Macaque China reported in the journal "Cell" the creation of two crab-eating macaque monkey clones, named "Zhong Zhong" and "Hua Hua", using the complex DNA transfer method that produced "Dolly" the sheep, for the first time. As of 2005, the authors of "Mammal Species of the World" recognized the following species and species groups, aside from the white-cheeked macaque which was described in 2015: Later studies disputed some of the species groupings. For example, Li, "et al", based on DNA testing, do not recognize the "M. fascularis" group. Rather, they place the crab-eating macaque within the "M. mulatta" group and the
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