Osteohistological analysis reveals unusual bone tissue patterns in Temminck's ground pangolin ( Smutsia temminckii )
- 1School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand 1 , Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- 2GENUS: DSTI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences, University of the Witwatersrand 2 , Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- 3Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Faculty of Science 3 , Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Abstract
Temminck's ground pangolin is one of Africa's most threatened mammals, yet little is known about its skeletal biology. This study provides the first osteohistological analysis of its limb bones, documenting patterns of growth, remodelling and skeletal reinforcement. Limb bones exhibit extensive cortical remodelling, with substantial portions of the cortex being composed of compacted coarse cancellous bone, endosteal bone and secondary osteons, together with abundant resorption cavities. Growth marks occur in all elements, but the absence of outer circumferential lamellae and persistence of open vascular canals indicate continued growth and a lack of skeletal maturity despite the presence of up to four annual growth cycles. Extensive skeletal reinforcement occurs throughout the limbs, although elements employ distinct osteohistological patterns. Comparison with the aardvark reveals alternative pathways of skeletal reinforcement, with ground pangolins showing relatively greater secondary remodelling in the hind limb. Ground pangolins are further distinguished by abundant, incompletely infilled resorption cavities extending into the middle and outer cortex, suggesting an unusual pattern of intracortical remodelling. The exceptionally low basal metabolic rate of S. temminckii may contribute to these patterns, although this relationship remains to be tested. These findings provide new insights into the skeletal biology of this poorly studied mammal.
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BibTeX
@article{mamabolo2026osteohistological,
title = {{Osteohistological analysis reveals unusual bone tissue patterns in Temminck's ground pangolin ( Smutsia temminckii )}},
author = {Palesa Mamabolo and Francesca Parrini and Jennifer Botha},
journal = {Royal Society Open Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1098/rsos.261533},
url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/10/261533/483932/Osteohistological-analysis-reveals-unusual-bone},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Osteohistological analysis reveals unusual bone tissue patterns in Temminck's ground pangolin ( Smutsia temminckii )
AU - Palesa Mamabolo
AU - Francesca Parrini
AU - Jennifer Botha
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Royal Society Open Science
DO - 10.1098/rsos.261533
UR - https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/10/261533/483932/Osteohistological-analysis-reveals-unusual-bone
AB - Temminck's ground pangolin is one of Africa's most threatened mammals, yet little is known about its skeletal biology. This study provides the first osteohistological analysis of its limb bones, documenting patterns of growth, remodelling and skeletal reinforcement. Limb bones exhibit extensive cortical remodelling, with substantial portions of the cortex being composed of compacted coarse cancellous bone, endosteal bone and secondary osteons, together with abundant resorption cavities. Growth marks occur in all elements, but the absence of outer circumferential lamellae and persistence of open vascular canals indicate continued growth and a lack of skeletal maturity despite the presence of up to four annual growth cycles. Extensive skeletal reinforcement occurs throughout the limbs, although elements employ distinct osteohistological patterns. Comparison with the aardvark reveals alternative pathways of skeletal reinforcement, with ground pangolins showing relatively greater secondary remodelling in the hind limb. Ground pangolins are further distinguished by abundant, incompletely infilled resorption cavities extending into the middle and outer cortex, suggesting an unusual pattern of intracortical remodelling. The exceptionally low basal metabolic rate of S. temminckii may contribute to these patterns, although this relationship remains to be tested. These findings provide new insights into the skeletal biology of this poorly studied mammal.
SN - 2054-5703
ER -