Manis temminckii, Smuts, 1832
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5720458 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5720448 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EC7D87A1-FFF4-FF8B-E2E0-F95CC7D8F33C |
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treatment provided by |
Conny |
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scientific name |
Manis temminckii |
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6. View On
Ground Pangolin
French: Pangolin de Temminck / German: Steppenschuppentier / Spanish: Pangolin terrestre
Other common names: Temminck’s Pangolin, Cape Pangolin
Taxonomy. Manis temminckii Smuts, 1832 View in CoL ,
Latakou (= Litakun), near Kuruman, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Sometimes included in the genus/subgenus Smutsia. Monotypic.
Distribution. Widely but patchily distributed in open areas ranging from E Chad and N Central African Republic to extreme W Ethiopia, then south through most of E Africa to N South Africa, Namibia, and C Angola. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head—body 45-55 cm, tail 40-52 cm; weight 5-17 kg (but specimens above 20 kg have been reported). A round shield-shaped pangolin with broad scales. There is a linear correlation between body weight and total body length. One pair of pectoral mammae. Adult males larger than females and up to twice as heavy. Head conical and rostrum thin and shorter than in the Giant Pangolin ( M. gigantea ), giving a V-shape to the head in dorsal view. Nose pad color similar to the brown skin (may reach dark purple). Auditory orifice without ear pinna. Eyes small and iris dark. Massive scaled armor covering the upper face and the whole body except the belly and innerside of legs; skin and scales constitute one-fourth to one-third of total body mass. Hairs brown rufous, very thin and short on belly (less than 0-3 cm); very sparsely distributed on other skin surfaces. No hairs project between scales. 13 dorsal scale rows. Scales on the distal part of the body at least twice as wide as the first rows of post-scapular scales; from base to tip, scales show a longitudinal, rufous brown to golden color gradient. Scales three-cusped; the main, distal cusp is still visible in old adults, despite general abrasion. Tail shorter than head and body. On tail, medio-dorsal row of scales interrupted half way to tip; injuveniles and subadults, posterior margin is three-cusped (can also be observed on back), whereas cusps—and original shape—tend to disappear with age because of natural abrasion. Ventral part of tail concave, entirely covered by scales. Legs massive, especially hindlegs. Forelegs much shorter than hindlegs. Five long and slightly curved claws on forefeet, especially the third one; walk with weight on outer edge of claws, with claws facing backwards. The five claws on hindfeet kept shorter by soil abrasion (plantigrade posture) than in arboreal species; hind claws only slightly curved. Skull reaching 7.5-9 cm long, pear-shaped, and shorter than in Giant Pangolin. 19-21 caudal vertebrae.
Habitat. Various types of woodlands and savannas, often with dense undergrowth (e.g. bushveld and thornbush, in southern Africa). Can also be found in floodplain grassland and farmed areas, except in eastern Africa. May reach elevations up to 1700 m. Range of suitable niche likely conditioned by the abundance of specific groups of termites and ants preyed upon, which may explain its absence in north-eastern and western Africa. Not presentin forested areas of high rainfall, where the Giant Pangolin lives. Often lives near water sources.
Food and Feeding. Almost strictly myrmecophagous; genera preyed upon include Acantholepis, Anoplepsis, Camponotus, Crematogaster, Monsmorium, Myrmicania, Paltothyreus, Pheidole, Polyrhachis, Tapenonian, Technomyremex, Xiphomyremex (ants), and to a lesser extent, Odontotermes, Microcerotermes, Microtermes, Amitermes and Ancistotermes (termites). May be locally highly selective on species ingested; prefers eggs and larvae, probably because they are softer. Larvae of dung beetles can also be eaten. Macrosmatic, continuously sniffing while foraging; search for food is generally nocturnal, but can become diurnal depending on the activity cycles of prey. Opportunistic foraging, searching ground litter and soil fissures for ants and termites; digging to reach prey is not as frequent and deep as in other terrestrial pangolins. Mounds of termites and ants are opened using its powerful forefoot claws, notably the third one. Holes, tunnels, and fissures are sniffed and the sticky tongueis inserted where a large quantity of prey is located. Ant and termite colonies, which are not completely destroyed, usually recover well from raids of the Ground Pangolin. Sometimes also takes pieces of mound, wood, or dung in its forefeet and rolls onto its back to catch prey while manipulating the item. A series of nights is spent foraging in an area of several kilometers, for up to six hours a night, before moving to another area. Feces are dark, sausage-shaped, and have a strong smell; they contain a lot of soil and chitinous remains of prey. The lingual system is dramatically adapted to preying on ants and termites. The tongue reaches 25-40 cm long and 5 mm wide; when feeding, 10-15 cm are protracted and retracted from a pouch located within the throat (similarly to the Giant Pangolin). The tongue is covered with colorless, viscous saliva secreted by large pharyngeal and cervical salivary glands that extend almost to the shoulder. The thin, flat mandibles and weak temporo-mandibular joints seriously limit jaw movements. The tongue is attached ventral to the larynx and trachea, to a characteristically modified xiphisternum (xiphoid process). Xiphoid cartilages form two elongated bars that extend from sternum to pelvic region.
