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Rhesus macaque vision: the science and the numbers

Macaca mulatta · order Primates · Mammals: all the numbers

Rhesus macaques have 3 colour receptor classes (434, 536 and 562 nm), like most people.[1] Their sharpest vision resolves 51.75 cycles per degree, against 63.75 for people in this dataset.[5][6] Both eyes see the same 140° in front of them.[7] Rhesus macaques stop seeing flicker at 78 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[21][22]

See it on your photoBack to How do rhesus macaques see?
  • 3colour receptor classesMeasured
  • 51.75cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 140°seen by both eyesMeasured
  • 78hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is a mammal in the order Primates. Its eyes belong to the vision type Human-like trichromat: three cone types, sharp central vision and a wide zone seen by both eyes. Measured in this species: colour, sharpness, field of view, foveas, night vision and motion (flicker fusion). Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What rhesus macaques see: colour receptors

Rhesus macaque colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmRhesus macaque: 3 receptor peaks at 434, 536, 562 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Rhesus macaque: 434, 536, 562 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has three colour receptor classes, like most people.
  • Its sharpest vision resolves 51.75 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Both eyes see the same 140° in front of it (binocular overlap), where depth is judged best.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 78 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks about 1.3 times slower to it.[21][22]
  • Activity pattern: diurnal.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
3 receptor classes: 434 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 536 nm (MWS (green)), 562 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured[1]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[1][2][3][4]
SharpnessAcuity
51.75 cycles per degree
median of 2 behavioural rows (method priority rule)
Measured[5][6]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[5][6]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
140°
median of 1 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[7]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[7][8]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[9]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[9]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[7][8]
Total field of view
200°
median species-v1 total field of order Primates: Homo sapiens
Group default[9]
Blind area behind the head
160°		Group default[9]
Eye placement
frontal
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[7]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
fovea_present / area_centralis_type (retinal topography; count 1 = fovea present, 0 = none)
Measured[10]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[10]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[10]
Fovea type
fovea		Measured[10]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 9 rows (of 9 rows): diurnal; photopic
Measured (not re-verified)[11][12][13][1][14][15][16][17]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[11][12][13][1][14][15][16][17]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[18][19]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[20]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[11][12][13][1][14][15][16][17]
Pupil shape
vertical		Group default[18][19]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[11][12][13][1][14][15][16][17]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
78 Hz
median of 2 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [61.0, 95.0])
Measured[21][22]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[21][22]

All mammals side by side: Mammals: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Longcore 2023
  2. Kirwan
  3. Müller et al. 2009
  4. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  5. Kirk et al. 2004
  6. Veilleux et al. 2014
  7. Heesy 2004
  8. Heffner et al. 1992
  9. Campbell & Green 1965
  10. Kopania et al. 2025
  11. Anderson et al. 2017
  12. Borges et al. 2018
  13. Wilman et al. 2014
  14. Maor et al. 2017
  15. Jones et al. 2009
  16. Schmitz et al. 2011
  17. Moura et al. 2024
  18. Banks et al. 2015
  19. Cervino et al. 2021
  20. Guareschi et al. 2025
  21. Healy et al. 2013
  22. Inger et al. 2014

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.