Monkey (Saru) - Monkey

Japanese: サル(猿) - サル

A general term for animals in the mammalian primate order, excluding humans. In general, the first and other fingers of the four limbs are opposed to each other to grasp objects, and both eyes face forward, allowing binocular vision. These characteristics are thought to be the result of adaptation to arboreal life, and it can be said that forests gave birth to monkeys. They are herbivorous or omnivorous, mostly diurnal, and have color vision. They generally live in colonies or family groups, and often do not have a fixed breeding season. They usually have one baby per litter, with a gestation period of 4 to 9 months. Most of their habitats are in the tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Asia, and Africa, with the northern limit being the Shimokita Peninsula in Japan. About 180 species are known, and they are generally classified into the following five groups. (1) Prosimians (Dwarf lemurs, lemurs, indris, aye-ayes, lorises, etc.). They include tree shrews, lemurs, indris, aye-ayes, lorises, and galagos, and are distributed in the Ethiopian and Oriental regions. Their faces are hairy and have protruding snouts, and their hands and feet have both flat and clawed nails. Many of them are nocturnal, and their color vision is imperfect. They have a fixed breeding season, and are low in intelligence. (2) Tarsier Family. This family consists only of the Tarsier species of the Oriental region. Their faces are round, their snouts are short, and they have suckers on the tips of their fingers. Their eyes are very large and point forward. They are nocturnal, and their color vision is also not developed, and they mainly feed on insects. They have no fixed breeding season. (3) Platyrrhines (Marmosets and Capuchin Family). These include capuchin monkeys, night monkeys, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, spider monkeys, marmosets, etc., and are found in the Amazon basin of South America. They have flat claws, and their nostrils are widely separated and point outward. They do not have calluses on their buttocks, and their tails can often be curled up. All but the night monkey are diurnal, and generally eat fruit. Most do not imitate humans. (4) Catarrhinid monkeys (family Cercopithecidae). Typical monkeys, including the Japanese macaque, rhesus macaque, Hamadryas baboon, long-tailed macaque, and proboscis monkey, found in Asia and Africa. Their nostrils are touching, and their tails can never be curled up. They have well-developed calluses on their buttocks, and the color of the bare parts of their face is beautiful. They often imitate humans. (5) Apes (family Gibbons and Cercopithecidae). These include gibbons, orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and found in Asia and Africa. They have no tails, and most of their calluses on their buttocks have degenerated. Their forelimbs are powerful. Their cerebrum is well developed, and they are highly intelligent. When simply saying "monkey," it may refer only to the Japanese macaque.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

ふつう，哺乳(ほにゅう)類霊長目のうち，人類を除いた動物の総称。一般に四肢の第１指と他の指は向かい合って物を握ることができること，眼は二つとも前方へ向かい双眼視が可能なことが特徴。これらの特徴は樹上生活に対する適応の結果と考えられ，森林がサルを誕生させたともいえる。植物食または雑食で，昼行性のものが多く，色覚をもつ。一般に群生するか，家族群を構成して生活し，一定の繁殖期のないことが多い。普通，１腹１子，妊娠期間４〜９ヵ月。生息地域の大部分は南米，アジア，アフリカの熱帯・亜熱帯で，北限は日本の下北半島。約180種が知られ，一般に次の５類に分類される。（１）原猿類（コビトキツネザル・キツネザル・インドリ・アイアイ・ロリス科）。ツパイ，キツネザル，インドリ，アイアイ，ロリス，ガラゴなどを含み，エチオピア区と東洋区に分布。顔は有毛で吻(ふん)が突出し，手足には平爪(ひらづめ)のほか鉤爪(かぎづめ)もある。夜行性のものが多く，色覚は不完全。一定の繁殖期をもち，知能は低い。（２）メガネザル科。東洋区のメガネザルだけからなる。顔は丸く，吻は短く，指端には吸盤がある。眼は非常に大きく前方に向かう。夜行性でやはり色覚は発達せず，昆虫を主食とする。繁殖期は限られない。（３）広鼻猿類（マーモセット・オマキザル科）。オマキザル，ヨザル，ホエザル，リスザル，クモザル，マーモセットなどを含み，南米アマゾン流域に分布。平爪をもち，左右の鼻孔は広く離れ外方に向かう。尻(しり)だこはなく，尾はしばしば物を巻き得る。ヨザル以外は昼行性で，一般に果実食。多くは人まねをしない。（４）狭鼻猿類（オナガザル科）。典型的なサル類でニホンザル，アカゲザル，マントヒヒ，オナガザル，テングザルなどを含み，アジア，アフリカに分布。左右の鼻孔が接し，尾は決して物を巻き得ない。尻だこが発達し，尻だこと顔の裸出部の色が美しい。よく人まねをする。（５）類人猿類（テナガザル・ショウジョウ科）。テナガザル，オランウータン，チンパンジー，ゴリラなどを含み，アジア，アフリカに分布。尾がなく，尻だこは多くは退化している。前肢が強大。大脳はよく発達し，知能が高い。なお単にサルといった場合ニホンザルのみをさす場合もある。

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