Japanese macaques
ニホンザルについて
ニホンザルはオナガザル科マカク属に分類されるサルで、日本だけに生息しています。本州・四国・九州に分布するホンドザルと、鹿児島県の屋久島に生息するヤクシマザルの２つの亜種があります。詳しくは、『霊長類図鑑』（日本モンキーセンター編、2018、京都通信社）の「ニホンザルの特徴」をご覧ください。
ニホンザルの特徴
分布とくらし
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生活史、社会、食べもの
霊長類図鑑のご購入は京都通信社等のオンラインショップまたは日本モンキーセンターのビジターセンターで。
The beginning of primatology in Japan
It was on 3 December 1948 that Kinji Imanichi first visited Koshia Island to see the wild Japanese macaques, accompanied by his students: Jun'ichiro Itani and Shunzo Kawamura. This is the beginning of primatology in Japan.
Japanese primatologists started to give a name to every individual monkeys they observe, instead of alphanumeric codes. They made precise descriptions of behaviors of each individual and interactions among individuals, to understand the society.
For more information, read Editorial "Primatology: the beginning" published in the journal Primates.
Cover photo: Toshio Hagiwara
Further reading on Japanese macaque research
Hot-spring bathing of wild monkeys in Shiga-Heights: origin and propagation of a cultural behavior.
Sweet-potato washing revisited: 50th anniversary of the Primates article.
What I learned throughout behavioral observations on Japanese macaques
Most cited papers on Japanese macaques published in the journal Primates
(Source: Web of Science, Clarivate, as of 24 November 2021)
Kawai M ( 1965 ) Newly-acquired pre-cultural behavior of the natural troop of Japanese monkeys on Koshima islet 6:1 - 30. DOI 10.1007/BF01794457
Mori A ( 1979 ) Analysis of population changes by measurement of body weight in the koshima troop of japanese monkeys. 20:371 - 398. 10.1007/BF02373390
Nakagawa N ( 1989 ) Feeding strategies of japanese monkeys against deterioration of habitat quality. 30:1 - 16. 10.1007/BF02381206
