Ground pangolin

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Ground pangolin
Manis temminckii (29645803646).jpg
A ground pangolin in the wilds of Africa
Manis temminckii (29390603130).jpg
A ground pangolin in defensive posture
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Pholidota
Family: Manidae
Genus: Smutsia
Species:
S. temminckii
Binomial name
Smutsia temminckii
Smuts, 1832 [3]
Ground Pangolin area.png
Ground pangolin range
Synonyms
synonyms of species:
  • Manis temminckii(Smuts, 1832)
  • Phatages hedenborgii(Fitzinger, 1872) [4]
  • Phataginus temminckii
Manis temmincki 02 MWNH 719.JPG
Manis temmincki 03 MWNH 719.JPG
Manis temmincki 01 MWNH 719.JPG
Skull of a ground pangolin
Pangolin photographed in Tanzania around 1910 Bundesarchiv Bild 105-DSWA0082, Deutsch-Sud-Westafrika, Gurteltier.jpg
Pangolin photographed in Tanzania around 1910

The ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), also known as Temminck's pangolin, Cape pangolin or steppe pangolin is a species of pangolin from genus Smutsia of subfamily Smutsiinae the within family Manidae. [5] [1] It is one of four species of pangolins which can be found in Africa, and the only one in southern and eastern Africa. The animal was named for the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.

Contents

Physical description

Pangolins are almost completely covered in overlapping, protective scales, [6] which makes up about 20% of their body weight. [7] The scales are composed of keratin, the same material that forms human hair and fingernails, [7] and give pangolins an appearance similar to a pinecone or artichoke. [8] The underside of a pangolin is not covered with scales, but sparse fur, instead. When threatened, it usually rolls up into a ball, thus protecting its vulnerable belly. Pangolins are 30 to 90 cm (1 to 3 feet) long exclusive of the tail and weigh from 5 to 27 kg (10 to 60 pounds). Across all eight species, adult tail length ranges from about 26 to 70 cm (approximately 10 to 28 inches). [9] Mature adults are light brown, olive, and dark brown in color, while young are pale brown or pink in color.

Ground pangolins walk on their hind legs, occasionally using their forelegs and their tail for balance. [10] Their limbs are adapted for digging. They have five toes each with the fore feet having three long, curved claws, which are designed to demolish termite nests and to dig burrows. Because of these claws, pangolins must balance on the outer edges of their fore feet and tuck in the claws to prevent damage. Pangolins have long, broad tails and small, conical heads with jaws that lack teeth. To replace the act of chewing, the pangolin stomach is muscular, with keratinous spines that project into the interior and contains small stones to mash and grind prey, similarly to a bird's gizzard. Pangolins also have long, muscular tongues to reach and lap up ants and termites in cavities. Their tongues stretch so far, they are actually longer than their bodies. The tongue is attached in the lower cavity, near the pelvis and the last pair of ribs, and is able to retract and rest in the chest cavity. Pangolins have reduced pinnae, so they have poor hearing, as well as poor vision, although they do have a strong sense of smell. [6]

Range and distribution

The African pangolin species are native to 15 African countries dispersed throughout southern, central, and east Africa. [7] S. temminckii is the only species found in southern and eastern Africa. It prefers savannah woodland with moderate amounts of scrub at low elevations. [1]

Behavior and social organization

Little is known about the pangolin, as it is difficult to study in the wild. Pangolins are solitary animals and only interact for mating. They dig and live in deep burrows made of semispherical chambers. These burrows are large enough for humans to crawl into and stand up. Although it is capable of digging its own burrow, the ground pangolin prefers to occupy those abandoned by warthogs or aardvarks or to lie in dense vegetation, making it even more difficult to observe. African pangolins such as the ground pangolin prefer burrows, while Asian pangolins sleep in hollows and forks of trees and logs. They are nocturnal animals. They mark their territory with urine, secretions, and by scattering their feces. When threatened, their defense mechanism is to curl into a ball with their scales outward, hiss and puff, and lash out with their sharp-edged tails. [6] The scales on the tails are capable of a cutting action to inflict serious wounds. [7] Pangolins are also capable of emitting noxious acid from glands near the anus, similar to a skunk, to ward off predators. [11] The ground pangolin's main predators are leopards, hyenas, and humans. [7] Pangolins roll in herbivore dung. [12] Young pangolins ride on the base of their mothers' tails and slip under the mother when she curls up for protection.

