Pangolins[1] Fossil range: Paleocene to recent
Sunda Pangolin, Manis javanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Eutheria Superorder: Laurasiatheria Order: Pholidota Weber, 1904 Family: Manidae Gray, 1821 Genus: Manis Linnaeus, 1758
Species
Manis culionensis Manis gigantea Manis temminckii Manis tricuspis Manis tetradactyla Manis crassicaudata Manis pentadactyla Manis javanica

Pangolins (pronounced /ˈpæŋgəlɪn/) or scaly anteaters are mammals in the order Pholidota. The Paleocene or Palaeocene, "early dawn of the recent" is a geologic epoch that lasted from 65 The Sunda Pangolin ( Manis javanica) also known as the Malayan Pangolin, is a species of Pangolin found in South-East Asia, including Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands See also Evolution of mammals Eutheria ("true beast" are a group of Mammals consisting of Placental mammals plus all extinct Mammals Laurasiatheria is a Clade of rank Cohort or super-order within the Placentalia (living or Eutheria (Placentals and their extinct ancestors John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for The Giant Pangolin ( Manis gigantea) is a Pangolin Species. Members of the species inhabit Africa with a range stretching along the The Ground Pangolin ( Manis temminckii) also known as Temminck's Pangolin or the Cape Pangolin, is one of four species of Pangolin which can The Tree Pangolin ( Manis tricuspis) is one of eight extant The Long-tailed Pangolin ( Manis tetradactyla) also called the Black-bellied Pangolin, is an Arboreal Pangolin native to the sub-Saharan The Indian Pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata) is a Pangolin that is found in many parts of India and some parts of Sri Lanka. The Chinese Pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla) is a Pangolin that is found in north India, Nepal, Bhutan, possibly Bangladesh The Sunda Pangolin ( Manis javanica) also known as the Malayan Pangolin, is a species of Pangolin found in South-East Asia, including Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands There is only one extant family (Manidae) and one genus (Manis) of pangolins, comprising eight species. In Biological classification, family ( Latin A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with this adaptation. Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in Reptiles Birds In most biological nomenclature a scale ( Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an Animal The skin is the outer covering of living tissue of an animal (or plant ^[2] They are found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The name "pangolin" derives from the Malay word pengguling ("something that rolls up"). The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Pangolins are nocturnal animals, using their well-developed sense of smell to find insects. The long-tailed pangolin is also active by day. Pangolins spend most of the daytime sleeping, curled up into a ball. ^[3]

Pangolins were classified with various other orders, for example Xenarthra, which includes the ordinary anteaters, sloths, and the similar-looking armadillos. The superorder Xenarthra is a group of Placental mammals (infraclass Eutheria extant today only in the Americas Anteaters are the four Mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating Ants and Termites Together with the Sloths The living sloths comprise six Species of medium-sized Mammals that live in Central and South America belonging to the families Armadillos are small Placental Mammals known for having a leathery armor shell But newer genetic evidence,^[4] indicates that their closest living relatives are the Carnivora, with which they form a clade, the Ferae. The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor Ferae is a Clade of Mammals consisting of the orders Carnivora (over 260 species across the globe and Pholidota (8 species of pangolin ^[5] Some paleontologists have classified the pangolins in the order Cimolesta, together with several extinct groups. Cimolesta (from Greek literally "White Clay Thieves" is an extinct order of Mammals A few experts place the Pangolins within Cimolesta though

