Susan always exaggerates the smallest problems!

a Susan always makes molehill out of a mountain

5) Bobby didn’t like my birthday present to him and I told him not to be ungrateful.

I told him not to gift horse look mouth in the

6) Andy wanted to celebrate passing his exam before he even got his results! I told him not to do that.

I told him not to chickens before count hatched they’re

7) Betty never talks much in class.

She is mouse as a quiet as

8) When I went for a job interview I was so nervous I almost couldn’t speak.

The boss asked me if cat got the has tongue my

9) Some people will never change their habits and behaviours.

can’t leopard spots his change A

10) Simon was extremely happy when Fatima agreed to marry him.

He was like two dog with a tails…………………………………………………………………………………