# 190-Year-Old Museum DNA Reveals New Himalayan Pangolin Species

*2026-08-27 14:01 UTC · Science · 1 min read*

> DNA from a 190-year-old museum specimen confirms a distinct Himalayan pangolin species, giving conservationists a new tool against trafficking.

Scientists have confirmed that pangolins living in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal and northern India belong to a distinct species, Manis aurita, after extracting DNA from a specimen collected in 1836 and preserved for nearly 190 years at London's Natural History Museum.

The finding corrects a naming mix-up: pangolins in the region had been classified as a subspecies of the Chinese pangolin, then briefly renamed Manis indoburmanica in 2025 after researchers spotted genetic differences. The historical DNA proved that name was wrong — the animals matched Manis aurita, a species first described in 1836 but since forgotten.

Manis aurita is larger, has a longer tail and smaller ears than its Chinese relative. Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammal, poached for scales used in traditional medicine; researchers led by Chicago's Field Museum say correctly identifying species lets conservationists trace seized scales back to the specific populations under threat.

## Sources

- [sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260826055500.htm)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/2264-190-year-old-museum-dna-reveals-new-himalayan-pangolin-species
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/2337-dna-z-190-let-stareho-muzejniho-exemplare-odhalila-novy-druh-himalajskeho