Abstract: This paper carried out the multivariate analysis on the skulls of rhesus monkeys distributing in Hunan, Hubei, Fujian and Guangdong provinces, China. The results of ONEWAY analysis on 20 variables of the skulls showed that the rhesus group of Hunan-Hubei has relatively larger skull and more well-developed masticate organs than those of Guangdong-Fujian group. There are significantly different skull characteristics between Hunan-Hubei group and Fujian-Guangdong group. Hainan island group could be evidently identified from other groups. Those differences might be the results of the geographical and ecological isolations. It is suggested that the rhesus monkeys distributing in Hunan-Hubei and Fujian-Guangdong belong to two different groups or subspecies of Macaca mulatta.

Key words: Skull; Multivariate analysis; Rhesus monkey; Macaca mulatta