Morpho-anatomical characteristics of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) from Potohar Plateau, Pakistan.

We collected 10 live and two dead specimens of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) from Potohar Plateau to record their morpho-anatomical characteristics. The average body weight and length were recorded in three age classes: juvenile, sub-adult and adult. The maximum body weight, body length and tail length was 20 kg, 147.3 cm, and 85.7 cm, respectively. The total number of scales was 286±6.4, 271±24 and 294±11.0 in the juvenile, sub-adult and adult stages, respectively. The size of the scales varied on different body regions, with smallest being on the head and the largest on the trunk region. The number of scales on the head differed significantly from that on the trunk (p < 0.01) and tail (p < 0.05) regions. The number and size of the scales on the fore limbs differed significantly (p < 0.05) from those on the hind limbs. The relative tongue length constituted 37% of the total body length of the adult specimens. The digestive tract constituted 7% of the relative body weight and 19%-23% of the relative body length, whereas relative length of the reproductive tract was 12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]