Physical description and behavior

The physical appearance of pangolins is marked by large, hardened, plate-like scales. The scales, which are soft on newborn pangolins but harden as the animal matures, are made of keratin, the same material of which human fingernails and tetrapod claws are made. Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in Reptiles Birds A nail is a horn -like structure at the end of an animal's Finger or Toe. Tetrapods ( Greek τετραποδη tetrapoda, Latin Quadruped, "four-footed" are Vertebrate Animals A claw is a curved pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most Mammals, Birds, and some Reptiles. The pangolin is often compared to a walking pine cone or globe artichoke. A cone (in formal botanical usage Strobilus, plural strobili is an organ on Plants in the division Pinophyta ( Conifers The Globe Artichoke ( Cynara cardunculus) Globe Artichokes are known to have been cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 9th century and It can curl up into a ball when threatened, with its overlapping scales acting as armour and its face tucked under its tail. Armor (or armour) in animals is external or superficial protection against attack by predators formed as part of the body (rather than the behavioural use of protective external The scales are razor-sharp, and provide extra defense for this reason. The front claws are so long that they are unsuited for walking, and so the animal walks with its fore paws curled over to protect them. Pangolins can also emit a noxious smelling acid from glands near the anus, similar to the spray of a skunk. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release such as Hormones or Breast milk, often into the Bloodstream The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an Animal 's Digestive tract from the Mouth. Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are Mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong foul-smelling odor. Pangolins have short legs, with sharp claws which they use for burrowing into termite and ant mounds, as well as climbing. A claw is a curved pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most Mammals, Birds, and some Reptiles. A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an Animal to create a space suitable for habitation temporary refuge or as a byproduct of locomotion

The size of pangolins varies by species, ranging from 30 cm to 100 cm (12 to 39 inches). Females are generally smaller than males.

The tongues of pangolins are extremely elongated and extend into the abdominal cavity. By convergent evolution pangolins, the giant anteater, and the tube-lipped nectar bat, all have tongues which are unattached from their hyoid bone and extend past their pharynx deep into the thorax. Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest Species of Anteater. The Tube-lipped Nectar Bat ( Anoura fistulata) is a Bat from Ecuador which was first described in 2005 The hyoid bone ( lingual bone) (Latin os hyoideum) is a Bone in the Neck, and is the only bone in the human skeleton not articulated to any The pharynx (plural pharynges) is the part of the Neck and Throat situated immediately Posterior to (behind the Mouth and Nasal The thorax is a division of an Animal 's body that lies between the head and the Abdomen. ^[6] This extension lies between the sternum and the trachea. The sternum (from Greek στέρνον sternon, "chest" or breastbone) is a long flat Bone located in the center of the thorax (chest The traceartes, or windpipe, is a tube that has an inner diameter of about 20-25 mm and a length of about 10-16 cm in humans Large pangolins can extend their tongues as much as 40 cm (16 inches), with a diameter of only 0. 5 cm (1/4 inch). ^[3]

In pangolins, the section of the brain that relates to problem solving is highly developed. Although their problem solving ability is primarily used to find food in obscure locations, when kept in captivity pangolins are remarkable escape artists and thus are often referred to as the Houdini Ant-eater.

Arboreal pangolins live in hollow trees, whereas the ground dwelling species dig tunnels underground, up to a depth of 3. 5 meters (11 feet). ^[3] Pangolins are also good swimmers. ^[3]

Diet

A drawing of a pangolin

Pangolins lack teeth and the ability to chew. Instead, they tear open anthills or termite mounds with their powerful front claws and probe deep into them with their very long tongues. An ant colony is an underground Lair where Ants live Colonies consist of a series of underground chambers connected to each other and the surface of the earth by The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy The tongue is the large bundle of Skeletal muscles on the floor of the Mouth that manipulates Food for chewing and swallowing (deglutition Pangolins have an enormous salivary gland in their chests to lubricate the tongue with sticky, ant-catching saliva. The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva For the band see Saliva (band; for the village in Azerbaijan see Səliva.

Some species, such as the Tree Pangolin, use their strong tails to hang from tree branches and strip away bark from the trunk, exposing insect nests inside. The Tree Pangolin ( Manis tricuspis) is one of eight extant

Reproduction

Gestation is 120-150 days. African pangolin females usually give birth to a single offspring at a time, but the Asiatic species can give birth from one to three. ^[3] Weight at birth is 80-450 g (3-18 ounces), and the scales are initially soft. The young cling to the mother's tail as she moves about, although, in burrowing species, they remain in the burrow for the first 2-4 weeks of life. Weaning takes place at around three months of age, and pangolins becomes sexually mature at two years. Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a Mammal Infant, either human or animal to what will be its adult diet and withdrawing the supply of its mother's ^[7]

