Giant Malayan Pangolin Skull Replica

Description

Giant Malayan pangolin skull replica measures 6.5 x 2.2 x 1.8 inches. The Smutsia gigantea skull is a museum-quality polyurethane resin cast from California Academy of Sciences specimen. 2-part skull (separate cranium and mandible). 1:1 scale. Made in USA.

The Malayan pangolin, also known as the Sunda pangolin or Javan pangolin is a unique animal native to many different parts of Southeast Asia. They live in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. They also thrive on the islands of Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and the Lesser Sunda islands.

They prefer deep primary forests, secondary woods, and thick shrub habitats. They also live inside local rubber and palm oil plantations and spend a large amount of their time high up in the trees.

The skin on the feet is rough and granular. It features thick, soft pads on its front feet and they have very powerful claws. It uses these heavy-duty claws to dig deep into hard soils to find hidden ant nests. The claws also work perfectly to tear into tough termite mounds. The animal has very poor eyesight but uses a highly developed sense of smell to track food.

Malayan pangolins lack teeth completely; therefore, they rely on a very long, sticky tongue to collect and swallow ants and termites. Unlike all other mammals on Earth, rows of hard scales and fibrous hairs cover the body. These brown scales are made of tough keratin and protect the animals from dangerous predators.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Pholidota
• Family: Manidae
• Genus: Smutsia
• Species: S. gigantea
• Binomial name: Smutsia gigantea
• Conservation status: Endangered

The giant Malayan pangolin skull pairs well with the tree pangolin skull replica, the silky anteater skull replica and the southern tamandua skull replica.