Special Sub-Topic: Panegyrical Pangolins Click Here To Play: Panegyrical Pangolins

Which of these species can be found in Africa?

M. gigantea. The 7 types of pangolins are Manis crassicaudata, M. javanica, and M. pentadactyla (Asian pangolins) and M. temminckii, M. tricuspis, M. gigantea, and M. tetradactyla (African pangolins). African pangolins have pinnae (ear flaps) while the Asian species do not. The African species range from Senegal east to Uganda, Angola, western Kenya, and south to Zambia and Northern Mozambique, Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, to Namibia and South Africa. The Asian species are found in Southeast Asian countries from Myanmar to Indonesia as well as Palawan (an island) in the Philippines.

What is another name for the tree pangolin?

white-bellied pangolin. The tree pangolin (also known as the white-bellied pangolin), Manis tricuspis, has a tail longer than its body. The average length is approximately 2.5 feet (0.8 meters). It has long-toed hind legs with claws for climbing, and it is covered in many thin scales. As a point of interest, a pad is located at the tip of its tail for tree-climbing. The long-tailed pangolin is Manis tetradactyla, and the gray-bellied and forest pangolins are nonexistent.

Which of these is called the common pangolin?

Manis temminckii. Manis temminckii, the common or Cape pangolin, has a small head and a long, broad tail. It has very small eyes in protuberant sockets. The ears are mere slits placed vertically on the sides of its head. It has scales that are big, hard, and overlapping. There are five digits on each of its forefeet. The thumb has a nail, the middle three have a lengthy curving claw, and the fifth has an abrupt little claw. This pangolin is a maximum of 33 pounds (15 kilograms) in weight, and approximately 3.3 feet (1 meter) in length. Manis gigantea is the Giant pangolin, Manis tricuspis is the tree pangolin, and M. tetrae does not exist.

What is the word "pangolin" derived from?

pengguling. “Pangaré” is the Portugese word for pangolin, but it is not what “pangolin” came from. “Paennilen” is not actually a word at all, and “penya” is a Quenya Elvish word that means “lacking.” "Pengguling" is actually a Malay word meaning "curling" from which pangolin was formed. This is because curling is a pangolin's defense against attack from another creature. Its sharp, overlapping scales protect it from harm.

Ground-dwelling pangolins have a special way of cleaning themselves. What creature is an important part of their hygiene?

the ant. Pangolins take “ant baths” by venturing into an ant nest and lifting their scales, thus allowing the ants free access. Upon entrance, the ants are crushed as the pangolins flatten their scales and rustle them. Afterwards, they head into the water to rinse themselves where they simply lift their scales and allow the ants to float away. This procedure is very beneficial for cleaning purposes because the exoskeletons of the ants scrub beneath the scales and dislodge any debris which may still be lodged. The Oriental dotterel (or plover) feeds on insects and can be found in Southeast Asia and is a close relation of the Caspian plover. The remora is a bony fish that suctions onto sharks with its dorsal fin to eat leftovers, and the sharks leave it alone because of their symbiotic relationship. The red-billed oxpecker (also called a tickbird) eats the insects that prey upon rhinos and other large hoofed animals.

Which of these is not true about a pangolin's behavior?

they prefer to live in small communities. Pangolins do walk on their knuckles, tucking their claws underneath to keep them from becoming dull. They have poor sight, so smell is imperative to guide them safely on their ventures. They leave a scent trail to follow by urinating in the sand and rolling in it. As they trundle along, the smell brushes off on the objects they pass so they are able to return easily to their burrows. Interestingly enough, they are also able to walk exclusively on their hind legs by using their tails to balance. This is a speedier—and thus, more efficient—way of traveling. They are actually solitary rather than enjoying community life, though.

Which acid do pangolins obtain from their diet that is very important for digestion?

methanoic. Methanoic acid (also known as formic acid) obtained from ants also abets digestion and is indeed probably imperative for the whole digestive process; there is cause to believe that pangolins would be unable to assimilate nutrients properly without it. Since they lack teeth, the process would not be complete without the consumption of small stones and sand to assist the grinding process. This procedure is akin to the process that takes place in the gizzard of a bird. Acetic acid (or ethanoic acid) is a transparent organic acid with a sharp smell that is used as a solvent and in the making of rubber, plastics, pharmaceuticals, etc. Bile acid is a group of steroid acids made in the liver that make up bile.

The most important life function of a pangolin is, of course, reproduction. What is the basic range of time in which baby pangolins are born?

November-March. In general, gestation takes one hundred twenty to one hundred fifty days, but it may vary from species to species. The basic birth weight of the offspring is 3-18 ounces (85.4-512.5 grams) each. Normally, the young pangolin is mature in just two years. They are born during the months November through March although, again, the individual species characteristics may vary.

Pangolin scales are valuable for different reasons and therefore have several uses. Which of these is not one of their uses?

to treat particular types of mental illness. Traditional Chinese medicine attributes special healing to pangolin scales in relation to such problems as allergies, skin conditions, and sexually transmitted diseases. Some cultures combine the blood and scales with herbs to use dually as a medicament and a love potion. The scales can be used as analgesics (painkillers) and to cure diseased lymph nodes and help breastfeeding women produce more milk. The long-tailed pangolin’s scales are particularly costly on the black market in China.

Pangolins are classified in Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Mammalia, but which order?

Pholidota. Pangolins are actually found in Subclass Theria (Therian mammals) and Infraclass Eutheria (placental mammals). Prototheria is not an order at all but rather a subclass of egg-laying mammals. Proboscidea is the order containing elephants, and Cingulata is another order containing armadillos. Pholidota is the name of the pangolins’ order, and their family name is Manidae.