Threats

A coat of armor made of pangolin scales, a one-of-a-kind object presented to George III in 1820. George III (George William Frederick 4 June 1738 George III's long reign was marked by a series of military conflicts involving his kingdom much of the rest of Europe and places Year 1820 ( MDCCCXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year

Pangolin are hunted and eaten in many parts of Africa and it is one of the more popular types of bush meat. Bushmeat ( Calque from the French viande de brousse) is the term commonly used for Meat of terrestrial wild animals killed for Pangolins are also in great demand in China because their meat is considered a delicacy and some Chinese believe pangolin scales reduce swelling, promote blood circulation and help breast-feeding women produce milk. Breastfeeding is the feeding of an Infant or young Child with Breast milk directly from human Breasts, not from a Baby bottle or other This, coupled with deforestation, has led to a large decrease in the numbers of Giant Pangolins. Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland The Giant Pangolin ( Manis gigantea) is a Pangolin Species. Members of the species inhabit Africa with a range stretching along the

Pangolin populations have suffered from illegal trafficking. In May 2007, for example, Guardian Unlimited reported that 31 pangolins were found aboard an abandoned vessel off the coast of China. The boat contained some 5,000 endangered animals.

The Guardian recently provided a description of the killing and eating of pangolins: "A Guangdong chef interviewed last year in the Beijing Science and Technology Daily described how to cook a pangolin: 'We keep them alive in cages until the customer makes an order. Then we hammer them unconscious, cut their throats and drain the blood. It is a slow death. We then boil them to remove the scales. We cut the meat into small pieces and use it to make a number of dishes, including braised meat and soup. Usually the customers take the blood home with them afterwards. '" ^[8]

On November 10, 2007, Thai customs officers announced that they had rescued over 100 pangolins as the animals were being smuggled out of the country, en route to China, where they were to be sold for cooking. ^[9]

Taxonomy

The pangolin raids a termite cathedral mound for a meal. The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy

• ORDER PHOLIDOTA
  • Family †Epoicotheriidae
  • Family †Metacheiromyidae
  • Family Manidae
    • Subfamily †Eurotamanduidae
      • Genus †Eurotamandua
    • Subfamily Maninae
      • Genus †Cryptomanis
      • Genus †Eomanis
      • Genus †Necromanis
      • Genus †Patriomanis
      • Genus Manis
        • Subgenus Manis
          • Indian Pangolin (M. Eurotamandua (' European tamandua' is an extinct Mammal that lived some 49 million years ago during early Eocene. Eurotamandua (' European tamandua' is an extinct Mammal that lived some 49 million years ago during early Eocene. Eomanis is the earliest known true (and scaled Pangolin from the Middle Eocene Europe. Necromanis (literally "dead pangolin" is an Extinct Genus of Pangolin from the Miocene of France The Indian Pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata) is a Pangolin that is found in many parts of India and some parts of Sri Lanka. crassicaudata)
          • Chinese Pangolin (M. The Chinese Pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla) is a Pangolin that is found in north India, Nepal, Bhutan, possibly Bangladesh pentadactyla)
        • Subgenus Paramanis
          • Sunda Pangolin (M. The Sunda Pangolin ( Manis javanica) also known as the Malayan Pangolin, is a species of Pangolin found in South-East Asia, including javanica)
          • Philippine Pangolin (M. culionensis)
        • Subgenus Smutsia
          • Giant Pangolin (M. The Giant Pangolin ( Manis gigantea) is a Pangolin Species. Members of the species inhabit Africa with a range stretching along the gigantea)
          • Ground Pangolin (M. The Ground Pangolin ( Manis temminckii) also known as Temminck's Pangolin or the Cape Pangolin, is one of four species of Pangolin which can temmincki)
        • Subgenus Phataginus
          • Tree Pangolin (M. The Tree Pangolin ( Manis tricuspis) is one of eight extant tricuspis)
        • Subgenus Uromanis
          • Long-tailed Pangolin (M. The Long-tailed Pangolin ( Manis tetradactyla) also called the Black-bellied Pangolin, is an Arboreal Pangolin native to the sub-Saharan tetradactyla)

References

External links

• Pangolin: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation
• A photograph of a pangolin
• Tree of Life of Pholidota