What is Manis Indoburmanica?

About Manis Indoburmanica:

• It is a new species of pangolin genetically distinct from Chinese and Indian pangolins found in India.
• The species has been named Indo-Burmese pangolin (Manis Indoburmanica).
• Genetic analysis has shown that the Indo-Burmese pangolin is 3.8% different from the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).
  • The species diverged from the Chinese pangolin around 3.4 million years ago, probably owing to climatic and geological changes during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. 
• The species is believed to inhabit parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and potentially extend into Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
• It is found at altitudes ranging from 180 to 1830 meters above sea level and has dark brown and olive-brown scales with a pinkish face, typical of other Asian pangolins.

Key Facts about Pangolins:

• Pangolins are mammals that belong to the family Manidae and are found in Africa and Asia.
• There are eight different species of pangolins: four in Africa and four in Asia.
• They are unique because they are the only mammals covered in large, protective keratinscales, which they use as armour, curling up into a ball when threatened by predators.
• They are myrmecophagous, meaning they primarily eat ants and termites, using their long, sticky tongues to capture these insects.
• Additionally, pangolins are fossorial, which means they are adapted for digging and creating burrows where they often reside.
• Pangolins are among the most trafficked animals globally, partly due to the demand for their scales in traditional medicine and as luxury items.

Q1: What is keratin?

Keratin is a protein that helps form hair, nails and your skin's outer layer (epidermis). It helps support your skin, heal wounds and keep your nails and hair healthy. There are 54 kinds of keratin in your body.

Source: TOI