| 释义 |
pangolin|pæŋˈgəʊlɪn|
Also 9 pen-.
[a. Malay peng-gōling roller, f. peng- denominative + gōling to roll, in reference to its power of rolling itself up. The Malays distinguish peng-goling sisik scaly pangolin, from peng-goling rambut hairy pangolin (Marsden).]
An edentate mammal of the genus Manis, of tropical Asia and Africa, the greater part of whose body is covered with horny scales; a scaly ant-eater. The name originally belongs to Manis Javanicus, a native of Java, etc.; but has been extended to Indian and African species, of which there are several.
[1734Seba Thesaur. Rer. Natural. I. 88 Javanensibus et aliis populis orientalibus Panggoeling, quae vox Convolutorem notat.] 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) I. vi. 468 The Pangolin, which has been usually called the scaly lizard,..is about three or four feet long. 1822Sir T. S. Raffles in Trans. Linn. Soc. XIII. 249 Pangolin Sisik or Tangiling..of Sumatra. 1840Penny Cycl. XVII. 188 The Pangolins are slow in motion, and live on worms and insects, especially termites and ants. 1893F. C. Selous Trav. S.E. Africa 108 The curious ant-eaters (earth pigs and pangolins) are probably relics of an earlier fauna. |