Not only does this improve understanding between the different species, but it may help prevent poaching before it even happens.<\/p>\n
Eight species of pangolin have been long-recognised and can be broadly split into those that live in Africa, and those in Asia. (Manis mysteria\u00a0<\/em>was identified as a new species in 2023 through genetic analysis, although it hasn\u2019t been seen alive.)<\/p>\n Researchers at Nepal\u2019s Pokahara University first documented evidence more than five years ago that suggested Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla<\/em>) weren\u2019t all the same.<\/p>\n One population of the pangolins lives primarily in China, whereas the other is found in the foothills of the Himalayas, spreading into parts of Nepal, India, Bhutan and Myanmar.<\/p>\n The Himalayan species was given the new name\u00a0Manis indoburmanica<\/em>: the Indo-Burmese pangolin.<\/p>\n Anderson Feij\u00f3 (the assistant curator of mammals at Chicago\u2019s Field Museum) and his colleagues were in the middle of a decade-long analysis of the pangolin family tree, using DNA and physical traits to classify the different species and their evolutionary history.<\/p>\n They read about another species,\u00a0Manis aurita<\/em>, that had been described in 1836 but had been subsequently downgraded to a subspecies of Chinese pangolin.<\/p>\n \u201cThis left us with a core taxonomic riddle: what\u2019s the relationship between\u00a0indoburmanica<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0aurita<\/em>? Are they the same species or different species?\u201d says Kai He, one of the paper\u2019s co-authors and a researcher at Guangzhou University, in south China.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ultimate, most thrilling piece of the puzzle came from the Natural History Museum in London. Thanks to their incredible expertise and assistance, the team successfully sequenced the DNA directly from the historical type specimen of the Nepalese subspecies (aurita<\/em>). This specimen dates to 1836, making it nearly 190 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n The modern specimens found in the Himalayas matched\u00a0aurita<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 meaning the species described as\u00a0Manis indoburmanica<\/em>\u00a0should be classified as\u00a0Manis aurita<\/em>.<\/p>\n The researchers say there are subtle differences between the Himalayan pangolin and the Chinese pangolin.<\/p>\n \u201cCompared to the Chinese pangolin, the Himalayan pangolin has a bigger body, a longer tail and smaller ears,\u201d explains Feij\u00f3.<\/p>\n The two species are also found in different geographical regions that don\u2019t overlap.<\/p>\n This taxonomic clarification can play an important role in conserving such an endangered mammal. These new DNA analyses can help conservation scientists pinpoint the exact species of pangolin being poached \u2013 just by testing their scales.<\/p>\n These species can then be traced back to specific regions where poaching is occurring. This clarification can also inform reintroduction efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore, you might have introduced Chinese pangolins into Nepal, because you didn\u2019t know the difference,\u201d says Feij\u00f3.<\/p>\n \u201cBy defining the differences between the species and the limits of where each species is found, we can make better conservation decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n The finding is the culmination of years of work from multiple organisations.<\/p>\n \u201cThe confirmation of\u00a0Manis aurita<\/em>\u00a0as a valid species demonstrates the importance of long-term research, international collaboration and museum collections,\u201d adds Narayan Koju, the study\u2019s first author and a researcher at Pokhara University.<\/p>\n \u201cMost importantly, it provides a strong scientific basis for conservation planning, wildlife forensics, and efforts to protect one of the world\u2019s most trafficked mammals from extinction.\u201d<\/p>\nDNA puzzle<\/h2>\n
A new species<\/h2>\n