Life Cycle

The Macaca mulatta developed from its genus Macaca. They are from the family cercopithecidae and are all primates. (PlanetWildLife.com) The Rhesus monkey’s and all primates have evolved from the mammalian way of reproduction that evolved over a long period of time.
 
The Rhesus monkey reproduces by sexual reproduction (Timmins 2008). A male fertilizes a females eggs with his sperm. The sexual reproduction life cycle produced by Rhesus monkeys is gametic. The gametic life cycle starts off with a male diploid and a female diploid. They go through the process of meiosis to produce gametes. These haploid gametes are then facilitated next to each other and begin plasmogamy. This is when the cell walls of the two cells fuse together. After the walls have been fused then the cell’s nuclei fuse together into one cell which is called karyogamy. Plasmogamy and karyogamy are the two steps of the fertilization process. Once the egg has been fertilized then it is a diploid zygote. It has genes from both the mother and father chromosomes. The zygote then goes through mitosis to reproduce the cells chromosomes and form a new adult Rhesus monkey, which is similar but not the same as the parents.
 
This process is beneficial to the Rhesus monkeys and is an influential factor in their survival. The process of sexual reproduction provides an escape from disease, predation, starvation, etc. It does this in two ways, mutation and by the mixing of genes. The mutations are only random errors in the gene sequencing that can be both good and bad. The changes in genes may cause one of the monkeys to not have any teeth. This would prevent the monkey from eating all of the hard foods that compose its diet such as seeds and nuts. A good mutation could be larger front fangs to ward off potential competition for mates. The main reason for sexual reproduction is the mixing of genes. Two adults, one male and one female, mix their genes together and this produces an even higher amount of change in the genes. This causes a greater chance in adaption to a changing environment. This is essential for all of the different environments that the Rhesus monkey lives in. The many environments has this monkey needing the many changes in genes to avoid different diseases from the nuanced areas that they come in contact with as well as numerous other organisms.
 
Another advantage for the survival of Rhesus monkeys as a population in their environment is that they are mammals. Mammals are born as immature rhesus monkeys. These infants can move and have most of the features of the adult Rhesus monkeys such as the limbs for climbing and walking. These characteristics of mammalian organisms have advantages over organisms that lay eggs or larvae. These traits are things like motility and self defense. The Rhesus monkey in particular uses its motility to hang onto its parents while they climb to obstacles or trees. This gives the babies protection from predators. Also, the baby Rhesus monkeys can move around and away from predators. Plus, a baby Rhesus monkey can forage for grapes, mangos, apples, peanuts, etc. This gives the baby the ability to feed itself. Another thing that benefits this monkey’s survival is that the entire time that it is a baby, growing, feeding itself, it is watching its environment and learning. They learn how to hunt and the societal norms of their culture. What they are to do and not to do in their hierarchical position (Lang 2005).

 The Macaca Mulatta has developed and survived with sexual reproduction of the gametic life cycle. It uses the traits from this cycle to adapt to its environment and therefore have a better chance of surviving as a population. The monkey being a mammal has benefited its survival, and the endurance of the species in general. The life history of the reproduction is a list of the many different adaptations that the Rhesus monkey has evolved to change its genes in order to adapt to its environments.

 

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