What is the scientific name of the rhesus macaque?

What is the scientific name of the rhesus macaque? Macaca mulatta. The name identifies a widely distributed Old World monkey in the macaque genus Macaca.

Rhesus macaques are native across parts of South, Central, and Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and southern China. They occupy forests, grasslands, mountains, and human-dominated environments, and are strong swimmers. Their adaptability has helped them become one of the most geographically widespread non-human primates.

The species has played an important role in biomedical research because its anatomy and physiology resemble those of humans in significant ways. Research involving rhesus macaques contributed to vaccines and other medical advances. The word “rhesus” is traditionally associated with the mythological Thracian king Rhesus, although the naturalist who introduced the name said it had no particular meaning.