Genetic Milestone: Chinese and Malayan Pangolin Genomes Mapped

Researchers from the Guangdong Academy of Forestry and Northeast Forestry University have achieved a significant breakthrough by mapping the chromosome-scale genomes of two critically endangered pangolin species—the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and the Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica).

Understanding Pangolins

Pangolins, often referred to as living fossils, possess unique biological traits. Their bodies are covered in hard, overlapping keratin scales. They have specialized diets, long and muscular tongues, a sensitive sense of smell, and the ability to burrow. These fascinating creatures have been historically valued across their distribution areas for their scales and meat in traditional medicine and cuisine.

The Threat to Pangolins

The rapid demand for pangolins in luxury food markets and traditional Chinese medicine has led to a drastic decline in their numbers. Pangolins are currently the most trafficked mammal in the world, with more than 900,000 individuals poached over the past two decades. This illegal trade involves 67 countries from six continents.

Asian pangolins, particularly the Malayan and Chinese species, face severe threats due to poaching and trafficking. Both species have been classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2014.

Significance of Genome Mapping

As World Pangolin Day approaches on February 15, the release of high-quality genomic data for these species highlights their genetic vulnerabilities and extinction risks. This research, presented by Guangdong Academy of Forestry researcher Yan Hua and colleagues, aims to provide essential genetic insights.

The primary goal was to generate genome sequences at a higher resolution than previously available. Chromosome-scale sequences offer invaluable information for understanding genetic health and extinction risks in populations.

Key Findings

The researchers estimated genetic diversity within populations, discovering a surprisingly high overall genetic variability. This suggests a generally robust genetic health for the species. However, some populations showed signs of higher extinction risks.

One population, in particular, experienced a more rapid and significant decline over the past 10,000 years compared to other populations in the study. Genetic parameters indicated that this population was at a very high risk of extinction.

Analysis of a pangolin specimen from Taiwan also revealed concerning data about genetic diversity.

Future Implications

Further research is needed to fully understand the specific risks faced by individual populations. Differences between population localities should be studied to inform genetic rescue efforts, which aim to save endangered species through captive breeding and rewilding programs.

According to the researchers, “With the assistance of these data, we can better evaluate genetic rescue strategies for wild populations by rewilding and releasing these captive individuals in the future.”

Conclusion

The genome mapping of the Chinese and Malayan pangolins marks a crucial step in understanding and protecting these elusive creatures. By providing valuable genetic data, researchers hope to influence conservation efforts and safeguard these endangered species from further decline.

A paper detailing the findings has been published in the prestigious journal GigaScience.

Tianming Lan et al. 2025. Enhancing inbreeding estimation and global conservation insights through chromosome-level assemblies of the Chinese and Malayan pangolin. GigaScience 14: giaf003; doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giaf003

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