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dc.contributor.author | Blecher, Arantxa Silvia![]() |
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dc.contributor.author | Ganswindt, Andre![]() |
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dc.contributor.author | Scheun, Juan![]() |
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dc.date.accessioned | 2021-06-03T10:30:17Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2021-07 | |
dc.description.abstract | Pangolins are the most trafficked wild mammals, with their scales in high demand. Scales are often the only part of the animal confiscated from the trade, but they represent accessible material for forensic investigations, including for sexing. This study aimed to develop a sexing tool for Temminck's pangolin, using scales for hormone quantification. Scales from males and females were liquidised using keratinase and the resulting suspension analysed for progestagen and androgen metabolite (scPM and scAM) concentrations. Scale PM and scAM concentrations were compared between sexes, while overall median values for scPM and scAM, as well as a ratio of scPM to scAM (P/A) were used as boundary values for sex identification. Neither scPM nor scAM concentrations were significantly different between the sexes and concentrations of a juvenile and sub-adult male overlapped with females, possibly indicating later sexual maturity in males. Boundary values for scAM concentrations and the P/A ratio predicted sex with 100% accuracy for females and 78% for males, while the accuracies for the scPM boundary value were lower. When only adult individuals are considered, scAM and P/A ratio boundaries are 100% accurate for both sexes. Therefore, scale hormone ratios show promise as a sex identification tool for Temminck's pangolin, particularly applicable in forensic investigations on the pangolin trade. | en_ZA |
dc.description.department | Mammal Research Institute | en_ZA |
dc.description.department | Zoology and Entomology | en_ZA |
dc.description.embargo | 2022-04-14 | |
dc.description.librarian | hj2021 | en_ZA |
dc.description.sponsorship | The Rufford Foundation and the Pangolin Consortium. | en_ZA |
dc.description.uri | http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ygcen | en_ZA |
dc.identifier.citation | Blecher, A.S., Ganswindt, A. & Scheun, J. 2021, 'Scales of our lives : sex identification of Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) using scales retrieved out of the illegal wildlife trade', General and Comparative Endocrinology, vol. 308, art. 113782. | en_ZA |
dc.identifier.issn | 0016-6480 (print) | |
dc.identifier.issn | 1095-6840 (online) | |
dc.identifier.other | 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113782 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/80206 | |
dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
dc.publisher | Elsevier | en_ZA |
dc.rights | © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in General and Comparative Endocrinology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in General and Comparative Endocrinology, vol. 308, art. 113782, 2021. doi : 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113782. | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Pangolin scales | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Sex identification | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Progestagens | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Androgens | en_ZA |
dc.title | Scales of our lives : sex identification of Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) using scales retrieved out of the illegal wildlife trade | en_ZA |
dc.type | Postprint Article | en_ZA |