Breeding. Males have testes in a fold of skin located in the groin (i.e. not descended into a scrotum). Exact breeding season not clearly delimited. Tails of male and female are entwined when copulating. Gestation takes about 130-150 days. Fetuses of ¢. 8 g and 110 g were found in pregnant females in May and July, respectively; no pregnant females were observed between December and February. A single young is born per year, although twins have been reported. At birth, measures 15-18 cm and weighs 340-425 g; eyes are open. From around four weeks, carried clinging to mother’s back or tail (slipping onto her belly when in danger), and can start ingesting living prey. Young is carried until it reaches c. 3 kg. Females mate while nursing young. In captivity, females were seen protecting their offspring through bipedal attack; at rest, young is held close to belly and curled under mother’s tail as a protection.
Activity patterns. A poorly known species. Solitary, terrestrial, and mostly nocturnal. Activity starts late in the afternoon or at dusk, and the pangolins forage all night, sometimes until morning. During the day, they opportunistically rest in terrestrial shelters, termite mounds, or Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and spring hare (Pedetes spp.) burrows, preferably connected to ant or termite colonies; they rarely dig their own burrows. Typical burrows have a 20-25 cm diameter entrance and 3-5 m long horizontal tunnels, c. 1 m below entrance level. The same burrow is occupied several days in a row, and then left for another one. Can walk quadrupedally or bipedally. In quadrupedal walk, feet alternate and tail drags discontinuously on the ground. Bipedal walk is often used when foraging, with tail maintained above the ground for balance and forelegs held in a kangaroo-like carriage. Pelvis is more vertical and tuber coxae more prominent than in other pangolins, allowing regular use of bipedal walk. Sleeps curled up with scales open; when disturbed, scales are pulled down with much force. When walking, reacts to alarming noise by putting head between hindlegs, so to present the dorsal part of the scaled armoras a first defensive posture. In case of imminent danger, rolls into a ball. A female was observed lying on her back in the shade, exposing her belly moistened by urine to cool down body temperature. Capable of climbing, helped by the lateral, sharp scales ofthe tail. Can create a depression on the ground to collect rainwater by gyrating backwards in a tightcircle.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Movements of individuals remain unknown. Marks rocks with urine. Density in Kruger National Park ( South Africa) was estimated at 0-24 ind/km?.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List because widespread, locally abundant, protected, and distributed in numerous protected areas. Nevertheless, likely to decline locally because of hunting, pesticides— to which it is extremely sensitive—and electric fences. Hunted for meat and scales. Scales are exported from Maputaland ( South Africa) to Mozambique for traditional clothing. In East Africa, burning scalesis believed to keep lions away. In Tanzania, the Ground Pangolin is named “Bwana mganga” (doctor), each portion ofits body having specific healing power. In Zimbabwe, seeing a Ground Pangolin is a good omen and it is traditional to offerit to local or spiritual authorities. Supposed to be close to extinction in Orange Free State ( South Africa) and probably exterminated in several parts ofits range.
Bibliography. Botha & Gaudin (2007), van Ee (1966), Heath (1992b), Heath & Coulson (1997, 1998), Hoffmann (2008c), Jacobsen et al. (1991), Kingdon (1997), Kyle (2000), Stuart (1980).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