Diet

The ground pangolin is wholly myrmecophagous, meaning that they only feed on ants and termites. [13] In fact, they demonstrate prey selectivity, only eating specific ant and termite species rather than foraging on the most abundant species. [13] They have been observed exposing entire subterranean nests of a certain species of termites without eating any, preferring to find their species of choice. [14] Their determination of suitable prey does not seem to be based on the size of the species alone, but likely also depends on the chemical and mechanical defenses of each species. Even in arid environments, ground pangolins remain selective in their dietary habits with regard to prey species and only prey on a small subset of available ant and termite species.

Reproduction and lifecycle

The lifespan of the pangolin is unknown, but the observed lifespan in captivity is 20 years. They are sexually dimorphic, with the males being 10–50% heavier than females. [6] No defined mating season is known, but pangolins tend to mate during the summer and autumn. The gestation period ranges up to 139 days for ground pangolins and other African species. African species females usually birth only one offspring, but litters of three have been observed in Asian species. When born, a pangolin has soft, pale scales, which begin to harden by the second day. [6] The young are usually about 6 in (15 cm) long and about 12 oz (340.19 g) at birth. They are nursed by their mothers for 3 to 4 months, but begin eating termites after only one month. [7] Pangolins reach sexual maturity at 2 years old, when they leave their mothers and begin living alone. [6]

Conservation status and threats

The ground pangolin is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. The assessors state, "there is an inferred past/ongoing and projected future population reduction of 30–40% over a 27-year period (nine years past, 18 years future; generation length estimated at nine years) based primarily on ongoing exploitation for traditional medicine and bushmeat throughout the species' range and evidence of increased intercontinental trade to Asia." [1]

The two main threats encountered by ground pangolin populations are habitat loss and illegal trafficking. Due to human cultivation of land, the pangolin faces habitat fragmentation and corresponding reduction in numbers. [6] Meanwhile, illegal trade has an even stronger impact, as pangolins are reported to be the most trafficked animal in the world (with elephants a close second). The scales alone account for 20% of the black market in protected animal parts; [11] they are boiled off the body and used for traditional medicines. Pangolin meat is sold as a high-end delicacy in China and Vietnam, the blood is believed to be a healing tonic, and pangolin fetuses have alleged health benefits and aphrodisiac qualities. A conservative estimate of pangolins trafficked illegally each year is 10,000, while actual numbers for a two-year period may be in excess of 250,000. How many are left in the wild is unknown. Pangolins are generally poorly known to the public and their endangered status has so far received much less publicity than in the case of more iconic species. [8] [ better source needed ]

Phylogeny

Phylogenetic position of Smutsia temminckii within family Manidae [15] [16] [17] [18]

  Pholidotamorpha  

Palaeanodonta Metacheiromys DB152-2.jpg

  Pholidota  

Euromanis

 ? 

Pholidota sp. (BC 16’08)

Eurotamanduidae

  Eupholidota  

Eomanoidea

  Manoidea  

Patriomanidae

 ? 

Necromanis

  Manidae  

Maninae Pangolin Hardwicke (white background).jpg

 ? 

Manidae sp. (DPC 3972 & DPC 4364)

 Smutsiinae 

Phatagininae Anatomische Untersuchungen uber die Edentaten (1852) Phataginus tricuspis.png

  Smutsiinae  
  Smutsia  

Smutsia gigantea Cambridge Natural History Mammalia Fig 109.jpg

Smutsia olteniensis

Smutsia temminckii Manis temminckii MHNT PHOL 1.jpg

 sensu stricto 
 african clade 
 sensu lato 
 sensu stricto 
 (Pholidotasensu lato) 

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pangolin</span> Mammals of the order Pholidota

Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota. The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Manis comprises four species found in Asia, while Phataginus and Smutsia include two species each, all found in sub-Saharan Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm. A number of extinct pangolin species are also known. In September 2023, nine species were reported.

<i>Manis</i> Genus of mammals

Manis ("spirit") is a genus of South Asian and East Asian pangolins, the Asiatic pangolins, from subfamily Maninae, within family Manidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manidae</span> Family of pangolins

Manidae ("spirits") is the only extant family of pangolins from superfamily Manoidea. This family comprises three genera, as well as extinct Fayum pangolin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian pangolin</span> Species of mammal

The Indian pangolin, also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater, is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent. Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body which act as armour. The colour of its scales varies depending on the colour of the earth in its surroundings. It can also curl itself into a ball as self-defence against predators such as the tiger. It is an insectivore feeding on ants and termites, digging them out of mounds and logs using its long claws, which are as long as its fore limbs. It is nocturnal and rests in deep burrows during the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant pangolin</span> Species of mammal

The giant pangolin is a species of pangolin from genus Smutsia of subfamily Smutsiinae within the family Manidae. It is the largest living species of pangolins. Members of the species inhabit Africa with a range stretching along the equator from West Africa to Uganda. It subsists almost entirely on ants and termites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunda pangolin</span> Species of pangolin found in southeast Asia

The Sunda pangolin, also known as the Malayan or Javan pangolin, is a species of pangolin. It is a member of the Manidae family. Its English name comes from the Malay name "pëngulin", which means "roller".

