Indian pangolin males, however, can be up to 90% heavier than the females (Mahmood et al., 2015). Males range from 10 to 50% heavier than females. Their venter, the abdomen area, is covered in hair. ![]() Pangolin bodies are covered in keratinous scales that act as body armor. Both Pholidota and Carnivora are in the clade Ferae. Pangolins are closely related to dogs and cats. Pholidota is sister taxa with Carnivora (Gaudin, Emry, and Wible, 2009). Manidae was placed in several different orders, including Cingulata, which is the order for sloths, anteaters, and armadillos, before being placed in Pholidota. The 3 genera were decided based on cladistic phylogenetic analysis. The consensus at this point is that there are 3 genera: Manis for Asian pangolins, Phataginus for African tree pangolins, and Smutsia for African ground pangolins (Gaudin, Emry, and Wible, 2009). The number of genera in this family has been disputed. In the family Manidae there are eight extant species. These animals have strong forelimbs and claws that can be used to make burrows and excavate nests of their ant prey. Pangolins shelter in abandoned animal burrows, in caves, between rocks, or in hollow trees. ( Pietersen, et al., 2014 Trageser, et al., 2017)Ī large range of habitats are occupied by pangolins, such as savannas, forests, and grasslands. Asian pangolins are restricted to the tropical and subtropical regions of southern Asia, specifically, India, Southern China, and Southeast Asia. The other 3 African species live in the forests of Central and West Africa. Temminck's ground pangolins are the only species that lives in southern Africa. Of the 8 species of pangolin, 4 live in Africa and 4 live in the Indo-Malayan region. ( Ashokkumar, et al., 2017 Cabana, et al., 2017) Geographic Range Pangolins are the most highly trafficked animals in the world. Asian pangolins hunted for their scales, which are mistakenly thought to be medicinally useful. The Asian species of pangolin, Manis, are all endangered. They tend to be nocturnal, although they can be active during the day. Pangolins have long tongues that are used to excavate ant nests, their main source of food. Pangolins are able to roll up in a ball to protect themselves. Species in Manidae are covered in keratinous scales that protect them from the elements and predators. Although they are similar in appearance to armadillos and anteaters, they are not closely related. ![]() Pangolins thrive in diverse habitats, such as tropical forests, woodlands, and savannas. The extant species live only in Africa and Asia. Pangolins are in the family Manidae, which consists of three genera ( Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia) and eight species.
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