Abstract:

Background: China is one of the countries with the richest species diversity of nonhuman primates. The genus Macaca, which constitutes the predominant group of extant primates in China, stands out as the most widely distributed, highly adaptable, and numerically abundant group of the Old World monkeys. A total of eight wild Macaca species have been recorded in China. These species play a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of regional ecosystems and serve as invaluable resources for research in animal behavior, social evolution, disease models, and human origins. 

Progress: With a long-standing tradition and strong scientific capacity in wild macaque research, Chinese primatologists have made significant contributions to behavioral ecology and phylogenetic evolution. The field has progressed from preliminary ecological descriptions to precise behavioral quantification, while simultaneously shifting from macro-level phenomenological analysis to multi-scale, integrated investigation. These continued efforts have produced substantial results, steadily deciphering the complexities of macaque social systems. In this paper, taking M. thibetana, M. mulatta, and M. assamensis as examples, we review the main findings on taxonomic and distribution, research history, behavioral ecology and molecular biology of wild macaques in China and the major achievements of Chinese primatologists. 

Perspective: It aims to provide a scientific basis for thoroughly assessing the threats they face and formulating comprehensive conservation strategies.

Key words: Macaca, species diversity, research history, behavioral ecology, phylogenetic evolution