Philippine long-tailed macaque

The Philippine long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis philippensis) is a subspecies of the crab-eating macaque, known in various Philippine languages as matching/matsing or the more general term unggoy ("monkey"). It is endemic to the Philippine forests and woodlands, but especially in the mangrove forests of western central Philippines— particularly in Palawan, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The names M. f. philippinensis or even M. f. philippinenesis have also been used, but arise from orthographical error.[1]

Philippine long-tailed macaque
Philippine long-tailed macaque in Palawan, Philippines

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Macaca
Species:
M. fascicularis[2]
Subspecies:
M. f. philippensis
Trinomial name
Macaca fascicularis[2] philippensis
I. Geoffroy, 1843[2]

Physical characteristics

The Philippine long-tailed macaque has a reddish-brown coat. Its tail has an average length of 50 to 60 cm (1.6 to 2.0 ft). It can reach a height of 40–50 cm (16–20 in). It is the size of a domestic cat. Males weigh 4–8 kg (8.8–17.6 lb), but females only attain 3–4 kg (6.6–8.8 lb).

Distribution and habitat

The Philippine long-tailed macaque is found in all major Philippine island groups such as Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Fossils

Fossils excavated in Palawan were identified as being of the Philippine long-tailed macaque, deer, Palawan bearded pig, Bornean tiger, small mammals, lizards, snakes and turtles. From the stone tools, besides the evidence for cuts on the bones, and the use of fire, it would appear that early humans had accumulated the bones.[3][4] In prehistoric times, the Greater Sunda Islands of Borneo might have been connected to Palawan during the penultimate and previous glacial periods, judging from the molecular phylogeny of murids.[5]

See also

References
  1. Ong, P. & Richardson, M. (2008). "Macaca fascicularis ssp. philippensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. |access-date= requires |url= (help)CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Groves, C. P. (2005). "Macaca fascicularis philippensis". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 111–184. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  3. Piper, P. J.; Ochoa, J.; Lewis, H.; Paz, V.; Ronquillo, W. P. (2008). "The first evidence for the past presence of the tiger Panthera tigris (L.) on the island of Palawan, Philippines: extinction in an island population". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 264: 123–127. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.04.003.
  4. Ochoa, J.; Piper, P. J. (2017). "Tiger". In Monks, G. (ed.). Climate Change and Human Responses: A Zooarchaeological Perspective. Springer. pp. 79–80. ISBN 9-4024-1106-2.
  5. Van der Geer, A.; Lyras, G.; De Vos, J.; Dermitzakis, M. (2011). "15 (The Philippines); 26 (Carnivores)". Evolution of Island Mammals: Adaptation and Extinction of Placental Mammals on Islands. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 220–347.
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