<i>Eurotamandua</i> Extinct genus of pangolins

Eurotamandua is an extinct genus of mammal from extinct family Eurotamanduidae that lived during the middle Eocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese pangolin</span> Species of mammal

The Chinese pangolin is a pangolin native to the northern Indian subcontinent, northern parts of Southeast Asia and southern China. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2014, as the wild population is estimated to have declined by more than 80% in three pangolin generations, equal to 21 years. It is threatened by poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-tailed pangolin</span> Species of mammal

The long-tailed pangolin, also called the African black-bellied pangolin or ipi, is a diurnal, arboreal pangolin species belonging to the family Manidae, in the order Pholidota. They feed on ants rather than termites. The common names for this species stem from physical characteristics, such as the extremely long tail or the dark hairs that cover the underside of their bodies and limbs. Pangolin comes from the Malay word pengguling, meaning “something that rolls up”.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrmecophagy</span> Feeding on termites or ants

Myrmecophagy is a feeding behavior defined by the consumption of termites or ants, particularly as pertaining to those animal species whose diets are largely or exclusively composed of said insect types. Literally, myrmecophagy means "ant-eating" rather than "termite eating". The two habits often overlap, as both of these eusocial insect types often live in large, densely populated nests requiring similar adaptations in the animal species that exploit them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree pangolin</span> Species of mammal

The tree pangolin is one of eight extant species of pangolins, and is native to equatorial Africa. Also known as the white-bellied pangolin or three-cusped pangolin, it is the most common of the African forest pangolins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine pangolin</span> Species of pangolin

The Philippine pangolin or Palawan pangolin, also locally known as balintong, is a pangolin species endemic to the Palawan province of the Philippines. Its habitat includes primary and secondary forests, as well as surrounding grasslands. This species is moderately common within its limited range, but is at risk due to heavy hunting because of its valued scales and meat. This species is distinguished from the closely related Sunda pangolin by its smaller body-to-tail ratio, smaller scales, and a shorter head. It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and Critically Endangered by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).

<i>Anoplolepis custodiens</i> Species of ant

Anoplolepis custodiens, commonly known as the common pugnacious ant, is a species of ant in the genus Anoplolepis, native to central and southern Africa. Individual ants may come in a range of colors and sizes. Found in dry and cultivated areas, it is an important source of prey for some pangolins and aardvarks. Although generally aggressive, ants from other colonies of Anoplolepis custodiens are not attacked.

<i>Phataginus</i> Genus of mammals

African tree pangolin (Phataginus) is a genus of African pangolins from subfamily small African pangolins (Phatagininae), within family Manidae. Its members are the more arboreal of the African pangolins.

<i>Smutsia</i> Genus of mammals

African ground pangolin is a genus of pangolins from subfamily Smutsiinae within family Manidae. It was formerly considered a subgenus of genus Manis. Its members are the more terrestrial of the African pangolins. In past, this genus was also present in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pangolin trade</span> Illegal poaching, sale and trafficking

The pangolin trade is the illegal poaching, trafficking, and sale of pangolins, parts of pangolins, or pangolin-derived products on the black market. Pangolins are believed to be the world's most trafficked mammal, accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than a million pangolins were poached in the decade prior to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiwanese pangolin</span> Subspecies of mammal

The Taiwanese pangolin, also known as the Formosan pangolin, is a subspecies of the Chinese pangolin that is native to Taiwan. Its population has largely declined over the past few decades, mainly due to the threat of poaching and illegal trading of their valuable scales and meat.

Smutsia olteniensis is an extinct species of pangolins from genus Smutsia of subfamily Smutsiinae within family Manidae. Fossilized remains of the species were found in Romania, providing evidence regarding the existence of pangolins in Europe during the Plio-Pleistocene period.

References

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  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
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  15. Gaudin, Timothy (2009). "The Phylogeny of Living and Extinct Pangolins (Mammalia, Pholidota) and Associated Taxa: A Morphology Based Analysis" (PDF). Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 16 (4). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Science+Business Media: 235–305. doi:10.1007/s10914-009-9119-9. S2CID   1773698. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
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