Department of Nature Conservation, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
Anat Histol Embryol. 2024 Jul;53(4):e13084. doi: 10.1111/ahe.13084.
The Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) is one of eight pangolin species worldwide and the only pangolin present in southern Africa. Historically, pangolins have not been able to reproduce successfully in captivity and this may be in part due to the lack of knowledge and understanding with regards to the pangolin reproductive system (anatomy, physiology, biology) in all eight species. This original study describes the gross anatomy of the male Temminck's pangolin from three adult individuals investigated. The male Temminck's pangolin presented a short, conical penis with ascrotal (internal) testes, similar to many other myrmecophagous mammals such as the aardvark (Orycteropus sp.) and anteaters (suborder: Vermilingua). However, the orientation of the penis of the Temminck's pangolin differed in that it was oriented cranioventrally, in contrast to the caudal orientation of the giant anteater. The testes were found to be bilaterally flattened with an elongate oval shape, similar to the aardvark. The specific characteristics of the reproductive tract of the male Temminck's pangolins are thought to be adaptations to their peculiar lifestyle as the male portrays characteristics that indicate adaptation to a lower basal metabolic rate and body temperature as well as to their defensive mechanism of rolling up into a ball. Our study suggests the male Temminck's pangolin reproductive anatomy is most similar and comparable to the Xenarthrans and the aardvark that display the same fossorial activities as pangolins, and the male morphology is not comparable to the phylogenetically closely-related Carnivora.
犰狳穿山甲（Smutsia temminckii）是全球八种穿山甲之一，也是非洲南部唯一的穿山甲。历史上，穿山甲在圈养环境中无法成功繁殖，这可能部分归因于对所有八种穿山甲生殖系统（解剖学、生理学、生物学）缺乏了解。本原始研究描述了三只成年雄性犰狳穿山甲的大体解剖结构。雄性犰狳穿山甲的阴茎短而锥形，具有阴囊（内部）睾丸，与许多其他食蚁兽哺乳动物（如土豚（Orycteropus sp.）和食蚁兽（亚目：Vermilingua）相似。然而，犰狳穿山甲的阴茎方向不同，它是向头侧方向，与大食蚁兽的尾侧方向相反。睾丸呈双侧扁平状，呈长椭圆形，与土豚相似。雄性犰狳穿山甲生殖道的特定特征被认为是对其特殊生活方式的适应，因为雄性表现出适应较低基础代谢率和体温的特征，以及它们滚动成球的防御机制。我们的研究表明，雄性犰狳穿山甲的生殖解剖结构与犰狳和土豚最相似和可比，它们具有相同的穴居活动，而雄性形态与亲缘关系密切的食肉动物不可比。
