Encyclopedia > Pangolin
Pangolin
| Pangolins | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
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| Species | ||||||||||||
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M. longicaudata (African black-bellied pangolin) M. pentadactyla (Chinese pangolin) M. gigantea (giant pangolin) M. crassicaudata M. temmincki (Temminck's pangolin) M. tetradactyla (long-tailed pangolin) M. tricuspis (African tree pangolin, or three-pointed pangolin) |
They belong to the order Pholidota which contains a single family, Manidae, and a single genus, Manis, with seven different species.
Their sizes vary with species, from 30 cm to 100 cm, with females being smaller than males. Pangolins have large, plate-like scales, which are an unusual feature among mammals. They can curl up into a ball when threatened, with their overlapping scales acting as armor. The scales on newborn pangolins are soft but harden as they mature. Pangolins have short legs, with sharp claws which they use for burrowing. Pangolins are insectivores.
- A photgraph of a pangolin -
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