Crab-eating macaque the use of this word. In Indonesia and Malaysia, "M. fascicularis" and other macaque species are known generically as "kera", possibly because of their high-pitched cries. The crab-eating macaque has several common names. It is often referred to as the long-tailed macaque due to its tail, which is often longer than its body. The name crab-eating macaque refers to its being often seen foraging beaches for crabs. Another common name for "M. fascicularis" is the cynomolgus monkey, from the name of a race of humans with long hair and handsome beards who used dogs for hunting according to Aristophanes of
Macaque macaques have become invasive species in different parts of the world, while others that survive in forest habitats remain threatened. The long-tailed macaque ("Macaca fascicularis") is listed as a threat and invasive alien species in Mauritius along with the rhesus macaques ("Macaca mulatta") in Florida. The long-tailed macaque causes severe damage to parts of its range where it has been introduced because the populations grow unchecked due to a lack of predators. On the island Mauritius, they have created serious conservation concerns for other endemic species. They consume seeds of native plants and aid in the spread of exotic weeds