Crab-eating macaque crab-eating macaque is a known invasive species and a threat to biodiversity in several locations, including Hong Kong and western New Guinea. The significant overlap in macaque and human living space has resulted in greater habitat loss, synanthropic living, and inter- and intraspecies conflicts over resources. "Macaca" comes from the Portuguese word "macaco", which was derived from "makaku", a Fiot (West African language) word ("kaku" means monkey in Fiot). The specific epithet "fascicularis" is Latin for a small band or stripe. Sir Thomas Raffles, who gave the animal its scientific name in 1821, did not specify what he meant by
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